Meet our photo competition winner

[Peter_S.]

We would like to present to you the winner of our competition on the topic of "Transport and Traffic". Read the interview and discover more about the photographer and the story behind his image.

Start by telling us a bit about yourself: Where do you live, what do you do?

I live with my wife in Ormalingen, Switzerland, which is about 30 km from Basel. Luckily for me, my wife is also a photographer and therefore understands if I need to wait for the "right" light. We are both members of the photo team Novartis, which is based in Basel. I used to work as a mechanical engineer in the chemical industry in Basel and am now enjoying my retirement.

When did you first try photography and what camera did you use?

I first took part in an international photography competition in 1975. The camera I used was a Minolta SR-T 101.

How did you feel when you were told you had won the competition? 

It's always very nice to win a competition. I've been invited to judge photography competitions in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland multiple times and know that you always need a bit of luck to win first prize.

Tell us a bit more about the inspiration behind the shot and what equipment and accessories did you use to take the frame? Did you process the image after shooting? 

In the autumn of 1981, we were travelling in a small group in Xinjiang, China, at heights of approximately 3900 m and camping along the way. The natives were dismantling their yurts and moving to the valley before the onset of winter. As the yaks were being loaded, I simply had to take a photo using my Minolta 9000 and 35–70-mm zoom. The image was produced on an SW-Ilford film that I scanned in and spotted, with no further processing.

Can you share some tips that could help other photographers to create winning photos?

To take good photos, you have to be in the right place at the right time and have a good eye for composition.