Hawke's Bay summer photo competition winner revealed

Twelve-year-old Archer Woods-Vaney probably has his sister to thank for winning the Summer in the Bay photo competition.

The annual summer photo competition is run by Hawke's Bay Today in conjunction with Canon NZ and Harvey Norman Hastings.

First prize was a Canon 200D II with an 18-55mm STM Lens Kit, 32GB Sandisk SD Card, a Canon camera bag, a 12x18 framed print and 500 6x4 photo prints from Harvey Norman Hastings.

Archer Woods-Vaney's winning entry, judged to have captured the spirit of Summer in the Bay.

Warren Buckland, Hawke's Bay Today's chief multimedia visual journalist, said Archer's photo was ''just bliss''.

"It's a special selfie moment taken by Archer.

"A boy and his dog, best friends soaking up the warm rays enjoying the summer breeze on their way to the beach.

"We loved the tilted composition giving a feeling of movement, the brilliant blue sky, the wonderful expression on their faces, obviously happy and content to be living in the Bay.

"Completing the package are leading lines drawing your eye up through the photograph making for a stronger composition."

Archer says he spotted the opportunity for the picture while in the family car but didn't have a camera, and grabbed his sister's phone.

"I just saw my dog poking their face out the window and I just thought 'that'd make a really good picture, I should do that.

"Mum was screaming because I was holding it (the phone) out the window."

He said he would use his prize to try to become a photographer.

Tikokino grandmother Jo Hardwick-Smith hosted her 6-year-old twin grandsons Louis and Felix from Christchurch.

Second place went to Tikokino grandmother Jo Hardwick-Smith's shot of her twin 6-year-old twin grandsons Louis and Felix, from Christchurch, on a water slide.

"Good photos are often about capturing emotion,'' Buckland said.

"The bright colours of the water slide contrast with the blue sky.

"It was great timing capturing Louis' toothless joy with his arms and legs and water droplets in the air. "

Jo wins a 12x18 canvas of her image, and 250 6x4 photo prints.

Taken on his Apple 12 Pro iPhone but with plenty of planning Auckland visitor Craig Plested takes out third place.

Third was Auckland visitor Craig Plested with his Napier fountain shot.

"Craig's perfect positioning of a cyclist riding into frame is balanced by the sun backlighting a dramatic gushing fountain.

"It's a well thought out image that could easily pass as a promotion for the iPhone camera."

Plested wins an 8x12 canvas of his image, and 100 6x4 photo prints from Harvey Norman Hastings.