Who won our August 'Reflections' photo comp... and who got banned!

Reflections have always been a powerful design tool, with the potential to turn an average subject into a exceptional photograph. Shapes and form can be repeated for effect, colours can become modulated and a quiet stare from a geisha or even a gecko can suddenly become more poignant.

Regardless of the subject though, reflections work best when they are used with consideration to other elements that make photographs strong, and that includes good lighting and a sensitivity to moment and ambience.

With all that in mind, this month's guest judge Anthony McKee has awarded the top prize in our August 'reflections' photo comp to Silvia Li's photo, 'The Glow'.

"I love the soft colour palette and the beautiful repetition of shapes, starting with the round windmill, the sun and the roundness of that tree," wrote McKee. "But this image also has a reflected symmetry, both in the vertical and in the horizontal; you could almost fold this image onto itself top to bottom and left to right. And the final touch for me is the sun just showing in the reflection. Perfect."

Silvia has won $250 courtesy of our good friends at Eizo.

The winner of our people's choice prize, with more than 280 likes on Facebook, is Robin Yong who won over the crowd with his beautifully composed photo, 'Backstage ...Chinese Street Opera'.

Robin has won a 12-month subscription to either Australian Photography or Capture magazine.

You can see the full shortlist at Facebook.

Note: The image of the zebras drinking has been disqualified. It was found that the person who entered the image, Sreerag S, had not taken the photo. The image was shot by Giovanni Frescurra and entered without his knowledge or permission. Read more here.