Star snapper Rich is crowned competition winner

The winning image in the Rotherham Advertiser photography competition titled 'Fire Breather' was unveiled at College Walk recently as part of Rotherham's Gallery Town. Advertiser editor Andrew Mosley (second left) and Gallery Town project manager Ged Jenkins-Omar (second right) are pictured with winners (from left to right): Lee Evans (third place), Richard Sayles (first place) and Nigel Toohey. 170714-1

Star snapper Rich Sayles was on hand to see his first-placed picture of fire breather Dr Diablo officially unveiled in Rotherham town centre.

Shoppers and visitors to town will have a year to check the giant photo up close in College Walk as part of the Gallery Town open-air art initiative.

All of our top three were presented with a framed copy of their prized pictures.

Reflecting on how he captured his spectacular shot, Rich, who took his photo on a Canon 40D, said: “Rotherham Borough Council have put some great events on in Rotherham and it’s nice that they are doing things in the town.

“I photographed the vintage hop in the summer and I thought I would go to this event and take some photos.”

Rich, of Hall Crescent on the Grange Estate, said: “I was actually given the camera by my dad and I take a lot of band pictures as people struggle getting decent ones done.

“I’m getting calls from bands now asking me to do promo shots and I’ve had a picture used in the Advertiser.”

Second place went to Nigel Toohey, of Rotherham Road, Wath, for his photo of three model boat watchers enjoying the sunshine at Manvers Lake.

Nigel, who took his picture on a Nikon D5200, said: “I was walking round the lake and saw these guys there with their sailing boats.

“I’d seen them a few times and one is an ex-miner and another an ex-steelworker.

“Now they’re guys with a bit of time on their hands and it’s a bit ironic that it’s a former mine where they are spending their leisure time.

“I went back to tell them the picture had won a prize but they’d already seen it in the Advertiser.

“I take pictures of anything and everything.

“I do quite a bit of walking in the Peak District and I’ve done the Dearne Way with my friend’s dog, which I use as a model.”

Wildlife and landscape photographer Lee Evans, from East Dene, bagged third spot for his twilight shot of three swans on the river.

Lee, who took his picture on a Nikon D800, recalled: “I was walking to work and I turned round and there was a couple of swans together.

“I waited for them to line up and I just took the picture. It took me about ten minutes.

“I like taking landscape pictures.

“I walk around spotting things and try to do something a bit different. I try to show Rotherham in a different light.

“I’ve sold a copy of one of my pictures to a lady who used to live in Rotherham but now lives in Australia.”