That was the image that got me the prize. Typically from me having people/street images. I know maybe someone is thinking 'what a load of rubbish' but the calendar likes to reflect the vibrancy of multi cultural Leicester and this shot taken for the Afro-Carribean carnival has good fun, energy, humour written all over it. I knew it was a strong image as soon as I saw it. It sort of fits in a bit with the curerent world cup too with the high profile African nations and culture of vuvuzalas!

Anyway the panel of judges liked it which usually includes the picture editor of teh local rag. Wish I had been to the award though, the picture editor usually comments on the images and you get a chance to speak to him. Opportunities like that are worth more than the money.

Re the vouchers, not sure myself. It could shave £200 off a new DSLR, but I'm wondering if there is much benefit for me from a full frame at the moment. I have every lens under the sun and mostly I have acquired mine secondhand anyway, often mint and tested good copies. I have a small and very good compact. I have tripods of differing sizes! I even have 6 bags! Damn, the boy with everything... The studio lights are most appealing but my other half won't pose and we don't have space for a spare studio room.

Incidentally the image is on my D300 and the lens is the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 EX DG. It's meant to be a poor mans Nikon 24-70mm but the latter is a beast to carry around. On Dx (APS-C) sensors I am struggling to see that the Nikon could be sharper. The Sigma is tack sharp and has great colour and clarity (if i am ever stupid enough to offer it for sale buy it quick!). Sure the Nikon would have the edge but for 2-3x the price sometimes these marginal increases are hard to justify. I'm having the same argument re Nikon D300 up against full frame D700 in 85% of situations I would find myself in.

I already have the MANFROTTO 055XPROB but I do have the pistol grip to go with it. I prefer the 804RC2 three way head for one very good reason.
Due to the design of he pistol grip (322 RC2), the movement hits the base when trying to point a camera looking up. A big drawback In my opinion
Therefore I wouldn't recommend it.

Now the 804RC2 three way head not only lets the lens to go in any direction, it also has 360% calibrated turn. This allows for precise setting for panoramic shots on the same level and the same amount of overlap in each shot using the calibration markings.

Bazza

Great capture BC, You really get a sense of the vibrancy of the character.

I have been looking for a canon version of this lens. I have a tight budget though and you don't very often get bargain lenses.

I have recently got a few bits so I can use my speedlights as studio lights. Got an hot shoe top for a lightstand and an umbrella (though I would have preferred a softbox).
I thought this would give me more versatility than studio lights.

Hi Emma, I hated this Sigma lens when it arrived. After a while it grew on me, I realised how versatile it was and mine is very sharp on this crop sensor format. If you think about it you are getting something like a 120mm f2.8 at the top end on a Canon. However, it was one of the reasons I bought a battery grip to balance my camera as it is quite big and heavy. I am reluctant to leave this lens behind now although my favourite has become a Nikon 85mm f1.8 prime. Sigma lens do seem to be a bit hit and miss if you get a good one or a bad one. I was lucky. Not quite sure if it suits your style of work though and Canon autofocus is a bit slower than Nikon. You might even be better with the 18-50mm Sigma f2.8 (constant). I have that too and again got a good copy. The resolution is biting. Another is the Tamron SP 24-135. It is fantastic for the money, but a little slower at 3.5-5.6 variable.

Thanks for the comment on the pic, at least someone mentioned it! I knew it was full of character. I'm not very confident about my images that often, but on this occasion, for that competition I knew it was a strong contender.

The lights sound like you have done a good job on a budget. Photography isn't always about spending loads, not for us hobbyists anyway. You can get some small kits from people like Interfit for less than £200.

Very strong and perfect for relecting the colour of that community.


I have a sigma 30mm 1.4, and a canon 50mm 1.8 (though dream of a 1.4) and I borrow my dad's tamron 90mm a lot (lovely sharp lens) so I have a good range of primes for portraits, but I thought a zoomy lens might be useful for when we are out and about. The kit lens I have is rather rubbish, hubby did buy me something once as a pressie but that was not great either so I thought that the sigma might do the job well.

Hey, had a phone call today just to verify the address to send the '£50' voucher! seems they made a mistake, it was the 2nd prize, £50 I won, and an entry in the annual calendar! Oh well, was struggling to spend the £200 so £50 won't be so difficult. Will buy me a lens cap or a 2gb card at Jessops prices...

Feel slightly miffed was misinformed but it's not really an issue for me to be honest as i rarely win anything anyway!

Still not a bad win - and like you said you were struggling to spend it all anyway

You could challange on the basis that they have already said you won first prize and that is a legal contract in writing. Just because they have slipped up is their problem and should honour their commitments.

Take for example a product priced on it (not on a ticket in a rack below) on a shelf at £50 and when you get to the till they say it was mispriced and should be £200, the shop has to sell the item at the displayed price irrespective if the price was mismarked on the attached label.
Its the same in reverse, should a company say you are entitled to a gift-prize etc at a named value they cannot alter that either because of their error. They may have a clause it the competition about subject to scrutiny or something, but that is prior to the prize being given out.

If I were you I would write a polite letter to Jessops and point out that they have already made quite clear that you were first prize winner (in whatever method they communicated with you, enclose a copy) and you expect them to honour this statement. Should they do so you will not take the matter further. However if they don't then this matter will be persued in the correct manner to achieve a just and lawful outcome.

Bazza

How disappointing.
At least you have £50 to spend though!
I personally wouldn't challenge it as it was a prize - if it was purchase related I would be stamping my feet and demanding the full amount, but it seems a bit ungrateful and precious when its a prize.

Thanks for the advice but it's not a big issue to me. I think it was just the admin person made a mistake, it was just a phone call last week. A bit disappointing but a lesson until you get it in your hand keep quiet and don't spend the money! Thanks for your words though folks.