Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

By Tony Warren

11 November, 2026

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photo of the year 2026
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Responding to Hamish and David’s suggested repeat of last years event, I have had a trawl through my year’s output. Always an interesting exercise and useful self-criticism.

I narrowed things down to three or four images, each representing a different genre of our craft. They ranged from poignant and thoughtful to purely photographic but I finally decided it should be the one I could hang on my wall and not get bored with looking at it.

It is a shot I took with the Kalloflex K2 in the Winter Garden building at Dunedin’s Botanic Gardens on HP5+ processed in Neofin Blue. It gave me a similar feeling to Frederick H Evans’ “Sea of Steps” or André Kertész’ “Chez Mondrian, drawing me in, or rather out in this case, but not, I hasten to add, suggesting it is I the same league as those classic masterpieces.

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About The Author

By Tony Warren
In my 60 or so years of serious involvement in photography I have seen the demise of the viewfinder, the rise of the SLR and the eclipse of them all with the meteoric development of the digital camera. Through it all, however, and above all else, the image is what it is all about so I now use film alongside digital. Whatever is the most appropriate or practical. My contributions will hopefully be useful for anyone interested in using film and also how a died-in-the-wool antique like me is continuing his life-long addiction in the digital age, using both platforms. The major benefit of an extended retirement is that I can spend most of my time nowadays with photography and writing about it.
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Comments

Ibraar Hussain on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Wonderful composition Tony, inviting walk through and then down those inviting steps
Lovely tones
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Thanks Ibraar. Just bought ten rolls of Rollei RPX100. Thinking now it should have been HP5+.

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Geoff Chaplin on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Yes, that door does have a remarkably strong "come hither" quality about it, making me wonder what it's like in the warm sun outside. Well done, Tony!
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Thank you Geoff.

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Chris R on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

What a compelling and beautiful image, Tony. The range of tones is glorious, and the composition delightful!
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Thank you Chris.

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Michael Kaplan on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Tony,
A thought-provoking image. I love the composition and the detail. The descending steps in the background deliver a great sense of depth leading your eye through the photograph. A classic example of "Mise en Abyme" if I ever saw one. A great choice.
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Thank you Michael. Appreciate your comment.

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David Pauley on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Lovely photograph, Tony. "Chez Mondrian" is also one of my favorites. Although different in subject matter, your photo has a very appealing layering of space. And the light is excellent.
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Thank you David. The picture within a picture always appeals to me too.

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Martin on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Really inviting to go outside after a cold winter! One can feel the fresh spring air!
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Thank you Martin.

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Michael Murray on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Tony, I often find HP5+ in 35mm to be quite flat. This is a perfect scene for it to shine.
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

I don't often use it but very happy with it here. And not making large prints any more it seems ore than adequate for the web. Thanks fo rthe comment,

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Gary Smith on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Great shot deserving of "Shot of the Year" Tony!
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 11/11/2026

Thanks Gary.

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Jeffery Luhn on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 12/11/2026

Tony,
I remember that shot. It's a very well composed photograph!
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 12/11/2026

Thanks Jeffery.

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Alexander Seidler on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 12/11/2026

beautiful Tony !
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Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 12/11/2026

Thank you Alexander.

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Cosme Lapena on Winter Garden – My photograph of the year 2026

Comment posted: 15/11/2026

Lovely frame, Tony. A glasshouse is such a tricky subject: the light comes from everywhere and nowhere at once, and you’ve kept it soft without losing the structure. The Kertész comparison makes sense to me, especially in the quiet of it. Great to see it on HP5 too.
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