KEY POINTS:
A long wait for Santa Claus has won a young photographer the BIG Smiles Little Moments billboard competition, and her photo will be mounted on a billboard in Auckland City.
Kristin Froude, 25, attended last year's Farmers Santa Parade with a friend and his daughter, 4-year-old Stella Lang.
While waiting for Santa to arrive, she snapped a few photographs of an excited and smiling young Stella, who was on her father's shoulders to get a better look.
"She was so excited and you can see it in her eyes," Miss Froude said.
"It [the picture] really captured the moment."
The billboard competition was organised by the Auckland Festival of Photography, which was looking for a winning snapshot taken anywhere in the Auckland City business district.
Miss Froude's winning photo, Santa's Coming, was chosen out of 120 high-quality entries that were judged by the Heart of the City business group and Metro magazine.
Her billboard will be unveiled on Sunday as part of the festival's weekend launch and will be on display throughout June.
The Kingsland resident said photography has been a "very big" hobby of hers for several years and she takes photos whenever she can.
"I'll just go out and take pictures - capturing the moment and that smile.
"I love being able to show people what I see," Miss Froude said.
Showing off someone's true emotions is what she loves to do most.
"Eyes show emotion and can tell someone's life stories - all in their eyes. It's kind of a spiritual thing," she said.
"I don't play with photos - like scenery shots. I like to use them as they are and play around with camera techniques."
Another photograph she snapped dubbed Still Waiting For Santa - a black and white picture of Stella and her dad - won the Auckland Festival of Photography people's choice award and April photo of the month.
Miss Froude is studying for a certificate in photography at the Manukau School of Visual Arts, attending two classes a week while working fulltime at marine clothing supplier Line 7.
She said learning about photographic equipment and image design would help her towards achieving her goal of becoming a professional photographer. "It's really challenging. But the confidence and the knowledge I've gained is great."
Miss Froude said she was looking forward to seeing her work on a billboard and was happy to be "getting [her] name out there".
She said she hoped the "superstar" of the photo, Stella, would enjoy seeing herself on the billboard.
"Stella has been told but I don't think she quite understands. But I think it will come when she sees her it.
"I want to see her reaction - actually, that would be a good photo."