A Cooma-based photographer is jumping for joy after one of her stunning images of high country brumbies picked up an Australian Photography Awards major prize.
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Michelle Brown's incredible image of two male brumbies jostling for dominance was named the people's choice awardee in Melbourne on Saturday night after attracting nearly 3000 votes.
"It's the first comp I've ever entered so it's pretty surreal," Ms Brown, who publishes her brumby images under Michelle J Photography, said.
"It was only when they sent me the copy of my photo with watermarked with the 'winner' logo that it really sank in."
Ms Brown has a real affinity for the wild horses she photographs.
She even has names for many of the regulars she and her husband spot on their weekly hikes into the high country, including the two protagonists of her award-wining shot - Pale Face and Poster Boy.
"It was one of those things of being in the right place at the right time," Ms Brown said.
"Pale Face is the grey one - he was putting Poster Boy into line. He's just saying you can tag along with my mob but don't get any ideas.
"They can put on a show for people. We were just very lucky."
Ms Brown said she and her husband hike into Kosciuszko National Park most weeks, sometimes up to 20km into the wilderness, always hoping for spectacular images of her beloved brumbies.
"I love to go out and showcase them, to show people they're worth something.
"They are part of our heritage, our folklore."
Ms Brown said her husband entered the shot in Australian Photography Awards without her knowledge.
"He didn't tell me at first," she said. "He came up to me later and said 'I've just done something - hope you don't mind'."
A bit of chitchat between the boys. I hike up in Kosciusko almost weekly. On this particular day whilst hiking out back country I saw these two wild horse stallions rearing up at each other,they definitely put on a show for me.
- Michelle Brown, award entry
The photo was highly commended in the overall awards, placing 13th in the "Wildlife" category.
Of the thousands of entries, Ms Brown was more than happy with that result. However she then got word it had been selected as one of 20 images put forward into a people's choice category.
After five days of online voting, Pale Face and Poster Boy had just shy of 3000 votes, giving Ms Brown the $500 prize.
"The [competition] bug's bitten me now. I can't wait to get out there again."
To check out the other category winners, visit www.australianphotographyawards.com.au.
For more of Michelle's photography, click here for her Facebook page.