Twenty photographs that celebrate the Western Bay and the people who reside here are now up on display in the Tauranga CBD.

The enormous photos, which measure 1.2m high x 1.8m wide, are the winning images selected by a panel of 10 judges as part of the inaugural Trustpower Photographic Exhibition.

The week the panel scrutinised more than 1740 photographs entered into the competition which invited amateur and professional photographers to submit photos showcasing the Western Bay across four categories - Land and Sea, Emotion Heritage, and Our People.

The 20 winning photographs were recognised during a special ceremony held at Macau on Friday evening.

Supreme Award and Land and Sea categorywinner 'Cowboy Waterboy' by Graham Flanagan.

Junior Photographer category second place getter Lulu Boorman with her image ‘Walking on Water'.

Taking out the Supreme Award and the Land and Sea category was amateur photographer Graham Flanagan for his underwater shot ‘Cowboy Waterboy'.

The two other big winners were Katie Cox who's photo ‘An Octopus' won the Emotion category, while Brydie Thompson's images ‘Lest We Forget' and ‘Friendship' won the Heritage and Our People categories respectively.

Along with various prizes, all of the 20 winning photographs will appear in SunMedia's The Weekend Sun newspaper at a later date.

The outdoor Trustpower Photographic Exhibition on The Strand in the Tauranga CBD will be on display to the public until Saturday, April 29.

Highly Commended award winner Jossie Mason with her photo 'Surreal Contemplation'.

Highly Commended award winner David skinner with his photo 'Having a Bash'.

THE TRUSTPOWER PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHBITION AWARD WINNERS:

SUPREME WINNER

• Graham Flanagan (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Cowboy Waterboy'

LAND & SEA CATEGORY

• FIRST: Graham Flanagan (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Cowboy / Waterboy'
• SECOND: Jereme Aubutin (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Clint Reid, Northwest Rock Jump'

EMOTION CATEGORY

• FIRST: Katie Cox (Professional Photographer) - ‘An Octopus'
• SECOND: Jossie Mason(Professional Photographer) - ‘Joy Bomb & Be Silly'

HERITAGE CATEGORY

• FIRST: Brydie Thompson (Professional Photographer) - ‘Lest We Forget'
• SECOND: Bob Tulloch (Professional Photographer) - ‘Kohanga Reo Teacher'

OUR PEOPLE CATEGORY

• FIRST: Brydie Thompson (Professional Photographer) - ‘Friendship'
• SECOND: Anne Scantlebury (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Blissfully Buried'

YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER CATEGORY

• FIRST: Clay Dixon (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Early Rising'
• SECOND: Lulu Boorman (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Walking on Water'

STUDENT CATEGORY

• FIRST: Aleksei Spodyneiko (Professional Photographer) - ‘Crowd at the Bay Dreams'
• SECOND: Rosie Collins (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Land, Dog & Sea'

HIGHLY COMMENDED

• David Skinner (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Having a Bash'
• Jossie Mason (Professional Photographer) - ‘Surreal Contemplation'
• Moana Bianchin (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Stretch For It'
• Paul Regan (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Mount Base Track Stroll'
• Maree Wilkinson (Professional Photographer) - ‘Good Things Come From Boredom'
• Karl Tretheway(Amateur Photographer) - ‘Papamoa Log Surprise'
• Moana Bianchin (Amateur Photographer) - ‘Milking Sheep'
• Brydie Thompson (Professional Photographer) - ‘Austin'