Meet our photo competition winner

[Peter_S.]

Firstly, can you tell us where you're based and what you do?
I come from Sierning in Austria, I'm married with two children and work as a lathe operator for a well-known Austrian company.

When did you first get into photography and what was your first camera?
I got into photography in 1985, completely self-taught, and joined my local photography club in Neuzeug in the same year. I switched completely to digital in 2005.
My photographic specialisms are humour, sport & landscapes.
Most of my images revolve around people and generally tell a story. My photos are supposed to be thought-provoking, sometimes they are slightly ironic but always feature a dash of humour.
I usually use family, friends or work colleagues as models.

Can you tell us the story behind your photo? Where did the idea come from for this picture?
As soon as I have an idea for an image I write it down and make a sketch.
Months can then go by before I actually shoot the picture.
I also attach great importance to choosing a title for the image. To me this should be in keeping with the story the picture tells. I thereby express my thoughts and reinforce the image's message.

What would you advise other photographers to do to get a winning picture?
Take a picture that makes a strong statement and never plagiarise.