The winner of the australianphotography.com February “Weather” Photo Competition is Milos Lekovic. Lekovic created his winning image “Boat Harbour Storm Front” by stitching five images together to produce a single wide-format panorama photo.
The February photo competition was judged by award-winning travel photographer Chris McLennan, who complimented the winning image on its composition and lighting:
“The use of the panorama format and the light in the foreground gives a powerful feel to the looming background storm. The intimidating clouds frame the image nicely and help to draw the eye into the image to tell the complete story,” said McLennan.
“All of the images were great, with some really different perspectives on the theme,” he said.
“Nature often provides a very dramatic backdrop to photography, and in these images the drama of the weather has taken over and become the focus of the shot. Well done to all entrants this month.”
Milos has won a Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW camera bag, valued at $219 from Maxwell International.
A total of 366 images were entered in the February Photo Competition and 20 images made the highly commended list: 'A Carrier of Weight' by Sven Lindroos; 'Approaching Storm' by Tracy Copson; 'Blackened Skies' by Mark Glancy; 'Clouds' by Nick White; 'Cooling Down on Australia Day' by Melissa Brown; 'Devil's Golfcourse, Devil's Wraith' by Ian Houghton; 'Elwood's Storm' by Matteo De Angelis; 'Lenticular Clouds' by Peter Hammer; 'No line On the Horizon' by Kat Clay; 'Rainbow Road' by John; 'Showers in Hobart' by David Edwards; 'Smoke Monster' by James Breslin; 'Storm Front' by Ann Van Breemen; 'Thunderhead' by Marshall Ward; 'Uluru Lightning' by Damien Hill; 'Will' by Jacob Bowley; 'Wind' by Marshall Ward; 'Xmas Day Storm #2' by Flavio Bonicelli (Bon); 'Xmas Day Storm Noosa' by Richard Edwards.
A selection of the best images is published below.
The theme for the March photo competition is Repetition.
ABOUT THE JUDGE: Award winning photographer Chris McLennan was born and raised in the South Island of New Zealand, but now spends his time travelling the world on photographic assignments for his many travel and tourism clients. He also hosts travel photography workshops and in 2012 is planning tours to Alaska, Fiji, Africa and Italy. See Chris’ work at http://cmphoto.co.nz
Winner: 'Boat Harbour Storm Front,' by Milos Lekovic.
Commended: 'Smoke Monster,' by James Breslin
Commended: 'Xmas Day Storm, Noosa,' by Richard Edwards.
'Storm Front,' by Ann Van Breemen.
Commended: 'A Carrier of Weight,' by Sven Lindroos.
Commended: 'Approaching Storm,' by Tracy
Copson.
Commended: 'Blackened Skies,' by Mark Glancy.
Commended: 'Clouds,' by Nick White.
Commended: 'Cooling Down on Australia Day,' by Melissa Brown.
Commended: 'Devil's Golfcourse,
Devil's Wraith,' by Ian Houghton
Commended: 'Elwood's Storm,' by Matteo De Angelis.
Commended: 'Lenticular Clouds,' by Peter Hammer
Commended: 'No line On the Horizon,' by Kat
Clay.
Commended: 'Rainbow Road,' by John.
Commended: 'Showers in Hobart,' by David Edwards.
Commended: 'Thunderhead,' by Marshall Ward.
Commended: 'Uluru Lightning,' by Damien Hill. 
Commended: 'Will,'
by Jacob Bowley.
Commended: 'Wind,' by Marshall Ward.
Commended: 'Xmas Day Storm #2,' by Flavio
Bonicelli.