Facebook most ‘liked’ images

WPS Images of the month

The  most ‘liked’ images of the month from the WPS Members’ Facebook group

In the gallery below, click on a thumbnail to open an image. Click on the down arrow below for more information about earlier months’ winner(s).

All images © their respective authors.

Note: When a post contains multiple images, Facebook maintains separate counts of likes for the post and for each of the images in the post.

If you imbed an image or an album from another source on facebook such as your own account, this won’t count towards the WPS “most liked” competition as likes may have come from outside WPS .

We calculate the score for such a post by combining the list of members who liked the post with the name of those who liked any of the images and then eliminating duplicates. This gives the number of separate members who liked the post and/or one of its images. We use the COUNTA(UNIQUE()) spreadsheet formula.

2024-02 1st Trevor Morecraft The Moon in Winchester Cathedral

Trevor Morecraft’s striking vertical panorama, with 30 likes, was February 2024’s most liked post in the WPS Members’ Facebook group.

There were eight images which received 20 likes or more, including three of the Festival of the Moon. These eight are featured in the gallery below.

Subject to confirmation by Carey, the top fifteen most liked posts for February 2024 are shown here:

PositionNameImage titleLikesDate posted
1Trevor MorecraftThe Moon in Winchester Cathedral3008 Feb
2Terry ShippBeach day at Studland2718 Feb
3Sarah TownleyMy significant other2625 Feb
4Tony LargeMoon in the Cathedral2417 Feb
4Terry ShippBailey, Lily and Rodney (the Yorkie)2410 Feb
6John RoseWinchester Cathedral Crypt2214 Feb
7Bob HartFestival of the Moon2115 Feb
8Mike LaneEzo fox versus Steller’s Eagle2010 Feb
9Mike LaneA small selection from Hokkaido, Japan1908 Feb
10Mike LaneMt Fuji last night1814 Feb
11Diane GollowitzerRunning dog silhouettes1705 Feb
11Lilian HobbsTimelapse of Mt. Fuji1715 Feb
11Peter OrrShort-eared owl1705 Feb
14Mike LaneLittle ones trying to keep warm1613 Feb
14Tony LargeWinchester City Mill from above1618 Feb

Detailed results of the top eight are as follows:

  • 1st Trevor Morecraft’s Moon in Winchester Cathedral, with 30 likes, posted on 8 February
    • Trevor wrote:
      • The Moon in Winchester Cathedral. A vertical panorama with my phone. I have no idea how I’d do this with my camera.
  • 2nd Terry Shipp’s Beach day at Studland (set of four) with 27 likes, posted on 18 February
    • Terry wrote:
      • Had a beach day at Studland. Rained a bit but had the occasional interesting break in the sky. The rowers are colourful though. The dunes are good for ICM. The dogs had fun too
  • 3rd Sarah Townley’s portrait of “My Significant Other” (set of three), 26 likes, posted on 25 February
    • Sarah wrote
      • On another wet and miserable morning I resorted to taking photos of my significant other.
  • 4th= Tony Large’s Moon in the Cathedral with 24 likes, posted on 17 February
    • Tony wrote:
      • It had to be done…….
  • 4th= Terry Shipp’s Bailey, Lily and Rodney (the Yorkie) (set of eight) with 24 likes, posted on 10 February
    • Terry wrote:
      • Bailey, Lily and Rodney (the Yorkie). Good fun taking photos of these guys! Always got my camera on me when I take them out for a walk.
  • 6th John Rose Winchester Cathedral Crypt with 22 likes, posted on 14 February
  • 7th Bob Hart’s Festival of the Moon, 21 likes, posted on 15 February
    • Bob wrote:
      • Another visit to Winchester Cathedral. This is my take on the “Festival of the Moon”.
  • 8th Mike Lane’s Ezo fox versus Steller’s Eagle, 20 likes, posted on 10 February
    • Mike wrote
      • Ezo fox versus Steller’s Sea Eagle, Hokkaido this morning

The clear winner for January 2024 was Mike Lane’s FIAP Gold Medal with 31 likes.

One mark separated the next four images

The top eight most liked posts for January 2024 are listed below

PositionMemberTitleLikesDate posted
1Mike LaneFIAP gold medal312 Jan 24
2James WestWaxwing at Romsey2426 Jan 24
2Peter OrrShort-eared owl2420 Jan 24
4Lilian HobbsMt Fuji2326 Jan 24
4Trevor MorecraftSheer Delight for enthusiasts231 Jan 24
6David MoormanStonehenge1919 Jan 24
7Corinne KozokRoyal Oak Passage, Winchester181 Jan 24
8Steve Baileytifa award176 Jan 24

Detailed results of the top five as follows:

  • 1st Mike Lane’s report of his FIAP Gold Medal success, with 31 likes, posted on 2 January.
    • Mike wrote:
      • New Year started with a great club outing yesterday on New year’s day. Then this morning this dropped through the post.
      • A FIAP Gold medal. These are nearly as rare as hen’s teeth!
  • 2nd= James West’s Waxwing at Romsey, with 24 likes, posted on 26 January
  • 2nd= Peter Orr’s short-eared owl, 24 likes, posted on 20 January
    • Peter wrote
      • A short-eared owl hunting in the last light of the day.
      • Nikon Z9, Nikon 800mm S, x1.4 converter, f9, 1/1000 sec, ISO 6400
  • 4th= Lilian Hobbs’ Mount Fuji with 23 likes, posted on 26 January
  • 4th= Trevor Morecraft’s Sheer Delight for Enthusiasts with 23 likes, posted on 1 January
    • Trevor wrote:
      • You can see the sheer delight on the faces of the enthusiasts as they ride the King Arthur vintage buses today.
  • 6th David Moorman’s Stonehenge with 19 likes, posted on 19 January
  • 7th Corinne Kozok’s Royal Oak Passage, Winchester, 18 likes, posted on 1 January
    • Corinne wrote:
      • It was good to see such a big group of WPS members out together today. It was a really nice start to the new year. I didn’t take too many pics, but I rather liked this one.
  • 8th Steve Bailey’s tifa Honourable Mention award, 17 likes, posted on 6 January
    • Steve wrote
      • Pleased to receive an ‘Honourable Mention’ in the 2023 Tokyo International Foto Awards

The top two most liked posts for December 2023 were drone shots by Trevor Morecraft and Tony Large.

Four of the top ten were from the late afternoon/night photoshoot at Marchwood on 28 December.

Two other “most liked” posts were recent winners of internal competitions. Trevor had two in the top ten, while Diane Gollowitzer and Deborah Gordon each had three in the top fourteen.

PlacingLikesMemberPosted onSubject
132TrevorMorecraft30-Dec-2023Southampton Container Port from 400ft.
228Tony Large17-Dec-2023Winchester Christmas Market
326Diane Gollowitzer19-Dec-2023Friday Feeling (Winner of the Christmas Knockout)
425Deborah Gordon18-Dec-2023Late afternoon fog tetraptych
425Deborah Gordon02-Dec-2023Game Keepers Bond iPhone 12
623James West29-Dec-20237 images from the Marchwood photooshoot
623Philip George29-Dec-20232 images from the Marchwood photooshoot
822Chrissi Travell06-Dec-2023University Challenge – Winchester. Chrissi Travell’s winning Set of Three (posted by Carey Wall)
921Sarah Townley22-Dec-2023Dreaming of a Wine Christmas
921Trevor Morecraft29-Dec-2023Night photography. Thanks all for coming along. We got lucky. Sunset, a rainbow and even a late arrival.
1120Diane Gollowitzer07-Dec-2023Dog and man silhouette: I haven’t seen any silhouettes posted in the group, submitted to any of the competitions (I’ve only attended 3), or published in the handbook 🤔 Any idea why? I love them
1219Deborah Gordon24-Dec-2023Merry Christmas frosty morning
1318Diane Gollowitzer01-Dec-2023Evee
1318Gavin Bowyer17-Dec-2023Monochromes from New York: Some superb opportunities in New York – enjoyed the Guggenheim Museum and the Rockefeller Centre. As well as photo opportunities when wandering the streets! What a number plate!

Detailed results of the top five as follows:

  • 1st Trevor Morecraft’s Southampton Container Port from 400ft with 32 likes, posted on 30 December.
    • Trevor wrote:
      • Southampton Container Port from 400ft last night. 9 shot panorama.
  • 2nd Tony Large’s Winchester Christmas Market with 28 likes, posted on 17 December2023
    • Tony wrote:
      • Finally managed to get back to the Christmas Market with lots of people in the shot after dusk tonight. Shot at 200′, to get the best view of the Market IMO.
  • 3rd Diane Gollowitzer’s Friday Feeling with 26 likes, posted on 19 December 2023
    • Diane wrote
      • I got a few questions about how I created the silhouette that (won the Christmas Knockout and) was shortlisted for the @britishphotographyawards in Pets and Domestic Animals category, so here it is
  • 4th Deborah Gordon’s Late Afternoon Fog tetraptych with 25 likes, posted on 18 December 2023
    • Deborah wrote wrote:
      • Late afternoon fog iPhone 12.
  • 4th Deborah Gordon’s Game Keepers Bond with 25 likes, posted on 2 December 2023
    • Deborah wrote wrote:
      • Game Keepers Bond iPhone 12.

The clear winner for the second successive month was Lilian Hobbs. Her ARPS panel received 45 likes.

Second with 35 likes was Diane Gollowitzer’s “Reggie in his Elements”, Highly Commended in PDI R2, a new edit of an image which had won a 2023 International Pet Photographer of the Year silver award.

Third was Trevor Morecraft’s aerial image of the BAC 1-11 fuselage being towed through the streets of Southampton on its way to the Solent Sky Museum, where it will be turned into a café. As well as being reproduced in several national and local newspapers and many other sites on the internet, this image had received 27 likes in our facebook group by the end of November. More likes are still coming in at the time of writing.

PlacingLikesMemberPosted onSubject
145Lilian Hobbs08-Nov-2023ARPS panel
235Diane Gollowitzer22-Nov-2023Reggie in his Elements
327Trevor Morecraft29-Nov-2023BAC-1-11 in Southampton
425Adrian Walmsley04-Nov-2023Rainy Thursday in Winchester
524Trevor Morecraft03-Nov-2023Queen Elizabeth leaving Portsmouth
623Philip George06-Nov-2023View from Blackwater bridge at Rhinefield
722Philip George08-Nov-2023Red van in the rape
820Peter Orr11-Nov-2023Savernake Forest
919Sarah Townley08-Nov-2023Hilliers Infrared

Detailed results of the top five as follows:

  • 1st Lilian Hobbs’ ARPS Panel with 45 likes, posted on 8 November2023
    • Lilian wrote:
      • I am very pleased to report that today I was successful in gaining an ARPS in applied with a sun and moon panel.
      • Huge thanks goes to Vanessa Slawson and Anne Dean Ruffell for their help and advice
  • 2nd Diane Gollowitzer’s Reggie in his Elements with 35 likes, posted on 22 November 2023
    • Diane wrote:
      • I’m pretty chuffed how my first ever submission did on the competition yesterday 🥰
      • (This is a previous edit, I cleaned up the dog’s face based on the feedback I got from one of the judges at the International Pet Photographer of the Year)
  • 3rd Trevor Morecraft’s BAC 1-11 on the move in Southampton with 27 likes and counting, posted on 29 November 2023
    • Trevor wrote
      • I’ve always wanted to get one of my pictures in the national newspapers. Today, a 1/3 page in the Telegraph (page21). Great stuff.
      • Also 5 pictures in the Mail online , and in the Times Online Pictures (behind a paywall)
      • Feeling very happy. It was worth the 0530 start last Saturday.
  • 4th Adrian Walmsley’s Rainy Thursday in Winchester with 25 likes, posted on 4 November 2023
    • Adrian wrote:
      • Rainy Thursday in Winchester – couldn’t resist two black and white umbrellas for the price of one.
  • 5th Trevor Morecraft’s Queen Elizabeth leaving Portsmouth with 24 likes, posted on 3 November 2023
    • Trevor wrote:
      • A very fortunate drone shot today. One ticked off my bucket list. A drone shot of HMS Queen Elizabeth leaving Portsmouth. And along came a rainbow at exactly the right time. No photoshop here……

A few excellent and high-scoring images were posted towards the end of October and dominate the top positions.

The clear winner was Lilian Hobbs with 56 likes for her stunning image of zebras drinking at night.

Second was Tony Cowburn’s Corfe Castle Station at night with 44 likes, then Helen Otton’s Hells Angel with 33 likes.

Helen’s Hells Angel, and Geoff Sharman’s 4th placed Natural Network had been Highly Commended by judge Andrew Mills Print Round 2 on 24 October.

PositionLikesAuthorPosted onSubject
156Lilian Hobbs28-Oct-2023Zebras drinking
244Tony Cowburn25-Oct-2023Corfe Castle Station after the last train – LPOTY commended
333Helen Otton25-Oct-2023Hells Angel
427Geoff Sharman25-Oct-2023Natural Network
522Adrian Binney14-Oct-2023Quebec at night from the St Lawrence
621Sarah Townley27-Oct-2023Garden fox
621Adrian Binney28-Oct-2023Bird catching a flying fish
621Tony Smith03-Oct-2023Harry Borden’s lecture

Detailed results of the top five as follows:

  • 1st Lilian Hobbs’ Zebras drinking with 56 likes, posted on 28 October 2023
    • Lilian simply wrote:
      • Taken with my iphone 14 max
  • 2nd Tony Cowburn’s Corfe Castle Station after the last train with 44 likes, posted on 25 October 2023
    • Tony wrote:
      • Delighted to have an image included in the Landscape Photographer of the Year book again this year. ‘Corfe Castle station’ has been commended in the LPOTY ‘My railway adventure’ category.
      • “Corfe Castle station, on the Swanage Railway with the floodlit Castle ruins as a backdrop. Taken on a winter’s evening, long after the day’s last steam train had departed”.
  • 3rd Helen Otton’s Hells Angel with 33 likes, posted on 25 October 2023
    • Helen wrote
      • driving though Carmarthen following a motorcyclist I thought he had one of those nodding dogs in his back box before I realised it was a real dog with a helmet on! He turned off for petrol and I turned in to Morrisons still smiling, it then hit me I would unlikely see anything like that again and I had my Fuji XT5 in the van so I did an about turn and managed to catch up with the motorcyclist before he left the petrol station. He was pleased to let me take some photos of ‘Ted’ aka Hells Angel – I still smile when I look at him
  • 4th Geoff Sharman’s Natural Network with 27 likes, posted on 25 October 2023
    • Geoff wrote:
      • taken because I wanted to do “something different”! I hope most of you realised that it’s a cobweb, seen one morning in Hillier Gardens. I was struck by the amzingly intricate detail and lack of regularity (nothing like the classic Halloween web). The dew drops added a jewel-like quality. No people, no animals, and no landscape!
    • Editor’s note: Geoff’s image bears a striking resemblance to this year’s Youth winner (and overall runner up) of the Intimate View section of the 2023 Landscape Photographer of the Year
  • 5th Adrian Binney’s Quebec at night from the St Lawrence with 22 likes, posted on 14 October 2023
    • Adrian wrote:
      • Sailed back east along St Laurence river, passing Quebec late. Lightroom newish noise control does good job on these high ISO shots.

Another stunning Milky Way image by Tony Cowburn wins this month’s competition. It’s interesting to see that two of the other top posts this month were recording members’ successes in international exhibitions. Interesting for two reasons – to hear about the successes, and to see that so many members support their fellow members’ achievements.

Results as follows:

  • 1st Tony Cowburn’s Milky Way over Man o’ War bay with 29 likes, posted on 16 September 2023
    • Tony wrote:
      • Took a trip to Man O’War bay last night for a last look at the Milky Way for this ‘season’. Conditions were far from ideal with some cloud on the horizon and some light pollution from Weymouth & Portland, so I climbed down to the beach and hid most of the horizon and Weymouth nightlife behind the Durdle Door rocks.
  • 2nd Adrian Binney’s account of his PSA successes with 27 likes, posted on 5 September 2023
    • Adrian wrote
      • As many of you know, I have been entering PSA International Exhibitions for a few years, since my first distinction of LRPS through the help of Louise Brown in 2018. I now have over 200 images which have been Accepted at these Exhibitions, the vast majority in the Travel and Nature classes, where the image’s story is more important than its ‘beauty’ – a portrait of a stunning bird is no good.
      • I have recently started entering more Open events (same as our Competitions) and it was pleasing yesterday to receive Awards from a USA based two judging Exhibition for 2 images – A Highly Commended for a Cuban image and 3rd place plus HC for an American landscape. Both images are here and will be familiar to many of you.
  • 3rd Mike Lane’s FIAP medals with 25 likes, posted on 9 September 2023
    • Mike wrote:
      • A very pleasant surprise in the post this morning and a great start to the new season of WPS tonight. One FIAP Gold medal for nature, three Silver medals and one Honourable Mention.
  • 4th= Peter Orr’s View towards Huish in the Vale of Pewsey with 21 likes, posted on 9 September 2023
    • Peter wrote:
      • The view at 7am from Workway Drove looking towards Huish in the Vale of Pewsey, Wiltshire.
      • Despite this week’s hot weather, the humidity has been high enough to produce early morning mists. Tiny sand particles from Africa carried on the air currents have given a slightly orange hue to the morning and evening light.
  • 4th= Deborah Gordon’s Morning Walk images with 21 likes, posted on 14 September 2023
    • Deborah wrote:
      • More from this morning’s walk (iPhone)

Another close run competition this month. Peter Orr’s Hare takes first place this month with 20 likes, closely followed by Robin Shaw’s Leverets and Lilian Hobbs’ Polar Bear with 19 each (subject to confirmation by the Comms Sec)

Results as follows:

  • 1st Peter Orr’s Hare with 20 likes, posted on 28 August 2023
    • Peter wrote:
      • Now that the harvest is largely over it’s easier to see hares. This one was grazing on winter wheat shoots early in the morning. We exchanged glances then a leveret bounced up to her and they hopped over the brow of the hill together.
      • Z9 Z800mm x1.4 converter
  • 2nd= Lilian Hobbs’ Polar Bear with 19 likes, posted on 23 August 2023
    • Lilian wrote Polar Bear taken with the om1 150-400 and teleconverter and digital teleconverter giving equiv of 2000mm as recommended by Andy Rouse
  • 2nd= Robin Shaw’s cute Leverets with 19 likes, posted on 23 August 2023
    • Robin wrote:
      • Railway Run interrupted by wildlife.
      • Yesterday’s run worked well but with some wildlife interference. Dragonfies we can cope with, newly hatched grass snakes a bit of a worry, but when pair of leverets rocked up the trains were abandoned. I nicknamed these two Lucky 1 and Lucky 2, they will need it as survival to next year is not easy.

A close run competition this month. Congratulations to all who contributed, especially to Steve Bailey who so nearly came top with his first post in the group and to Ian Porter for his first place and for his Gold Digger which won the Irving Cup in the Winchester National Exhibition.

Results as follows:

  • 1st Ian Porter‘s Black Eagles with 22 likes, posted on 3 July 2023
    • Ian wrote: head in the clouds again today! Black Eagle display team
  • 2nd Steve Bailey‘s T20 Semi Final with 21 likes, posted on 6 July 2023
    • Steve wrote First post here, so forgive me…. Hampshire Hawks beat Gloucestershire on Sunday to advance to semi-finals of T20 Vitality Blast
    • Editor’s note: Steve’s post had four images attached. When you tot up the Likes, 21 separate members liked one or more of the post itself and its attached images. The Count(Unique())spreadsheet function is your friend here.
  • 3rd= Trevor Morecraft’s Puffins on Coquet Island with 20 likes, posted on 6 July 2023
    • Trevor wrote: Tricky little suckers. Puffins in flight is not easy….. Coquet Island today. Olympus OM-1 and 100-400mm lens. From a boat….
      Good practice for the airshow next week.
    • Editor’s note:Trevor’s post had three images attached. By the same logic used above, counting the likes for the post itself and the three images, there were likes from 20 separate members.
  • 3rd= Tony Large with Mirror, Mirror, posted on 18 July 2023, with 20 likes
    • Tony wrote: Mirror, mirror on the …………
  • 5th Ian Porter’s Gold Digger posted on 28 July 2023 with 17 likes
    • Ian wrote: this has just won the Irving cup for best of the Winchester entries (in the WNE Pictorial Colour class). I enjoy doing them and honestly am not worried if they win or not, they are fun
  • 6th= James West with Small Red Eyed Damselfly, posted on 18 July 2023 with 15 likes.
    • James simply wrote: A Small Red Eyed Damselfly, Chandlers Ford, 18 July 2023
  • 6th= Mike Roe’s Hotel Corridor, posted on 27 July 2023 with 15 likes.

Way out in front this month with 38 likes was Ray Hems’ image “Salisbury Plain South Georgia”.

The three most liked by their peers this month were all posts celebrating success in external exhibitions.

Results as follows:

  • 1st Ray Hems with 38 likes, posted on 2 June 2023
  • 2nd Corinne Kozok with 29 likes, posted on 21 June 2023
    • Corinne wrote: I am very pleased to share with my fellow club members that one of my images has been awarded a gold medal.
    • 21 June update: I am very pleased say that Mike and I have just been notified that we have achieved, and awarded, the FIAP Gold level distinction.
    • Corinne’s gold-winning image was Eaten to the Bone – Kenya which had achieved a Held Back in this season’s Print Round 5
  • 3rd Linda Gates with 26 likes, posted on 4 June
    • Linda wrote: I recently entered 8 A4 prints into the BAWS small print circuit in India, hoping to get my first FIAP print acceptance. Results are back and I am really pleased with 11 acceptances for 6 different images across the 3 Salons. Honesty in Old Bottles was awarded a Federation of Indian Photography gold medal to add to its FIAP silver as a PDI. Thank you all for your comments. I guess this will cover the 4 different prints needed for AFIAP.
    • Linda’s gold-medal image, Honesty in Old Bottles had been placed first in the 2021-22 season Advanced Section Print Round 5
  • 4th Peter Orr‘s Sea Eagle, posted on 3 June 2023, with 22 likes
    • Peter said: A white-tailed sea eagle, Britain’s largest native raptor, about to catch a fish on the Hebridean Isle of Mull.
  • 5th Jill North’s Damselfly, posted on 26 June 2023, with 21 likes
    • Jill wrote: Sorry folks – another damsel fly! I’m hoping some other insects will visit my little pond soon.
  • 6th Adrian Binney‘s Polar Bear, posted on 9 June 2023 with 19 likes.
    • Adrian wrote: We were told there was a less than 2% chance of seeing a Polar Bear in the part of Svalbard we were – then this perfect sighting on ice in front of a huge glacier. It was as close as we were allowed to get, but still needed 1,300mm equivalent for this shot with a minor crop in pp.

This month’s most liked image in the WPS Members’ facebook group was Lilian Hobbs

Results as follows:

  • 1st Lilian Hobbs posted on 5 May Solar Aurora 28 likes
    • Lilian wrote: ‘The sun is very active at the moment which is why the aurora was visible recently. The eruptions off the limb are called prominences and some of them are larger than the earth. Image taken with a Hydrogen Alpha telescope which reveals the details and my special astro camera.
  • 2nd Peter Orr posted on 14 May Ancient Beech Tree 22 likes
    • Peter wrote: There is a line of exposed ancient pollarded beech trees running along the course of the iron-age hill fort at Martinsell Hill near Marlborough.
      At nearly 1,000 feet above sea level, the wind, rain and cold winters have stunted their growth and forced their gnarled trunks and branches into twisted, contorted forms.
      This morning’s fog refused to burn off before the sun was very high, so the misty landscape shot across the vale towards Savernake was not going to materialise.
      However, the recession of the fog was picked up in the line of trees on the hilltop and here’s my take on this view.
      Nikon Z9 with 24-70 mm f/2.8
  • 3rd = Sarah Townley posted on 13 May Owl at Hawk Conservancy 21 likes
    • Sarah wrote: The Hawk Conservancy is wonderful for their flying displays. I went on a freezing cold day with my grandchildren at the end of March and was nearly bipped in the face by this owl. Only a minute bit of cropping to centre the owl’s face.
  • 3rd = Peter Orr posted on 26 May Puffin with Bluebells 21 likes
    • Peter said: Lucky to get late bluebells with the thrift and grass to provide foreground interest in good light.
      This was taken on the small uninhabited island of Lunga, part of the Treshnish Islands west of Mull.
      Nikon Z9 + Z800mm f/7.1 ISO 500 handheld

This month’s most liked image in the WPS Members’ facebook group was by Tony Cowburn.

Results as follows:

  • First: posted on 1 April – Tony Cowburn’s photograph of Bat’s Head / Durdle Door beach on the cover of Dorset Life Magazine  (36 likes)
  • Second: posted on 5 April – Tony Cowburn’s handheld 3 image panorama of the Temperate House at Kew Gardens, shortlisted in the architectural category of the 2023 Sony World Photography Awards  (32 likes)
  • Third: posted on 29 April – Corinne Kozok’s  Rolling Stripes which won a gold medal from FIAF (Federazione Italiana Associazioni Fotografiche)(29 likes)
  • Fourth: posted on 28 April – Corinne Kozok’s FIAP gold medal winning Fish Fight Dalmation Pelicans (27 likes)
  • Fifth: posted on 3 April –Terry Shipp’s Spot of light in Micheldever Woods (26 likes)

Note: When a post contains multiple images, Facebook maintains separate counts of likes for the post and for each of the images in the post. The score for Corinne’s Rolling Stripes image was calculated by merging the list of members who liked the post (26) with the list of those who liked the Rolling Stripes image (7) and eliminating duplicates. This gave 29 unique likes.

This month’s most liked image in the WPS Members’ facebook group was by Sue Birtwistle.

Results as follows:

  • First: posted on 15 March – Sue Birtwistle’s post with eight images of a Glorious sunrise in Swaledale  (38 likes)
  • Second: posted on 7 March – Trevor Morecraft’s focus-stacked macro shot of a Cape Sundew (34 likes)
  • Third: posted on 28 March – Phil George’s Astonishing sky over Farley Chamberlayne church (25 likes)
  • Fourth: posted on 11 March – Anne Ruffell’s composite image of Amazing colours in the Cathedral for the Light and Sound Show (23 likes)

This month’s most liked image in the WPS Members’ facebook group was Terry Shipp‘s Cracking Sky

Results as follows:

  • First: posted on 5 Feb – Terry Shipp‘s Cracking Sky Today (image got 26 likes)
  • Second: posted on 9 Feb – Peter Orr’s Ghostly image – 22 likes
  • Third: posted on 24 Jan Tony Cowburn‘s two Taking the Plunge images used in from Dorset Life. Tony’s post received 21 likes

Peter says: I was at an early Neolithic long barrow on the downs above the Vale of Pewsey near Marlborough, when the low sun was about to be obliterated by a sudden blanket of fog moving across the vale from the direction of Picked Hill.

After glancing behind me I quickly took this iPhone shot of what is known as the Brocken Spectre effect – my magnified ghostly shadow forming in mid air, not on the ground but on the tiny fog particles.

The halo-like rings of rainbow coloured light are formed at the anti-solar point by refraction centred on my head. The effect disappeared as quickly as it formed as the whole area was engulfed in freezing fog.

I descended slowly with 5 meters visibility but by the time I reached my car the fog had completely cleared. Weather dynamics in rural Wiltshire!


Tony says:Very pleased that Dorset Life magazine has used three of my images to illustrate an article on ‘cold water swimming’ in the March issue, out now.

The lead image, printed as a double page spread, was taken on Swanage beach, at dawn, in December. Yes it was cold!

The next page has two images of Swanage swimmers taken in January. It was even colder. The one I’ve included here has a swimmer wearing a bikini, with hat and gloves! No, of course that doesn’t look silly, but it does help to make a distinctive image

Thank you all for your kind comments. The editor asked me if I had the swimmers permission to publish the images? I told her I didn’t, but I pointed out they were taken in a public space. (And who is going to sign a release form when wearing wet gloves, and little else?) Clearly a good enough answer for Dorset Life!


This month’s most liked image in the WPS Members’ facebook group was Terry Shipp‘s Walk in the Woods

Results as follows:

  • First: posted on 11 Jan – Terry Shipp‘s Walk in the Woods (image got 29 likes; one of three images in a post which got 36 likes)
  • Second: posted on 26 Jan – Tony Cowburn‘s Durston Castle on cover of Dorset Life – 24 likes
  • Third: posted on 24 Jan Peter Orr‘s Misty dawn over Horton Down from Oldbury Castle – 23 Likes
  • Fourth: 20 Jan – Linda Gates Flooded bench, Queen Elizabeth Gardens, Salisbury – 21 likes

Honourable mention to Tony Smith’s striking Distressed Image, posted on 29 January. Tony had posted this on his personal Facebook page and then shared it in the WPS group.

Overall, the image had received 38 likes at the time of writing. Only 11 likes were from the WPS group and count towards this competition.

This month’s most liked image in the WPS Members’ facebook group was Mike Lane’s Lion takedown in Kenya

Results as follows:

First, Mike Lane‘s Lion takedown in Kenya (posted on 20 December, 30 likes)

Second equal, Peter Orr Mallard drake flyby (posted on 20 December, 25 likes)

Second equal, Peter Orr Frosty Morning, Vale of Pewsey (posted on 11 December 25 likes)

Honourable mentions to:

  • Adrian Binney‘s Grand Tetons (11 December, 20 likes)
  • Peter Orr’s Early morning, Picked Hill (17 December, 20 likes)

After a VAR review (necessary because Tony Cowburn’s Supermoon image only received a single heart, while the post containing it had received 34 likes)

This month’s most liked image in the WPS Members’ facebook group was Tony Cowburn’s Blood Supermoon over Swanage.

Results as follows:

First, Tony Cowburn’s Blood Supermoon over Swanage (posted on 30 November, post received 34 likes)

Second, Peter Orr Winter mists across the Vale of Pewsey from Walker’s Hill (posted on 22 November, 25 likes)

Third equal, Tony Smith Stonehenge – Arrivals for the 2022 Solstice (posted on 22 November, 23 likes)

Third equal, Peter Orr Red Kites squabbling over a carcass on Marlborough downs (posted on 22 November 23 likes)

Honourable mentions to:

  • Adrian Binney‘s view of Bukhara (posted on 5 November, 20 likes)
  • Glyn Paton’s view of Savernake Forest (13 November, 20 likes)
  • Peter Orr’s Palace of the Winds, Jaipur (posted 22 November, 20 likes)
  • Trevor Morecraft’s record of the Innovative President’s evening on 15 November (posted 17 November, 22 likes)

This month’s winner was Trevor Morecraft’s image of a red squirrel with chestnut, taken on the WPS outing to Brownsea Island..

Results as follows:

  • First, Trevor Morecraft: Squirrel with chestnut (posted on 14 October, 25 likes)
  • Second equal, Geoff Sharman‘s Reflections at Hilliers (posted on 21 October, 23 likes)
  • Second equal, Plane transiting the eclipsing sun, by Lilian Hobbs (posted on 26 October, 23 likes)
    The image here is a screen grab from the short movie which Lilian posted, assembled from multiple individual images

Honourable mentions to:

  • Peter Orr’s Pre dawn in the Vale of Pewsey (posted 3 October, 21 likes)
  • John Barton‘s Brighton Band Stand (posted on 28 October, 20 likes)

Not eligible:

Tony Cowburn’s post reporting that his ‘Greenwich foot tunnel entrance building’ image achieved a ‘Commended’ award in this year’s Landscape Photographer of the Year (LPOTY), in the ‘Your View’ category. (posted 23 October, 37 likes)

See http://www.lpoty.co.uk/gallery/2022/your-view

This image has already won the Most Liked monthly competition. Scroll down to see it featured as the winner in April 2020 with the title “Domes at Greenwich

This month’s deserving winner was Tony Large’s image of the first Tuesday evening of the new WPS season.

Tony (and the volunteers who helped him) deserve our thanks for the well-received revamp of the opening night.

Results as follows:

  • First, Tony Large: First meeting of the season (posted on 6 September, 27 likes)
  • Second, Peter Orr’s Misty September Sunrise (posted on 19 September, 23 likes)
  • Third, Peter Orr’s A bird not on two sticks (posted on 12 September, 20 likes)

Honourable mentions to:

  • Geoff Sharman’s Close hauled in the Needles (19 likes)
  • Martin Farrow’s Splattered Pigeon (18 likes)
  • Trevor Morecraft’s Common sandpipers over Titchfield Haven (18 likes)
  • Peter Orr’s Vale of Pewsey early morning mist (18 likes)

Images by Trevor Morecraft’s son-in-law (18 likes) and Danny Cowen’s daughter (20 likes) were considered ineligible for this competition.

A group of high scoring images took the lead early in the month.

Two contrasting images came 1st equal:

  • Geoff Sharman’s Gatekeeper Butterfly (posted on 7 August, 26 likes)
  • Lilian Hobbs’ Tracking the sun with SolarCam (posted on 6 August, 26 likes) – the result of a pinhole camera tracking the path the sun takes over a year

Just behind

  • Peter Orr’s image of a male common blue (posted on 6 August, 24 likes)
  • Peter Orr’s image of common chicory in flower (posted on 4 August, 23 likes) (not shown)

Great to see, now that we can get out and about in groups, that our Facebook group for July has lots of images taken on WPS outings (Winchester, London, Test Valley) as well as the Hat Fair.

Many of the images would have been worthy winners, but in terms of Facebook “likes”, two came out on top:

  • Helen Otton‘s Palm Pit Viper in Rain Forest (posted on 10 July, 32 likes)
  • Trevor Morecraft‘s Emperor Dragonfly (posted on 7 July, 32 likes)

Just behind

  • Peter Orr’s image of Bamburgh Castle (posted on 2 July, 26 likes)

Helen’s Palm Pit Viper won a PAGB Gold Medal in the Nature category at the Midland Salon of International Photography and the Best WPS image in the Nature Class at this year’s Winchester National Exhibition.

Again, lots of lovely members’ images this month, but two were out in front.

The joint winners were

  • Sarah Townley’s Fox and shadow (posted on 22 June, with 26 likes)
  • Peter Orr’s Two Puffins on collision course (29 June, 26 likes)

Honorable mentions to

  • Peter Orr’s ICM sweep (23 likes, 27 May)
  • Geoff Sharman’s Three Toed Sloth (23 likes, 26 May)
  • Chrissi Travell’s Magical Morning (22 likes, posted by Eric Blake on 24 May)
  • Peter Orr’s Territorial Greenfinch (24 likes, 4 May)

But way out in front and this month’s winner was Glyn Paton’s ARPS panel posted on 27 May with 44 likes

Lots of lovely images in our Facebook group in April, including Jill North’s Barton Meadows presentation (25 Likes, 6 April) Roger Clark’s Fanal Forest in Madeira (20 Likes, 8 April), Sarah Townley’s Magpie (10 April, 20 likes) and Corinne Kozok’s Afternoon Delight (19 Likes, 5 April)

But there was a clear winner again this month

33 Likes: Sarah Townley “Christmas Puppy is growing up!”, posted on 21 April.

Lots of lovely images in our Facebook group this month, including Lilian’s shots of the moon and the ISS, an early morning view of the Vale of Pewsey by Peter Orr, and Adrian Binney’s Humming Bird and Heron with Alligator images from Costa Rica.

But two members were clear winners this month

  • 30 Likes: Sarah Townley “From the Kitchen Window”, posted on 9 March.
  • 29 Likes: Sarah Townley’s “White Fritillary” posted on 31 March.
  • 28 Likes: Corinne Kozok’s “The Waiting Game”, also posted on 9 March. This image was awarded an ICS HM Monochrome by the Swedish International Exhibition of Photography.
  • 31 Likes: Ray Hems‘ Kite Flyer image from the RPS DIG print competition, taken in the back streets of Trinidad in Cuba. Posted on 21 February.
  • 21 Likes: Stephen Govan’s composite of 2 photos taken at Rooksbury Mill in Andover, posted on 11 February
  • 49 Likes: Corinne Kozok set the bar very high early in the month with her post on 5th January announcing that her Robin taking a “Breath of Fresh Air” had been published in the Daily Telegraph. It had been placed fourth in the South Downs National Park 2021-22 competition on this year’s theme “Nature Makes Me Happy”. This image is reminiscent of Corinne’s Highly Commended entry “Birdsong caught in the Cold Air” in this year’s PDI Round 3 (Gold class)
  • 26 Likes: equal second
    • on 18 January, almost immediately after Ken Scott’s inspirational talk on Photography with Mindfulness, Anne Ruffell was the first to post a collage of 20 images
    • on 27 January, James West posted “Went to Farlington Marsh for some bird inflight photography. Lots of pintail.”
  • 23 Likes: Fourth was Peter Orr’s “Buzzards Fighting”, posted on 7 January. Peter wrote “Two common buzzards on the Marlborough Downs this morning scrapping over pheasant carrion.
  • 22 Likes: Linda Gates came fifth equal with herself. Two of her lovely still life images of dying flowers in glass bottles received 22 likes: Honesty in an old bottle, posted on 9 January and Old bottles, dead flowers posted on 28 January. [Not shown here, but members can find them in the WPS Facebook group]

A tricky decision this month.
I’m not sure whether the rules for our monthly “most liked” competition have been formalised.

  • 43 likes: Sarah Townley’s Fieldfare, posted on 11 December, is the single most liked image.
    • We are blessed every year with large flocks of fieldfares and redwings feeding on the cotoneasters which I especially planted for them. Berries will be quickly gone. (This is a fieldfare)
  • 33 likes (as at about 7:30pm 31 Dec 2021): in second place, the image of the front cover of the January 2022 issue of Dorset
    • I always enjoy seeing one of my images on a magazine cover in my local corner shop! I took this one at Kimmeridge in early December and it is the cover for the January issue of Dorset magazine.
  • 30 likes: Tony Cowburn’s photo of Kimmeridge posted on 9 December is third.
    • We came to Dorset for the weekend a week ago, and just stayed on! So glad I was here for such a lovely dawn at Kimmeridge this morning.

You can tell from the wave patterns that the image used as the Dorset cover photo is the same image as Tony posted on 9 December, with a different crop.

If you combine the votes for the two versions of the same image and eliminate duplicates, Tony’s picture of Kimmeridge was liked by 45 different members.

First, with 26 likes, on 13 November 2021, was “Backdoor Fox” by Sarah Townley

Sarah wrote “Backdoor fox this evening” – no further comment needed for such a lovely image.

First, with 34 likes, on 22 October 2021, was “First Frost” by Deborah Gordon, which also featured on South Today

Deborah said “First Frost this morning, frozen fingers”……

First, with 32 Likes, was Lilian Hobbs on 21 September Jupiter taken through my 7″ Refractor :

Lilian said:

Managed to catch a quick shot of Jupiter last night , this is 1600 frames from about 5000 video frames, stacked in AutoStakkert, processed in Registax and finished off in Topaz DeNoise taken through my 7″ Refractor

First, with 41 likes, is Tony Cowburn, on 28 August 2021:
Tony says:
Nice surprise this morning to find this image had won this week’s Sunday Times Big Shot travel photo competition, and was published in the Travel section of the paper.
Taken a year ago in when cruise ships were laid up and anchored off Swanage bay. They’ve gone ‘back to work’ now, and we quite miss them!
Jill North posted a fascinating image on 28 August – with 30 likes, entitled ‘Trying something Different’
Jill says:
‘First I looked at similar photos by others to decide what subject and composition might work.
Then I set up the base arrangement and took a photo (several in fact – it was difficult to work out which lens and what lighting to use).
Then Photoshop – layers – lots and lots and lots of them! Oh, and the subject is my first digital camera – less than 1mp.’

July 2021 WPS Facebook Image of the Month is Trevor Morecraft’s image of a Variable Hawk (originally titled Variable Falcon), posted on 16 July, which earned 31 likes.

Trevor said taken at the Hawk Conservancy today….

and I wish I had gone to Peter’s Birds in Flight workshop.

June 2021 WPS Facebook Image of the Month is Sarah Townley’s image of juvenile starlings, posted on 2nd June, which earned 35 likes.

Sarah said Juvenile starling are a dull brown colour so I have done them in black and white to make them more interesting (I think)!

Close behind was In second place was Corinne Kozok’s image of a skylark, posted on 15 June, with 32 likes.

Corinne took this image “on a Nikon D500 with a 500mm f/5.6 lens. This was taken early morning – 6.30 am – when the light was very soft against a clear grey sky. F6.3 at 1/4000 ISO 500. I was sitting on the ground – sunlight behind me, slightly elevated – and the skylark flew past, just above my eye level so I got nice clean shots”.

May 2021 WPS Facebook Image of the Month is Sarah Townley’s “Woodpecker Rising” – a clear winner with 37 likes.

Sarah says, This is a great spotted woodpecker and is a male as it has a red nape. The female does not and the babies have a beautiful red cap on their head.

Roger says: Congratulations on yet another stunning image of birds in your garden. Well done Sarah

April 2021 WPS Facebook Image of the Month is Linda Gate’s fabulous capture of a Water Vole, posted on our Facebook group on 11 April…..

Linda wrote:

‘A Water vole on the bank eating the weed it had just dived for. Resident of my local nature reserve 5 min walk from home. I love the way it has positioned itself in the triangle of twigs.’

Linda’s Water Vole received 28 ‘Likes’ in April and is a clear winner.

The WPS Facebook Image of the Month for March was Angela Cook’s beautiful image from 15th March with a near record-breaking 43 WPS ‘likes’.

Angela wrote: ‘Lovely sunset this evening’.

Angela further explained the shot:

It’s the beach along Titchfield Haven. It was actually taken with my iPhone, hence why it looks somewhat stretched. As the famous photographer Chase Jarvis once said “the best camera is the one that’s with you”… though I wish I had taken my camera and wide lens with me instead.

February’s WPS Facebook Image of the Month is Roger Dixey’s ‘Life in Lockdown’ from February 3rd with 51 ‘Likes’.

Roger wrote:

I know that many of you have seen this before but yesterday Life in Lockdown was awarded the gold medal in the RPS Creative Eye Exhibition. And since I am still in my lockdown bottle, it seemed a good excuse to post it again.

WPS President Trevor Morecraft says

Congratulations on your Gold Medal Roger. It’s a cracking image.

A clear winner of WPS Facebook Image of the month for January.
On 14th January Lilian Hobbs posted her picture of the Orion Nebula. With 44 ‘likes’ we were clearly impressed.

Lilian wrote:

This is the Orion Nebula taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mkiii and the 300mm f4 x2 teleconverter. Took 36 exposures of 30 secs at ISO 1000. It was mounted on top of my telescope. Pretty pleased with the result.

Well done Lilian.

A tricky one for December, with some fantastic images.

Purely by the numbers the most popular is Trevor Morecraft’s picture of Winchester Cathedral in the cold mist of new years eve with 34 ‘Likes’.

Trevor wrote:  “A very Happy New Year to all at WPS. Let’s hope we can all meet up before the end of the season. Stay safe, keep taking pictures. Winchester Cathedral this evening, cold but worth it.

But as a few of the ‘likes’ were added after month end, perhaps the winner should be Sarah Townley’s spectacular Robin image from 19th December with 32 ‘likes.

Sarah wrote: “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all at WPS and I so look forward to seeing everyone again sometime next year. Keep well until then.

The WPS Facebook with 30 likes was Peter Orr’s stunning landscape from 4th November.

“A dramatic late afternoon hailstorm blows through Wastwater towards Scafell Pike in the Lake District.”

1st place from 6th October with 33 ‘likes’. Geoff Sharman’s fabulous moody beach shot.

Geoff said: ‘Well, it is very nice when the judge likes something you’ve done! From my favourite beach location – Watergate Bay in Cornwall’.

And also this month, an Honourable mention from 20th October with 29 ‘likes’, Steven Cooper ‘s dog shot.

“A photo of my brother’s dog, Freddie, taken in his back field on a sunny day … Photoshop can do remarkable things!”

The WPS Facebook image of the month in September was Tony Cowburn’s superb night sky from 20 September, which received 32 likes.

Radar beam! The Milky Way over The Radar Memorial on a starry starry night at St.Aldhelm’s Head.
Sony A7r3 & 16mm lens
15 images at ISO 6400, f/4, & 25secs
3 ‘dark frames’
Single foreground image: ISO 1600, f/4, 5 minutes
Merged using ‘starry landscape stacker’ and PS

A slightly different month, as we have 2 winners, or a single winner.

Phil George’s lovely windmill images from 3 August received 31 ‘likes’ and was the most popular facebook post of the month.

Phil wrote:   “Finally, after many visits over the last few years, I got the skies I wanted over Chesterton Windmill, Warwickshire”.

However as he posted 3 images, lovely as they are, we cannot give Phil the single image accolade.

That goes to ex-President Glyn Paton for his image on 13th August of his newly awarded FIAP Medal with 30 ‘likes’. Well done Glyn, and congratulations on the award.
Glyn wrote: “I was very proud when my FIAP silver medal arrived today, for my entry into the Midlands International Salon. Trumpet blowing over!”

For July 2020 we had a tie for the WPS Facebook Image of the Month.
Bijen Gurung from 17 July ‘”Returning home”. Mustang, Nepal.’
and also
Peter Orr from 21 July – My ‘peregrine/buzzard scrap’ was published in The Times newspaper and digital editions today.
News in pictures: Tuesday July 21, 2020′
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/news-in-pictures-tuesday-july-21-2020-0s3ndzvll

Both had 38 ‘Likes’ on the WPS Facebook Members Only Group. Two fabulous images.


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