A WORCESTER teenager put his name in the frame for success and scooped the top prize at the prestigious RSPCA Young Photographer Awards.
Freddy Jones, 14, was named the winner in the 12–15 Years category for his eye-catching image entitled ‘Grass snake pond dipping’.
The young photographer’s image was singled out from more than 4,700 entries into the competition which were blind-judged by a panel of experts in wildlife photography which included representatives from sponsors Wex Photo Video, Warners Midlands Plc and Natures Images.
“I was walking down the garden to photograph sparrowhawks when something caught my eye. I saw a head pop up and thought it was a frog, but I crept in close to the pond and saw it was a grass snake,” Freddy said.
“It saw me, so I waited patiently nearby and as soon as its head appeared I took the shot.”
As well as a trophy, Freddy was rewarded for his efforts with vouchers from Wex Photographic.
The winning images across nine categories, including three different age groups, were announced during an awards ceremony hosted by BBC Springwatch presenter and RSPCA vice president Chris Packham.
“I’ve been judging the RSPCA Young Photographer awards since they started. It’s exciting to see it move with the times, particularly with a new category this year showing the human impact on animals and the welcome return of a pets category,” he said,
“We’re also pleased the mobile phone and devices category continues, because as no separate camera is required, this has really opened up the competition to almost anyone.”
“The fantastic images we have seen this year range from creatures in the desert and pets at play to animals just getting on with their life in the wild. The competition is a great way for young people to go out and experience the environment around them,” he added.
