A stunning sunrise image of the town of Polop in Alicante province has won a photography competition showcasing the natural beauty of popular Mediterranean resort areas.
Organised by Specsavers Ópticas, the competition attracted nearly 100 entries from keen photographers asked to capture moments, memories and landscapes on the Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and Mallorca this past summer.
It was judged by professional photographer Oliver Vegas, who commented, “The level of the entries has been really high. There were a range of very different photographs, with surreal yet original framing that I did not expect to find. Each of the participants has shown their originality in terms of what we understand by ‘summer’, going from the best sunset to the countryside, the mountains, the city and an endless number of moments that for many will surely have been unforgettable.”
He shortlisted five entries – entered by Florence Marie José Cardona Ballester, Patricia Vine, Mundo Torrevieja, Ángel Guadalest and Melissa Royle – and “after much deliberation” chose Patricia Vine’s image of sunrise over Polop as the overall winner.
“My choice has been focused on what each one of them communicates to me,” he explained, “as well as the composition, colour and originality. As a great majority of countries have suffered high temperatures this year, this photo really stood out, showing the emerging heat of the day, counterbalanced with where the sun is hidden and gives us shade.”
After collecting her prize of a pair of designer sunglasses and a €100 Amazon voucher from Specsavers Ópticas in Benidorm, Patricia said, “Wow, I can’t believe that you enjoyed my photo so much. Thank you. It was taken from our balcony in La Nucia looking across to the town of Polop. The scenery changes depending on the time of day and this was taken at sunrise. We have had so much pleasure in enjoying this view, so I was delighted to be able to capture this moment and share it with you and I’m pleased that you liked the photo too.”
Presenting the winner with her prize, senior optometrist Silvia Tormo said, “We’d like to congratulate Patricia for winning this competition and thank everyone who sent in their entries for the competition. It was wonderful to see so many beautiful images of the Spanish summer.”
Polop is located in the north-east part of Alicante province, about 10 kilometres from Benidorm and less than a one-hour drive from Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport.
If you are looking to rent a car to explore this area, and other charming villages on the Costa Blanca, you will find the best selection of great-value car hire options by clicking here.