Clicking across Jamaica

For months, the Jamaica Yellow Pages had amateurs and professional photographers trekking across the island capturing the best of Jamaica for their Click the Cover competition. Some even went into their archives, and at the end of the day, over 900 photos were sent in.

Irie Sunset, by Trescott Myers of Snap Dat Photography, will grace the cover of next year's directory.

According to Myers who said he has only been a photographer for a year, 'If you don't have a ticket you don't have a chance" so he had two chances entering two photos.

The winning pic was taken in 2012 at Cornwall Beach in Montego Bay.

He told Outlook that he entered for the fun of it, but the $100,000 cash prize and a Nikon D3200 must have sweetened the deal. "I entered for the fun of it. I never really gave much thought to whether or not I would win."

After hunderds of hours pouring over photos, the judging panel headed by renowned photographer Howard Moo-Young, it was narrowed down to four.

Carlton Beckford was in the top four with his shot of the Blue Lagoon. He told Outlook, "I was intrigued by the idea of being able to win and the opportunity for it (photo) to be featured on the cover of a publication that would be in every home and office across the island."

His entry of the Blue Lagoon in Portland was taken in late 2012. Not a professional photographer, Beckford is the CEO of Rope-een.com that aims to showcase great places of interest across the island. "Pictures like these have become both part of my work and pleasure," he notes.

With over 1300 votes, Nicardo Hall's Taking a Dive was the winner of the People's Choice Award. "I just love taking pictures. Everywhere I go, I take pictures every day." He told Outlook that he has been taking pictures ever since he got his first camera, and the photo which was taken near Buff Bay in Portland was actually taken with his iPhone. He entered more than 100 photos in the competition.

And rounding out the top four was amateur photographer and regional vice-president, International Banking Contact Centres, Rueben Canagaratnam.

"I love photography and I have been a regular contributor to The Gleaner'sAmateur Snapshotsection. My involvement in the competition came about in a strange way; a co-worker who recently migrated to New Zealand sent me an email suggesting that I enter," he told Outlook.

He notes that, since he came to Jamaica five years ago, he has been exploring the island and the shot of the Rio Grande was taken a year ago during a weekend trip with his family in Portland. He told Outlook he thought he had a very good chance of winning, "I wanted to submit a genuine, iconic image of the beauty in simplicity that can be found all over Jamaica. For me, photography is all about art and how you visualise things, and ultimately what you want to convey through your lens. As the old saying goes ... a picture is worth a thousand words."