Express & Star

Wolverhampton's top young photographers named

Budding young photographers have been commended for their creativity and talent after entering a popular junior photographer competition.

Published
Winners of Wolverhampton Young Photographer of the year with judges and sponsors

The fourth annual Wolverhampton Young Photographer attracted 330 entries from schoolchildren across the city, but only a handful were chose to go through to the final.

Winners of Wolverhampton Young Photographer of the year, open winner Candice Watkiss
Winners of Wolverhampton Young Photographer of the year overall and creative winner, Jake Musgrove
Winners of Wolverhampton Young Photographer of the year portrait winner Megan Lewis-Woolley
Winners of Wolverhampton Young Photographer of the year U15 winner Faizaan Waseem
Winners of Wolverhampton Young Photographer of the year movement winner Tyler Whiting

10 images were selected for final judging.

The selected entries have been taken on a variety of devices from mobile phones to high-end SLR cameras and include portraits, landscapes and wildlife photography as well as creative images using visual effects. This year’s special category is ‘movement’.

The competition, organised by Wolverhampton Photographic Society, was open to those age 18 or younger and who live, study, or work within the WV postcode area.

Winning photograph 'Broken' by Jake Musgrove

There are four photographic themes for those aged 15 to 18 – creative, open, portrait and movement – and for those aged below 15 there is a single open category.

Judging this year's competition was Alan Lawrence, an area judge of photographic club competitions, Carol Thompson, senior curator at Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Tim Thursfield, chief photographer at Express & Star.

On Sunday, February 9 an awards ceremony was held and the winners were officially announced.

Isaac by Megan Lewis-Woolley

Jake Musgrove, aged 17 of Wolverhampton College, received the trophy and was named Young Photographer of the Year and creative section winner, and he also won a one day photographic workshop using professional equipment.

Praising his photograph, entitled 'Broken', judges said: "The technical skill and work that went into this composite tells such a strong story and totally meets the brief of both the creative category and the overall competition."

Jake added: "I'm extremely delighted to have won this award. I have been doing photography for five years and I'm very keen to get out into the world to pursue it as a career.

Cats West Bromwich Operatic Society by Tyler Whiting

"Winning this award and being able to call myself the Wolverhampton Young Photographer of the Year will help boost myself to get people's interest and putting it on my CV will really help me into employment."

The annual contest is organised by Wolverhampton Photographic Society with sponsorship from Carol Bailey Photography, Design IT, Framers Gallery, Gradu8 Recruiting, Pest Free Solutions and the Rotary Club of Tettenhall with this year’s event being the biggest so far.

Chairman and joint organiser, Rob Cowell, said: "There has been a fantastic response from the young people of Wolverhampton with well over 300 photographs entered by students from an increased number of schools.

Dark Soul by Candace Watkiss

"We are particularly pleased with the excellent standard of entries this year which raise the bar to a higher level than before.

"The extended exhibition of finalists' photographs at Wolverhampton Art Gallery makes this annual competition an established part of the Wolverhampton scene.

"Congratulations to all those who made it to the final judging."

Delusional by Faizaan Waseem

Those competing stand to win a £50 category prize with £30 for the best photographer aged 14 and under.

The overall winner in the 15 to 18 section will become Wolverhampton Young Photographer 2019, winning a trophy to keep and a second trophy for their school or college. The overall winner will also receive a photographic workshop.

Other winners included: Faizaan Waseem, Candice Watkiss, Megan Lewis-Woolley and Tyler Whiting.

An exhibition of the photographs which have made the final, including the winner and runners-up, is at Wolverhampton Art Gallery until March 29.

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