I have some amazing news! :)

[iceman]

I have some amazing news!! :) :)

I was one of 5 winners in the Tourism Western Australia '1001 Extraordinary Experiences' competition! I entered my image of 'Arching Milkyway over the Bungle Bungles' and described my experience:



More on my blog here: http://bit.ly/11dC7BV

It’s just been an incredible 12 months. Winning the Ken Duncan Photo Awards competition which saw me take an unbelievable 2 week journey around the Kimberley with Ken Duncan, to then use a photo taken on that trip to win another competition back to WA – mind blowing! :)

[RickS]

Congrats, Mike!

[Deeno]

Well done Mike!

[Dennis]

Good one Mike, the start of a new career eh!

Cheers

Dennis

[gregbradley]

Congrats Mike - you deserve it. Your images there were fabulous and at the highest standard.

Greg.

[sheeny]

Well done Mike!

Al.

[Allan_L]

Congratulations Mike !!! :thumbsup:

Well deserved.

Its been great watching your photography skills skyrocket over the period I have known you.
Obviously a labour of love.
Inspirational stuff.
Keep it up.

Allan

[alan meehan]

:thumbsup:Well done Mike and well deservered
AL

[stardust steve]

Well done and congratulations :thumbsup:

[Gem]

Well done and great image!!!!

[h0ughy]

yeah a pretty average year eh!!!? well done. so is this the next entry for the DM's?

[Larryp]

Congratulations, and well done, Mike!

[LewisM]

Here I was thinking you were pregnant ;)

Well done Mike.

[Kunama]

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Ric]

Way to go Mike. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

It's certainly been a great year for you in the photography dept.

Cheers

[SkyViking]

That's great news, congratulations Mike :) You've certainly progressed your photography career rapidly, and it's well deserved for sure. I always enjoy looking at your images.

[PCH]

I don't often get excited about 'pics', but that image of yours in the opening post here is just stunning in my opinion. It has enough interesting stuff in it to keep me looking way too long :) Well done on the WA Tourism award too - splendid job matey :)

[Draco]

amazing .. congrats mike

[pluto]

Congratulations Mike, well deserved :)

[niharika]

Congratulations Mike. Well deserved.

[DJT]

Congratulations Mike, that is an awesome image :thumbsup:

[ZeroID]

Best news !! Well done mike, bloody well done.

[gbeal]

Well done Mike, well deserved.
Gary

[ThinBlueLine]

Hey that's fantastic news Mike!! :thumbsup:
Absolutely well done and no doubt very well deserved too.
Onwards and upwards..:D
Very inspirational and beautiful are your photos.

Amanda.

[peterl]

Well Done Mike.
Your photographic technique and results have improved a great amount over the last 18 months.
Keep going , you dont know where you will end up with all this. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Change of career maybe??
"Mike Salway's photographic tours" :)

[Forgey]

Congrats Mike, well done :)

[iceman]

Thanks so much everyone, I really appreciate the kind words and congrats.

It's certainly been fun the last 12-18 months and I'm really enjoying my photography. I definitely want to get out more, but I'm also enjoying the side where I can help other people to improve their photography.

If I can help other people to become better photographers, then it's just going to be good for our hobby, good for astronomy and for getting people outside thinking about the night sky.

The bungles image has certainly been the highlight of the Kimberley trip - it's received the most attention out of any of my shots. It's been quite a ride.

I'm happy that I get to take Kate and the kids along to this trip back to WA. We've already booked it in for the September school holidays - almost 2 weeks travelling up the Coral Coast, visiting the Pinnacles, Monkey Mia, Ningaloo Reef and Kilbarri NP.

It won't be anywhere near as much a photography trip, but I'm sure I'll be trying to sneak out at night and first thing in the mornings to take some photos :)

[Jon]

Congratulations, Mike.

That is a most extraordinary image!

[ourkind]

Congratulations Mike well deserved!! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Furthermore thanks for sharing your passion with us and taking the time to explain many of your techniques! You've put together a fantastic forum with many great members who share similar interests and also act as mentors! Great work! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[skytry]

hi Mike,
great photo,
another great keeper,
you were in the right place at the right time,
as I am headed WA way shortly, touring slowly,
may also see some great views,
regards,
Peter.

[Park123]

Fantastic news Mike well done:thumbsup:

[CometGuy]

Fantastic news Mike! Well done :)

[DavidU]

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: from me too.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Great work Mike :thumbsup:

[PeterM]

Congratulations Mike,
One of many of your inspiring photos.

[Matt Wastell]

Cool!

[Irish stargazer]

:thumbsup:

[Suzy]

And well deserved too!
Many congratulations Mike- certainly an incredible story of how this win was won from the last win! :eyepop:

[Derek Klepp]

A great pic Mike and enjoying your blog on Nightscapes
Cheers Derek

[OzEclipse]

Congratulation Mike. A fantastic image, justly rewarded!

Joe

[norm]

Well done Mike :thumbsup:

I can see the photo being used somewhere for WA tourism.....watch this space !!! :D

Norm :)

[goober]

I saw that image on a bus stop at Clayton, SE Melbourne, Victoria, just last night.

I was just dodging rain, getting on a bus, when I noticed it. I saw the image and thought it looked familar, saw a quote with "Mike Salway" beneath it.

The bus was leaving so couldn't take a snap.... perhaps tonight.

[Jen]

Wooooohooooo:clap::clap::clap:

[goober]

Still raining in Melbourne thanks to a special Sab low we set up at the BoM to celebrate Hot n Spicy. Caught the bus home again and had time to snap a shot of the WA Tourism poster. Clayton, Melbourne.

[alexch]

Congrats, Mike! Now you need to make sure you take enough images on your holiday in WA to win another major competition next year :)

Cheers,
Alex

[ColHut]

Well done Mike!

regards

[pgc hunter]

lol ... I will be getting Hot n Spicy every other day with the hottest bloody chilli sauce I can find and ofcourse copious amounts of beer to cope with this hellhole climate!

[iceman]

Thanks guys! So cool to see those pics.

I'm going to head to Wynyard or George St in Sydney today to snap a selfie next to one ;)

[iceman]

Here's a shot from Wynyard this morning :)

[h0ughy]

oh and its backlit?:thumbsup:

[gregbradley]

Yes I saw these posters along George St and also York St on those 3 poster moving ad boards.

You're a celebrity!

Greg.

[E_ri_k]

Well done Mike!
Erik

[goober]

Awesome.

Umm, what is that on your feet? Over-crocs?

[Camelopardalis]

I stumbled across the one at Wynyard yesterday and thought "What a great sky scape!" and then didn't connect the dots until now :D

Congrats on all counts, and a well-deserved coffee for being there at that time this morning :thumbsup:

[bigjoe]

Congratulations your on a roll we're All lucky to have you cheers Mike

[jjjnettie]

:) :) What a ride!! Congratulations Mike, it's well deserved.
I wonder what is next?

[iceman]

Thanks guys :) Starting to come back to earth now, but always great when another friend from Victoria sends me a new picture of the billboard on a train station at Flinders St or Richmond :)

Jeanette I'm insanely jealous of your US trip - looks like it was soooo good!

[Ross G]

Congratulations Mike.

The stuff of dreams and so well deserved!

Ross.

[iceman]

Was walking back to the office yesterday, after a lunch with some colleagues, and what did we stumble across on Sussex St? :)

Very cool :)

Sure would've been nice to get royalties from these displays :)

[h0ughy]

but you are getting to be Royalty Mike ;)

[jjjnettie]

Royalties would be nice, but I guess you have to think of it as free advertising for your work that will be invaluable for your portfolio.
I've often been told that I'm doing myself a disservice by allowing my images to be used for free.
My reply to them is, "where are YOUR images being displayed?"

[goober]

I have spotted these in 9 separate locations around Melbourne now :)

Also saw a different WA poster - "Statue in a Lake" - also a stunning shot.

[RB]

That's so cool, congrats mate !
Well done indeed.

:thumbsup:

[iceman]

Exactly!

[Pi]

There is one on Barrack Street in Perth CBD. Recognized the image instantly, took me by surprise. Nice one!

[keni]

At the moment it's on Bigpond's home page as part of a WA tourist promo.
Well done Mike it looks fantastic.
http://go.bigpond.com/home/index.jsp

Ken.

[iceman]

Thanks Pi! I didn't think they'd advertise it in WA :)


Awesome, thanks for the heads-up, Ken! Looks great!

[ChrisM]

Hi Mike, just caught up with your exciting news. Congratulations - that is one heck of a top shot!

Chris