Joshua takes winning prize for RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2017!

Posted Fri 22nd Dec 2017 at 09:00
by Joshua Myers

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Talented photographer Joshua received a Tourettes Grant earlier this year to buy a camera, and we are overjoyed to see that his incredible talent has been so highly commended.

On Friday 15^th of December, I travelled to London after receiving an invitation to The RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2017.

I had entered their Prestigious Annual Competition at the beginning of the year, i had then been informed that 2 of my images had made their Shortlist.

Several months ago I was out with my Grandparents and my sister Chloe, we called at my Granddads local Pub so he could see some friends. I sat down beside a lady, who one of my granddads friends was talking to, he explained to her that I do photography and suggested that she look at some of my images.

I began to show the lady my images from my Webpage, she seemed very interested and told me how good she thought they were. She also told me that she would like to help try and promote my work and gave me her business card, her name is Louise Haigh and she is the Local MP for Woodseats and Heeley in Sheffield.

It was a message my dad received from Louise Haigh that led to me entering the RSPCA competition, Louise is a sort of Ambassador for them and she thought that the competition would suit me and my photography.

The award ceremony was held at the Tower of London, it was presented by BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham. I was entered into the 12-15 category and was very pleased when they announced that my Weasel image had been Commended, this was the 3^rd place award and the prize was a framed copy of my Photograph stating that it was a Commended image. They then went on to announce the 2^nd place winner which was a great shot of a Fox, the image was so good it could easily have been the overall winner.

Then they moved onto the Winning Image, we all looked at the Screens to see which image had won the 1^st prize, I couldn’t believe it when my Wolf Spider image was then displayed on the screen, I had won the category. Chris Packham made a speech about why my image had been selected and he said some very nice things about it.

 I collected my award trophy and my prizes, the Prizes were £550 of Wex Photographic gift vouchers, a Motion detecting Camera trigger to allow me to use my DSLR as a camera trap, a lifetime subscription to RSPCA magazine and a V.I.P visit to the main RSPCA centre in the New Year.

As a category winner, my image will be put forward with the other winners into the PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD, this will be decided by the members of the public early next year and could lead to another award.  To say I am pleased is a huge understatement and it’s an amazing feeling knowing that so many people like my images so much. There were almost 4000 entries to the competition and 2 of my images made it into the Award stages.

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