Spontaneous Snapshot Scoops Prestigious Prize
| Spontaneous Snapshot Scoops Prestigious Prize A striking image of a long-tailed tit taken by an 11-year-old has been chosen as the overall winner of the prestigious RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2008 (YPA). Molly Armiger's photograph of the cheeky garden bird peering through her window wowed the judges who handed the Suffolk schoolgirl the top accolade at today's exclusive awards ceremony at HM Tower of London. New Countryfile host and former Blue Peter presenter Matt Baker announced the winners of the renowned competition, which is sponsored by Olympus and Warners Midlands. |  Under 12 commended Rachel Michael (12), Glasgow - Inquisitive mare |
He said: "Without a doubt these are very prestigious awards. There are thousands of entries in this competition and everyone wants to win this one."
Molly, from Cavendish, Suffolk, saw her photograph chosen ahead of the thousands of other entries in this year's awards.
She said she was thrilled to have won the top prize with a photograph of the long-tailed tit which had built a nest in her garden hedge.
 Molly's spontaneous beats off some serious competition to be the overall winner. | "I thought I was lucky to get through to the final. I saw the winners from 2007 and thought they were amazing. I never expected to win. I was absolutely ecstatic when my name was read out," said Molly. RSPCA chief photographer and YPA judge Andrew Forsyth said: "Molly's spontaneous snapshot packs a powerful punch, beating off some serious competition to be the overall winner. "Here is a real relationship between photographer and subject, conveying a rare and intimate moment of connection with an animal that is, quite literally, very close to home. Molly's photo was a real hit with the judges and a worthy winner." Molly was presented with the YPA trophy and some top Olympus camera equipment, which she will be able to put to the test on an exclusive photoshoot with the RSPCA. Also celebrating at the awards was six-year-old Evan Shelton, of Melton Mowbray, who become one of the competition's youngest ever prize winners. He was crowned the under 12 winner for his photo of a common blue butterfly roost. |
Matthew Burrard-Lucas, 19, of Sevenoaks, Kent, took first place in the 12-18 category with a striking image of a fox. It was the second year in a row that Matthew has enjoyed success at YPA after he won the Portfolio Prize in 2007.
Taking this year's Olympus Portfolio Prize was Curtis Fowler, of Barry, South Glamorgan, who dazzled the judges with his selection of images taken during a visit to Drusillas Park, in East Sussex. His portfolio of five photographs includes great shots of an otter, meerkat, lemur, monkey and flamingo. It is a remarkable achievement for former junior international badminton star, who took up photography after he was forced to give up the sport because of injury.
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A photo by 14-year-old Freya Williams of her inquisitive cat Tilly was chosen by the judges as the winner of the Pet Personalities prize. The teenager, of Newport, Isle of Wight, was praised for her use of props and composition for the image which captures Tilly peeking through the pages of a book.
 Under 12 winner Evan Shelton - Common blue butterfly roost | Details of winners Overall winner Molly Armiger (11), Cavendish, Suffolk - Long-tailed tit Under 12 winner Evan Shelton (6), Ashfordby, Melton Mowbray - Common blue butterfly roost Under 12 runners-up Joy Timmer (11), Little Rissington, Cheltenham - Namaqua desert chameleon Alex Worthington (11), Lancaster - Gulls in flight Thomas Stubbs (8), Tenby, Pembrokeshire - Life's A Beach Harry Banks (11), Surbiton, Surrey - American pigeon Under 12 commended Rachel Michael (12), Glasgow - Inquisitive mare Finn Davies (10), Brighton - Big bird Madeleine O'Connor (10), Macclesfield - Frog on the road in the rain Milo Saville (11), Crouch End, London - Elephant in the wild |
12-18 winner
Matthew Burrard-Lucas (19), Sevenoaks, Kent - Fox in the garden
(N.B Matthew was 18 years old at the time he took his winning shot).
12-18 runners-up
Philip Hurst (17), Sandhurst, Hampshire - Uneven footing
Sarah Bennett (17), Wincham, Northwich - Upwards and onwards
Curtis Fowler (15), Barry, South Glamorgan - Excluded
Jake Wild (18), Denton, Manchester - Fast food
12-18 commended
Catriona Parfitt (15), Southampton - Into the blue
Josh Exell (18), Wellington, Somerset - Hide and seek
Megan McCubbin (13), Southampton - Chimpanzee in tree laughing
Rachel Kinton (14), Harpenden, Hertfordshire - Jellyfish
Samuel Ridgeway (14), Salisbury - Spider
Steven Buckmire (16), Harrow, London - Crab
Matthew Burrard-Lucas (19), Sevenoaks, Kent - Elephant mud bath
Sam Rowley (14), Richmond, Surrey - Gosling
Pet Personalities winner
Freya Williams (14), Newport, Isle of Wight - Boo!
Pet Personalities runner-up
Emily Arbuthnot (11), Holbrook, Ipswich - Monty with ball
Pet Personalities commended
Katie Houston (12), Munlochy, Ross-shire - Meg in the tatty fields
Sarah Boulding (15), Finchampstead, Berkshire - Sunbathing
Anna Brittain (12), Thetford, Cambridgeshire - Sweep with her ball
Olympus Portfolio Prize winner
Curtis Fowler (15), Barry, South Glamorgan - Portfolio from a day out at Drusillas Park
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Added on: 19/12/08.
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