We asked Shard a few questions about the inspiration behind his winning image:

Q: What inspired this shot?
A: I had been travelling with a large group of college friends and we'd just wound up a youth camp in the Kimberley which we ran for underprivileged Aboriginal children.  The team was relaxing on the stunning Cable Beach in Broome and the sunset was so beautiful I couldn't resist going for the classic jump shot :)  This photo is one of about 10 shots of the same thing - the funny thing is there were a few 'better' ones with the whole crew in the air, but I loved the imperfections of the one I submitted.

Q: How did you achieve this shot?
A: For this shot, I put the Canon 40D on aperture priority wide open at 2.8 to let in as much light as possible.  After that it just took a lot of co-ordinating and failed attempts at synchronising the group!

Q: Why did you choose 'Jump' as the link?
A: I thought it would be really interesting to set the link as a verb, which will guarantee some great action shots for the next round!

Q: How would you describe yourself as a photographer? When did you start shooting? How long have you been shooting for?
A: My first ever photography gig was shooting the West Coast Blues N Roots Festival around 5 months ago - also the first time I had ever touched a DSLR (a borrowed 400D) which was very daunting!  Half of the pictures turned out miserable but it was an amazing learning curve and such an exciting experience.  Since then I bought myself a Canon 40D and have regularly shot many concerts, festivals and events - there's nothing like having under ten minutes to capture priceless rock moments all the while amongst a hot, sweaty and excited crowd!  Apart from that, I love taking candid pictures of my friends, nature... anything! I currently shoot with a Canon 40D, with a 50mm 1.8 and 24-70mm 2.8 lens.

Q: Anything else you want to share with the EOS community?
A: Thanks so much to Canon for this great competition, and to everyone who voted for my picture!  I scrolled through the images a few days ago and honestly thought there was no chance of mine being noticed amongst all the amazing pictures. To those who are thinking about purchasing a DSLR... do it now!  I had been sitting on the fence for about 2 years prior to my purchase, trying to justify to costs when I already had a decent point and shoot.  But buying the DSLR was the best purchase decision I've ever made :)  It is amazing what you can capture with these wonderful machines. 

For anyone interested in my other work, feel free to visit my (in progress) portfolio at www.shardology.net