TWO BUDDING young Worcester snappers have had their work commended in the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards.
Sixteen year-old Alex George made it through to the finals of the prestigious competition with two shortlisted images. The first one titled ‘Puffin Portrait’ was taken after hundreds of attempts to get the right image, and the second one titled ‘Top of the Rock’ was a razorbill on the Isle of Lunga in Scotland.
The photos were commended in the 16 to 18 category of the awards which invite young people aged 18 years and under to capture the animal kingdom on a camera or a mobile device and supports the RSPCA’s mission to inspire everyone to create a better world for every animal.
Alex said: “While visiting the Isle of Lunga, I was blown away by the rugged and vibrant coastline and surprised by the variety and approachability of the island’s seabirds. I managed to get close to this stunning razorbill without disturbing it. I used my wide-angle lens to capture an image that made the most of the razorbill’s colourful environment with a busy guillemot colony in the distance. I was delighted when a passing kittiwake flew into frame, adding an extra layer of interest too.
“I knew I also wanted to capture an image of this photogenic and charming puffin who was slightly different and a little bit quirky. Instead of focusing on its impressive beak, I decided to highlight the symmetry of the colourful and angular facial features. Lying on the ground so I was at eye-level with the puffin, I took what felt like hundreds of photographs before I managed to capture a perfectly lined-up, in-focus, head-on shot. It didn’t help that the puffin kept falling asleep.”
And 17-year-old Kingsley Pamer was commended in the 16 to 18 mobile category with a photo of a stag beetle.
Kingsley added: “This photo was taken on a summer holiday to France. We visited the Palace of Versailles and toured the grounds. While my family and I were exploring and sheltering from the heat, we came across a long, cobbled path. As we walked down the path, I spotted my first ever stag beetle. I laid down on the path to get a closer look and captured this photo with the palace in the background and the beetle taking centre stage.”
