Photo competitions
Club photo competitions
Winning and runner-up photos from the club's annual photo competition, long judged by Grant Newton on a Wednesday club night. Winners go on to the Federated Mountain Clubs national competition.
WTMC Photo Competition 2026 17 photos
Judged by Sam Harrison; winners announced at the awards night on Wednesday 2 September 2026 (entries closed 23 August). Categories: above and below the bushline, each with and without a human element; historic; nature, flora and fauna; film (new, for photos taken on a film camera); and people’s choice, voted by members on the night. Up to two entries per member per category, and the top two in each go on to the national FMC competition. Prizes from Bivouac Outdoor, Coffee Outdoors, Dwights Outdoors and Wilderness Magazine. Event page.
The WTMC Photo Competition Awards night was held on 2 September.
Winner · Below bushline (without human element)
“Upper Otaki Reflections”, Regan McGillicuddy
Runner-up · Below bushline (without human element)
“Fiordland”, Rachel Brandon
Winner · Below bushline (with human element)
“Pouakai Circuit”, Faye McDougall
Runner-up · Below bushline (with human element)
“Stillwater Packrafting”, Regan McGillicuddy
Winner · Above bushline (without human element)
“Sunset ridgline”, Kate Unwin
Runner-up · Above bushline (without human element)
“Waiau Pass”, Pol Wiseman
Winner · Above bushline (with human element)
“Kahurangi Crossroads”, Amelia Wilkinson
Runner-up · Above bushline (with human element)
“Glowing tent”, Rob Tiu
Winner · Native Fauna and Flora
“Ferns”, Anne de Ferron
Runner-up · Native Fauna and Flora
“Rakiura”, Caleb Smith
Winner · Historic
“Jumble Top Hut”, James Hancock (photographer Ron Turner)
Runner-up · Historic
“Club uniform from the 60s”, Noel Thomas
Winner · Film
“Float n Free”, Tessa Lewis
Runner-up · Film
“Mangahao”, India Essuah
1st place · People’s choice
“Into the sky”, Erik Behrens
2nd place · People’s choice
“The daunting aunt, Mt Irene”, Anne de Ferron
3rd place · People’s choice
“Duchess Stream”, Nicole Wood
WTMC Photo Competition 2025
Judged by Sam Harrison. Run by Anna in August 2025, with 32 people entering; the winners are printed in the journal Tongue & Cheek ’25.
- Above the Bushline (human element): winner Aaron Zhao, “Above cloud”; runner up Nye Williams-Renouf, “Danny Girdlestone”
- Above the Bushline (no human element): winner Thomas Goodman, “Key Summit”; runner up Lynsey Sutton, “Arthur’s Pass”
- Below the Bushline (human element): winner Kate Morris, “Set fire to the rain”; runner up Sara Harrison, “Can I go next?”
- Below the Bushline (no human element): winner Ultan McAdam, Taranaki; runner up Caleb Smith, “Smith Creek Falls”
- Nature, Flora and Fauna: winner Nye Williams-Renouf, “Kea Mueller”; runner up Lynsey Sutton, “Little Blue”
- Long Exposure: winner James Hancock, “Stars above Whakapapaiti”
- Historic: Noel Thomas, “Waiototo 1968”
The photos are on the journal pages below.
Tongue & Cheek ’25, page 34
Tongue & Cheek ’25, page 35
Tongue & Cheek ’25, page 36
Tongue & Cheek ’25, page 37
Tongue & Cheek ’25, page 38
WTMC Photo Competition 2023 14 photos
Judged by Lissa of Lissa Photography, from over 80 entries; prizes from Bivouac Outdoor.
Winners and runners-up in the 2023 WTMC Photo Competition judged by Lissa from Lissa Photography. Over 80 photos have been entered in the photo competition this year. The entry categories of the competition followed those of the FMC national photo competition. Club winning photos, and the runners-up, in each category are forwarded to the national FMC competition.
Runner-up · Native flora & fauna
“Kea”, Anne de Ferron
Winner · Native flora & fauna
“Siblings”, Sam Harrison
Special mention · Below the bushline, no human element
“Cascade Stream”, Ian Harrison
Runner-up · Below the bushline, no human element
“Goblin Forest Sunlight (Tararuas)”, Lynsey Sutton
Winner · Below the bushline, no human element
“Toitoi in the wind”, Marteen Ruiter
Runner-up · Below the bushline, human element
“St James Campsite”, Ian Harrison
Winner · Below the bushline, human element
“A well deserved rest”, Mathew Denys
Winner · Historic
“D'Urville Hut”, Tony Stephens
Runner-up · Long exposure
“Glimpse of the stars (Otehake River)”, Mathew Denys
Winner · Long exposure
“Syme Hut Milky Way”, Ian Harrison
Runner-up · Above the bushline, no human element
“Boulder Lake”, Sam Harrison
Winner · Above the bushline, no human element
“Over the Bonar”, James Gilbert-Milne
Runner-up · Above the bushline, human element
“Haukura”, Sam Harrison
Winner · Above the bushline, human element
“The Plateau”, Mathew Denys
All other entries (89)
WTMC Photo Competition 2020 14 photos
Judged by Grant Newton at an online club night on 2 September 2020: with Covid restrictions, entries were shared on the club’s Facebook page. Photos had to be taken in New Zealand after January 2017.
The 2020 WTMC Photo Competition was judged in an online Wednesday club night 2 September by Grant Newton. As in previous years Grant offered critical comment on every photo entered – which is of course a great way to learn what is good and what is not so good in a photograph and therefore how to improve your own photography.
Winner; Judges Choice · Above the bushline with a human element
“Evening at WTMC Ruapehu Lodge”, Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Above the bushline with a human element
“Mt Hector Memorial”, Tony Gazley
Winner · Above the bushline without a human element
“Ruapehu and cloud”, Ian Harrison
Runner-up · Above the bushline without a human element
“Princess Bath”, Tony Gazley
Winner · Below the bushline with a human element
“Lake McKerrow”, Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Below the bushline with a human element
“Climbing to Te Pukeohikarua, Kaweka Range”, Ian Harrison
Winner · Below the bushline without a human element
“Sunset at Ruahine Corner”, Ian Harrison
Runner-up · Below the bushline without a human element
“Cascade Stream, Kaimanawas”, Ian Harrison
Winner · Native Flora and Fauna
“Tui and Kowhai”, Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Native Flora and Fauna
“Ferns at Ruahine Corner”, Ian Harrison
Winner · Long Exposure
“Ford Canyon, Blackball”, Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Long Exposure
“Mt Holdsworth Trig 2 am”, Rasmus Altencamp
Winner · Historical
“Mt Rolleston Bicycle”, Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Historical
“Novice climbers Taranaki”, Ian Harrison
WTMC Photo Competition 2019 14 photos
Judged by Grant Newton at the club night on 28 August 2019 (entries closed 31 July). Long exposure was a new trial category. Tony Gazley’s Syme Hut went on to be runner-up in the national FMC competition, which had a record 565 entries.
Winners and runners-up in the 2019 WTMC Photo Competition judged by Grant Newton. The photos were entered in the FMC national competition which this year attracted a record 565 photographs from 35 clubs and 31 individual supporters.
Winner · Above bush edge with human element
“Syme Hut”, Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Above bush edge with human element
“Taranaki crater”, Emily Shrosbree
Winner · Above bush edge without human element
“Moonset from WTMC Ruapehu Lodge”, Ian Harrison
Runner-up · Above bush edge without human element
“Upper Tama Lake”, Tony Gazley
Winner · Below bush edge with human element
“Nugget Point”, Lukas Behal
Runner-up · Below bush edge with human element
“Orongorongo Valley”, Tony Gazley
Winner · Below bush edge without human element
“Corner Creek Palliser Bay”, Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Below bush edge without human element
“Matai Falls”, Lukas Behal
Winner · Native flora and fauna
“Cicada”, Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Native flora and fauna
“Robin”, Gareth Gretton
Winner · Historical
“Powell Hut 1970”, Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Historical
“Xmas trip 1970s”, Tony Gazley
Winner · Long Exposure
“Mt Fyffe”, Lukas Behal
Runner-up · Long Exposure
“Mt Angelus”, Lukas Behal
WTMC Photo Competition 2018 10 photos
Judged by Grant Newton at the clubrooms on 8 August 2018 (entries closed 18 July). The bushline categories were split into with and without a human element for the first time. Prizes donated by life member Ron Fayle.
The annual WTMC photo competition was held at the club-rooms on 8 August. The photos were judged by Grant Newton, and the prizes for the winners of each category were provided with a generous donation from life-member Ron Fayle.
Winner · Above bushline – no human element
Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Above bushline – no human element
Tony Gazley
Winner · Above bushline – human element
Ian Harrison
Runner-up · Above bushline – human element
Tony Gazley
Winner; Judges choice · Below bushline – no human element
Ian Harrison
Runner-up · Below bushline – no human element
Mark Pothecary
Winner · Below bushline – human element
Ian Harrison
Runner-up · Below bushline – human element
Simon Barr
Winner · Flora and fauna
Amelia White
Runner-up · Flora and fauna
Ian Harrison
Ruapehu Lodge summer photo competition 2018 3 photos
Run by the lodge subcommittee for photos with a ‘lodge theme’, to promote summer trips from Ruapehu Lodge. Decided by popular vote on Flickr; first prize was two nights for two at the lodge, second and third Bivouac vouchers.
1st. Lynley Goowin. Two nights for two people in the club lodge
1st
“Who am I?”, Lynley Goowin
2nd
“Taranaki Falls”, Tony Gazley
3rd
“Lodge summer night”, Tony Gazley
WTMC Photo Competition 2017 12 photos
Judged by Grant Newton at the club night on 19 July 2017, to a full house (entries closed 5 July). Photos had to be taken in New Zealand after January 2015. The winners are also printed, at full size, in the 2017 journal.
Grant Newton judged the club photo competition last Wednesday night – to a full house attendance. The results are below. Note these are very low resolution copies to save space on our server – but the high quality copies will be forwarded to FMC for inclusion in their nation-wide competition to be judged October. Winners will be notified in the FMC journal prob in November.
Runner-up · Above bushline, no people
Tony Gazley
Winner · Above bushline, no people
Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Above bushline, people
Tony Gazley
Winner · Above bushline, people
Kerry Charles
Runner-up · Below bushline, no people
Ian Harrison
Winner · Below bushline, no people
Spencer Clubb
Runner-up · Below bushline, people
Tony Gazley
Winner · Below bushline, people
Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Hut / camp life
Spencer Clubb
Winner · Hut / camp life
Tony Gazley
Runner-up · Flora & fauna
Emily Shrosbree
Winner and judge's choice · Flora & fauna
Ian Harrison
Journal 2017, page 88
Journal 2017, page 89
Journal 2017, page 90
Journal 2017, page 91
Journal 2017, page 92
Journal 2017, page 93
Journal 2017, page 94
Original post on the club website · Read the pages in the archive viewer
WTMC Photo Competition 2015
Judged at the club night on 25 March 2015 (entries closed 11 March); printed in the 2015 journal.
- Below bushline: winner Andrei Zubkov; runner up Harry Smith
- Native flora & fauna: winner Jenny Beaumont; runner up Harry Smith
- Hut & camp life: winner Harry Smith; runner up Andrei Zubkov
- Outdoor landscape: winner and judge’s choice Katja Riedel; runner up Katy Glenie
- People’s choice: Spencer Clubb
The photos are on the journal pages below.
Journal 2015, page 16
Journal 2015, page 17
Journal 2015, page 18
Journal 2015, page 19
Journal 2015, page 20
Journal 2015, page 21
FMC photo competition: supreme prize to Ian Harrison 1 photos
Announced at the FMC annual meeting in 2014: Ian Harrison’s photo won the supreme prize in the nationwide competition.
At the recent AGM of the Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC), WTMC was delighted to hear that one of our members, Ian Harrison, has been awarded the supreme prize for the New Zealand wide FMC photo competition in 2014.
kanuka
WTMC Photo Competition 2013 6 photos
Judged by Grant Newton, who found the standard higher than in previous years.
The Club’s photo competition was very competitive this year. The judge Grant Newton noted that the standard was higher than in previous years and found it difficult to choose a winner in a number of categories. Despite this the results were dominated by Tony Gazley and Spencer Clubb. Tony won three of the categories with his winning hut and camp life image taken on Mt Hector also winning popular approval with the people’s choice award. Spencer got a big cheer when he won the landscape category with a stunning shot of the moon over the Richardson Range; just reward after being runner up in the previous three categories.
Winner · Above the bushline
Mike Phethean
Winner · Below bushline
Rini Sugianto
Winner and people's choice · Hut/Camp Life
Tony Gazley
Winner · Native Flora and fauna
Tony Gazley
Winner · Landscape
Spencer Clubb
Judge's choice
Tony Gazley
FMC photo competition 2012: first prize to Spencer Clubb
Spencer Clubb’s “Early morning, Mt Holdsworth track” won first prize in the national FMC competition, as printed in the 2012 journal.
Journal 2012, page 70
Journal 2012, page 71
Journal 2012, page 72
Competitions without photos
We know these competitions ran (or may have run), but have not found the winning photos. If you have them, please get in touch.
- 2012: Annual competition on 7 March 2012 (announced December 2011); no results or photos found.
- 2014: Club competition on 2 April 2014 (announced February 2014); no results or photos found.
- 2016: Club competition on 16 March 2016, judged by Grant Newton; no results or photos found (the 2016 journal has no competition pages).
- 2021: No record found of a 2021 competition.
- 2022: No record found of a 2022 competition.
- 2024: No record found of a 2024 competition.