Frosted germini - 42pts, First place

Michael Lainchbury, London Nikon D90, 50mm, 
1/250sec at f/3.2, ISO 400 Michael liked the way the water crystallised into little stars on the stamens of this frosted germini, particularly how the frost picked up the texture of the petals. 'I chose a black background to set a strong contrast against the red flower,' he says. 'Photographing flowers hasn't interested me in the past, but I really enjoyed this challenge. I have a new respect for how difficult it is to bring out the subtle intricacies of plant life.' Judges say, 'Michael's superb image is a lesson in how to use your camera. It's pin-sharp, perfectly exposed, with strong (but not overdone) colour and shot from an interesting angle.'