Iconic Films

2 for 1 tickets to Casablanca, this coming Monday

Navigation - link to other main sections from here

Skip Navigation

From Times Online

May 8, 2008

The Times travel photo competition

The prize for May is a trip to Abu Dhabi. Plus, view the April winner and first May nominees

This picture was taken at the top of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, looking west towards La Defence.
The rain cloud was sweeping across Paris, revealing a sliver of orange from the setting sun. Calum Smail

April winner

This winning picture comes from Calum Smail: “I had wanted to take some pictures of Paris at night, so headed to the Arc de Triomphe before sunset.

“After climbing up the hundreds of steps to the top, I was just working my way around when I noticed the cloud sweeping in from the west. It took about five minutes for the cloud and sun to form the dramatic view in the photograph.

“About a minute later the rain was on top of us and we had to take cover.”

Calum, 31, works as a designer for Zumm, a design agency based in Manchester.

Comment by Kathleen Wyatt, Travel Editor: Well done, Calum, you're our third Citizen Traveller. This luminous cityscape wowed us all, despite many excellent entries. You beat thousands to win a holiday to Malta for two, staying five nights at the Grand Hotel Excelsior.

It's not just the drama and majesty that you caught in your picture, but the atmosphere of a city as dusk approaches - it comes crackling out of the frame.

May competition

The prize for May is a trip to Abu Dhabi. See below for full details and terms and conditions.

To enter, send us your best shot, to the following e-mail address: travelpictures@timesonline.co.uk.

If you entered the first competitions, select a different picture and have another go.

Please send no more than one picture - entrants who send multiple pictures or entries will be disqualified.

March winner

Kathleen Wyatt, Travel Editor writes: Our second Citizen Traveller is Al Bruce, whose picture is number 17 in the March finalists gallery.

Al wins a week in the Maldives for two with Kuoni. His image, taken during the Desert Festival in Jaisalmer, India, stood out because it evoked place, culture and character in one accomplished shot.

Again, we were impressed by the quality of your entries - we received more than 1,000.

“I'm very pleased to have had the picture published,” says Al Bruce. “A lot of family and friends have seen it, and I've now had my work accepted by a photo library. Since getting back from India, I've been taking lots of pictures around Gloucestershire.” Next stop is Kenya. “I'll be going overland between Nairobi and Johannesburg, and getting this far with my photography has spurred me on.” His advice? “When you're travelling, give it a go.”

March reader vote winners

We asked our readers to vote for their favourite picture from the March shortlist of 20.

Paul Grace from Crystal Palace in London got the most votes. Paul wins the Lonely Planet guidebook of his choice.

His picture of a boy playing in the Mekong River in Loas, is number 6 in the March finalists gallery. Other popular choices included picture 7 in second place, while pictures 3, 10 and 20 ran each other close for third.

The winning voter this month is Sara Turner from Northampton, who also wins a Lonely Planet guidebook.

January-Febuary reader vote winners

The winning image is number 12, a man riding his Harley Davidson motorbike with his dog at a rally in Narbonne, France. That was closely followed by the geishas captured in picture 1, with the colourful scene from india in picture 16 coming third.

Mike Chopin wins the Lonely Planet guidebook of his choice for the winning picture, while Joanne Hooson is the lucky voter who also claims a guidebook.

Travel to Abu Dhabi in unmatched elegance and comfort with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates. Renowned for its award-winning hospitality, the airline boasts one of the most modern fleet of aircraft in the skies. On arrival, enjoy a well deserved break at the stunning five-star Beach Rotana.

May prize

The moment guests step into the Beach Rotana they are embraced by the unique blend of traditional Arabian hospitality and the breathtaking opulence of modern luxury.

Set on its own stretch of pristine white beach on the shores of the Arabian Sea, the hotel is home to eleven restaurants and dining venues, Bodylines Health Club, floodlit tennis courts and two squash courts. In addition, ‘Zen the spa at Rotana’ offers guests the opportunity to choose from an abundance of treatments to de-stress, detox, and emerge feeling pampered and rejuvenated. For reservations visit www.rotana.com.

Etihad is the fastest growing airline in aviation history with an impressive network connecting more than 45 international destinations, stretching across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Etihad flies daily from London Heathrow and Manchester airports to exotic international destinations including Abu Dhabi, Sydney, Beijing and Singapore.

For tickets and reservations, call 0870 241 7121. For further details, visit www.etihadairways.com.

May competition: terms and conditions

1. The competition will run on www.timesonline.co.uk website from May 1, 2008 to noon on May 26, 2008.

2. Closing date for entries is noon on May 26, 2008

3. Unless otherwise stated, the competition is open to all residents of the UK and ROI aged 18 or over, except employees of Times Newspapers Limited ("TNL"), the Grand Hotel Excelsior and the Malta Tourism Authority and their associated, affiliated or subsidiary companies, and their families, agents, or anyone connected with this competition, including the third party promotional partners.

4. Entry limited to one per person. The winner is responsible for ensuring they are able to accept the prize as set out and in accordance with these terms and conditions, in the event they are unable to do so then the TNL reserves the right to redraw the prize.

5. Entry is free but entrants should be aware that they may be subject to local call charges depending on their own individual arrangements for Internet access.

6. An eligible entrant must be an individual and must submit an entry in the form provided by TNL under this promotion including their name, address and e-mail address.

7. By entering, all eligible entrants agree to abide by each and all these terms and conditions. TNL reserves the right, with or without cause, to exclude entrants and withhold prizes for violating any of these terms and conditions. TNL reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions. Any amendments will be published on the Website.

8. Each entrant must submit one photograph in jpeg format with an explanation detailing when, where and why the photograph was taken in no more than 50 words together with their name, email address and location. Photographs should address the theme "travel". The photograph should be the entrants own work and should have been taken during 2007/2008. Entrants represent and warrant that they are not professional photographers and that their entry does not infringe the privacy rights, copyright or any other rights of any person. Obscene or inappropriate photographs will not be accepted and TNL reserves the right to reject any photographs for any reason. Prior to submitting a photograph of any identifiable individual, entrants should obtain the consent of such person and advise them of the purpose of the submission and that their photograph may be published by TNL (including in The Times).

9. The winner will be notified by email within seven (7) days from the closing date. All reasonable endeavours will be made to contact the winner during this time. If a winner cannot be contacted or is not available, TNL reserves the right to re-draw another winner from the correct entries which were received before the closing date.

10. There is one prize. The winner will be the entrant whose photograph, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrates the greatest flair, technique and originality.

11. The prize is a trip for two people to Abu Dhabi with three nights stay based on bed and breakfast at the five-star, Beach Rotana (www.rotana.com). The prize includes two economy return flights to Abu Dhabi (airport and date subject to availability) with Etihad Airways and three nights bed and breakfast accommodation, based on two people sharing a room (double or twin winner's choice) . Winner and guest must both be aged 18 or over. The trip must be taken before 30 November 2008 (excluding May 24 until June 3 and July 19 until September 1 inclusive). All departures and accommodation are subject to availability. All taxes, fees and surcharges are included. Transfers are not included. The winner is responsible for all costs and expenses not set out in these terms and conditions and for ensuring they and their guest have all necessary documents including valid passports, visas (where applicable) and travel insurance. Flights are supplied by Etihad Airways (www.etihadairways.com) and the relevant airlines standard conditions of carriage will apply.

12. There is no cash or other alternative to the prize stated and the prize is not transferable and no part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions.

13.The winner may be required to submit valid identification before receiving their prize.

14.The judge's decision is final and binding on the entrants. No correspondence will be entered into.

15. TNL will not be liable for technical, hardware, or software failures of any kind or lost or unavailable network connections which may limit or prohibit an eligible entrant's ability to participate in the competition. Other than death or personal injury arising from the acts or omissions of TNL, or their employees, TNL will not be liable for any loss or damage arising out of the winner or their guest's enjoyment of the prize

16. By entering, any subsequent prize winners agree to allow the free use of their names, photographs and general locations for publicity and news purposes during this and future promotions by TNL or any associated or subsidiary company of News International Limited.

17. TNL reserves the right to publish all or parts of entries other than the winning entry, and publication does not necessarily mean that the entrant has won a prize. TNL reserves the right to edit entries in its discretion for publication. Entrants will retain copyright in their submitted entries; however, by entering, all entrants give TNL a worldwide royalty free perpetual licence to edit, publish and use all or segments of each entry in any and all media (including print and online) for publicity and news purposes. In particular, all entrants license TNL the right to print their entry on thetimes online and in print.

18. Uses of personal data received by TNL in the course of the promotion are subject to the privacy policy found on the Website. Winners' names may be published on the Website.

19. Completion and submission of a registration slip or e-mail will be deemed acceptance of these terms and conditions.

20. TNL reserves the right at any time to cancel, modify or supersede the competition (including altering prizes) if, in their sole discretion, a competition is not capable for being conducted as specified. TNL reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal value in the event that circumstances beyond their control make this unavoidable.

21. The promoter of this prize draw is Times Newspapers Limited (address below)

22. For a list of winners, please send a stamped envelope to Times Newspapers Limited Competitions Department, 1 Virginia Street, London E98 1RL, stating for which competition you would like winners' details.

23. Terms and Conditions printed in The Times/The Sunday Times newspaper or on Times Online form a part of these terms and conditions.

First saw ladies carrying large items on their heads in Kenya in 1983 - thought it was amazing then and I think it is just as amazing now !!!

Ian Payne, WALSALL,

There seems to be probel with the pop up whenever I try to open it up. When it finally does open it is not possible to see the bottom of the page and click the arrow to move onto the next picture. Can you please tell me why?

Catherine Gould, Helensburgh, Scotland