by Véto-Pharma The ” Favorite photo” award in the 5th “Let’s value honeybees and beekeeping” amateur photo contest was awarded to Gilles Annès, who lives in France close to Paris.
The French and European competition partners: the towns of Chaillac (36) and Valençay (36), the Centre and Berry beekeepers’ union, the national beekeeping unions: UNAF – Abeilles et Fleurs and SNA – Abeille de France, Kyrka Beekeeping Cycle, Cycon Animal Health join Véto-pharma in congratulating the 2023 grand prize winner, who is passionate about photography and beekeeping.
As in previous years, a special “Favorite photo” prize was offered as soon as the 4 winners were announced. For one month, the European public had the opportunity to vote for their favorite photo from a selection of the 20 best shots judged by the jury. An online campaign and an event at the Véto-pharma stand at Simapi (the international beekeeping equipment trade fair) in Avignon – South of France- attracted more than 550 entries from across France and Europe.
The composition by Gille Annès, for his original photo – Zoom on a honey bee laden with pollen flapping its wings in front of the entrance to its hive – won over 31% of the voting public. The contest was very close. Among the 20 best photos put forward for voting, creations from different European nationalities were represented, and one of them was just a few lanes away from our winner.
Gilles Annès, a keen photographer and experienced amateur beekeeper, has specialised by becoming a TSA (honey bee health technician) thanks to practical and theoretical training. Since 2012, he has been the lead beekeeper on an apiary set up at his workplace in the Paris region, combining his love of bees with the expertise he has acquired over the years.
For Gilles, honey bees are of profound importance on several levels: environmental, helping to preserve plants and biodiversity through pollination, and personal, establishing a link with his family roots, his maternal grandfather being a hive owner. This family tradition stimulated his interest in beekeeping, even leading him to pursue in-depth studies of this fascinating insect.
For Gilles, beekeeping has been much more than just an activity; it’s an immersion in nature, a deep understanding of its nuances and the development of specific skills linked to bees and their crucial role in our ecosystem. Gilles’ photo, taken last June with a smartphone in macro mode, during a queen rearing session, bears witness to his commitment. The bee, returning from collecting pollen, stood at the entrance to the hive in a distinctive posture – wings flapping and abdomen raised – transmitting a message to its fellow bees via its Nasonov gland, an essential form of chemical communication in bees.
As with previous editions, the 2023 exhibition of the 20 best photographs will be made available to all local authorities, associations and partners.
The competition partners and Véto-pharma congratulate Gilles Annès on his “favorite photo” award for 2023.
Véto-pharma would like to thank all those who have been following the competition, taking part and providing encouragement and support since 2018.
We look forward to seeing you next year for the 2024 edition.
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