Shepherd Neame have announced the winners of their latest photography competition, with top prize going to a shot of a kingfisher about to eat a fish.
Jim Higham, from Canterbury, took the photo in his home city, on the banks of the River Stour. It was not far from Shepherd Neame’s Miller’s Arms pub, which is where he was presented with his prize by senior communications officer, Angela Cole.
The retired IT services manager at Kent University took it using his Sony A6700, with a Sony 200-600 lens. “I’d seen the kingfishers on two separate occasions, so thought it was worth going down there to have a look,” he said. “They come here in the winter because it’s more sheltered, and so they have become accustomed to people going past.
“It was so close it was unbelievable. I took a few shots and it had the fish in its beak. To swallow them, they have to have them the right way round, so it flipped it, and I got the shot. It was just incredible.”
Four runners-up each received a £25 Shepherd Neame gift card and certificate. They were:
- Sarah McBride, for her shot of a squirrel with a nut in its mouth, taken in the grounds of Whitstable Castle;
- Miriam Simmons, for her snowdrop photo, taken in Otford;
- William Richardson, for his photo of a ladybird on a daisy; and
- Helen Spillett for her shot of a New Year family walk on Seasalter beach.
Kathryn Tye, director of marketing and communications at Shepherd Neame, said: “We are always delighted by how many entries we receive for this competition, and the high standard. Our judges felt Jim’s winning image was a stand-out winner, capturing the beautiful kingfisher the very second it had the fish in its mouth.”
The winning images can be seen in Shepherd Neame’s brewery reception in Court Street, Faversham from Tuesday, 27th May, where they will be on display during normal office hours for a month.
