Blooming cherry trees near Centennial Park grew $1,500 for Saanichton photographer Mike Lane.
Lane is one of eight winners in this year’s Royale Canada Collection contest, where Canadians were asked to submit their best Canadian photographic work.
More than 9,400 Canadians entered a photo between September and December 2011.
“I’m a photographer as a hobby,” he said. “It’s something you can do on your own and at your leisure. You can just pick up your camera and go for a walk if you feel like it, or not.”
Lane enters a lot of online photo contests, and has for the past eight to 10 years. In this contest a panel of judges selected 20 photos for an online vote that had more than 500,000 hits. After years of cameras, magazine subscriptions, calendars and ball caps, Lane earned his largest cash prize to date.
“It’s been fun. It’s a good hobby,” he said. “If you’re retired and you’re looking for something to take up your time photography can be really rewarding hobby.”
Titled Fabulous Springtime, Lane’s photo of cherry blossoms will be displayed across Canada on Royale Canada Collection facial tissue boxes.