Under 12 years
Rise of the gannet
Photographer
Jamie Smart
Category
Under 12 – Winner 2024
Description
I’ve always loved gannets and have been drawing them for some time so finally getting to see these birds at Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire was a dream come true for me. It was amazing to see so many after what has been a difficult time for them with avian flu. I managed to capture this one rising like a phoenix, staring down my lens with its wings outspread as it caught the wind.
Old world swallowtail
Photographer
Alex Gray
Category
Under 12 – Runner-up 2024
Description
I spent a lot of time taking photographs of bugs and butterflies, trying to master different techniques, and the old world swallowtail was the most stunning of them all. I approached quietly and slowly moved into position, thinking about the direction of the light and trying to blur and darken the background. I tried a few angles but this was the best as the contrast between the bright wings and the black backdrop makes it stand out perfectly.
Rustling spikes
Photographer
Jamie Smart
Category
Under 12 – Commended 2024
Description
We have a few hedgehogs in our garden. For the last few years, we’ve left large piles of sticks around and deliberately kept the garden wild and untouched, which has led to a wonderful increase in all sorts of wildlife. We noticed a track the hedgehogs were using and watched it for a few days. I was very lucky to photograph this one emerging from the leaves I had to lie on my belly and be very steady to get the shot.
Surfacing
Photographer
Alex Gray
Category
Under 12 – Commended 2024
Description
I love this image because it feels like the snake is coming out of the picture towards you. It took a lot of patience and perfect timing. The snake was swimming in a river and I tracked it for about 45 minutes as it kept disappearing in and out of the rocks. I positioned myself in an ideal spot and waited until its head broke through the water, with the ripples spreading around the head and the body.
Roly-poly
Photographer
Flynn Thaitanunde-Lobb
Category
Under 12 – Commended 2024
Description
One evening I was in my garden wanting to take a photo of something. All of a sudden, the local squirrel came onto our lawn, darting from one end to the other. I started to snap away, following the squirrel with my camera as best I could. It was playing with a stick and I got photos of it looking like it was doing roly-polies, singing, dancing, playing the flute and weightlifting! I’d never seen a squirrel like this before. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.