All forum members should have a crack at this.

[bwhinnen]

Fantastic results! I did like that picture I also like the lifeguard photo too!

Well done, you must be over the moon! This should be an inspiration to all of us!

[Nnnnsic]

Superb news Ronza (had to find a word no one else used). Congratulations

[Alex]

Fantastic achievement, Ronza. Well done!

Alex

[PiroStitch]

Congratulations Ronza - very inspirational work! You will very far indeed!

[stetner]

Congratulations Ronza, caught you on the ABC! Great work!

[stubbsy]

It's always great to see your peers recognised Ronza - congratulations on having your excellent work chosen as the best. Have your feet touched the ground yet

I guess you owe Matt. K a beer for drawing your attention to the competition

[xerubus]

Extremely well done mate.

cheers

[Glen]

Well done Ronza, absolutely brilliant result

[Kris]

Congratulations Great work!

[the foto fanatic]

Bloody beauty!

Well done & sincere congrats Ronza!

[mark]

Awesome, that's fantastic news Ronnie. Congratulations!

[sirhc55]

A wonderful result - enjoy the kudos Ronza

[marcotrov]

Superb effort and worthy win Ronza. As one of our own Ronza we bathe in your reflected glory . Full speed to you my friend.
cheers
marco

[Killakoala]

Brilliant!!! Congrats and well done young fella.

What a fantastic achievement and I hope you are proud of yourself, as we are of you.

[ozimax]

Congrats Ronza and well done!

[Mal]

On January 11th Ronza wrote.......

Been collating my entries and trying to cut them back to 10 images as per the limit. Luckily for me I'll qualify for the "Secondary" competition muhaha; no entry fee.

For $17k they can have any of my shots, at a shot at $17k and the glory, granting them licensing doesn't sound that bad.

Intersting comment looking back on it now!!!

Well done and congradulations

[Ronza]

Just back into Adelaide, first chance of net since before the announcement and thank you all for your kind words

A pretty unreal day yesterday seeing my shots being hung at the State Library in the same room as guys like Jeremy Park, Justin Benhaut and Trent Parke. Big media session following the announcement in the morning to the winners. Was interesting watching and talking to some of the SMH/Telegraph/Australian photographers. Particularly amusing watching them work to get shots of Leslie Rice (the Portrait Prize Winner) infront of his near pitch black painting. Same feeling of awe in the evening talking to some painters and the other photographers at a packed State Library.

Good to see another Adelaide 'tog win the Open Category too - Ben Searcy's image was one of my favorites when the finalists were announced. Sincere message to it too once people read the captions.

Everyone in Sydney should head down to the State Library to check out the Exhibition - really just a short stroll from Martin Place, its free in the Mitchell Wing with more schools finalists down in the new State Reference Library. Finally also encourage everyone here to get snapping for next years comp - Open Category is a cool $30k and really, it ain't that hard ;P

[MATT]

Well done Ronza...


MATT

[Reschsmooth]

Great stuff Ronza.

Speaking of Leslie Rice, he was on JJJ this afternoon, and here is a photo of an amazing tattoo on his arm. He, his brother & sister and father are tattoo artists, his father being a tattoo artist from the 1950s.

Cheers

P

[Ronza]

Speaking of Leslie Rice, he was on JJJ this afternoon, and here is a photo of an amazing tattoo on his arm. He, his brother & sister and father are tattoo artists, his father being a tattoo artist from the 1950s.

Hehe - he was an absolutely top bloke and a deserving winner. He's going to invest his $100k into a Tatoo Parlour with his family!

[macka]

Well done and congrats, Ronza.

I had to go to the Mitchell library for uni today anyway, so while I was waiting for the librarians to bring my book I ducked upstairs and had a quick look at the gallery and your photo. I'd recommend people to go and have a look; there are a lot of great shots in there.

It must've been a thrill to see your own photo properly hung in an exhibition. Enjoy your glory.

[fozzie]

Ronza - well done and hearty congratulations

This Prize will look great on your CV.

fozzie

[adam]

Well done!!!

[beetleboy]

I have to say I'm very disappointed with the quality of the winners. Except for yours Ronnie

Seriously, I think you may have had a chance at the open prize if you'd been in it. Ben Searcy's winner, although good, really just doesn't carry any emotion for me.

Your photo, on the other hand is contemporary, Australian, and definitely LIFE. And the other 2 secondary winner's.....what the?

Well done Ronnie.

[Ronza]

Ahh - political shots are always controversial but after reading how a few rags wrote up Ben's interview it did come together. To badly misquote him, it was along the lines of "The shot looks like any living room. Thats the point".

One of the guys from OCAU Recorded the ABC News and its uploaded onto a mates server
http://www.ohmsweetohm.org/ronza/ronza. ... -small.avi

ABC did a nice 2 minute piece on Leslie/Ben/Yours Truly. Luckily they edited mine to make me sound a bit more coherent however after 4 takes of the me-walk-past-own-photo-and-stare I can't believe that was the best one

The big blue photo behind the journalist (Ann Nicholson) is one of Trent Parke's. Absolute god that guy, really wanted to meet him.

[moz]

Good on you Ronnie, nice to see someone we know winning. Will check out the video too.

[beetleboy]

The video is good, and although it does explain Searcy's logic behind the shot I just don't see how it relates to "Contemporary life in Australia". It's not as if it's common for people's children to be locked up in Guantanamo!

To be stuck in the rat race however - as portrayed by your image Ronnie - is very fitting.

By the way, you did well in front of the camera..didn't seem at all nervous.

[kenjabi]

One of the guys from OCAU Recorded the ABC News and its uploaded onto a mates server
http://www.ohmsweetohm.org/ronza/ronza. ... -small.avi

That's meee

http://www.ohmsweetohm.org/ronza/ronza. ... 3.2007.avi - larger version.

[rokkstar]

Absolutely first class Ronnie.
Very very well done. I've only just seen this so apologies for being late.

[wendellt]

Congratulations you must be over the moon to get that sort of recognition, the money is a bonus but what a bonus!

it's a always a pleasure seeing someone grow and gain recognition!