Herefordshire Teen Triumphs in Prestigious National Photography Contest!

A teenager from Herefordshire has received recognition in a national photography contest for his depiction of a dragonfly.

William Lambourne, aged 15, hailing from Ledbury, was praised in the 12-15 age group of the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2024 for his capture of a common darter dragonfly.

The snapshot was taken in the garden of his neighbor.

William mentioned: “I observed this common darter foraging around the border of my neighbor’s pond and noticed that it frequently rested on the tip of a horsetail plant.

“I arranged myself so that the setting sun was illuminating the dragonfly from behind, slightly underexposed, and captured the image.”

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The RSPCA Young Photographer Awards encourages individuals aged 18 and under to document the animal kingdom using a camera or mobile device.

The results were disclosed at an event held at the Tower of London on Thursday, December 19.

This year’s entries were evaluated by a panel of photography authorities, which included wildlife photographer Rachel Bigsby; a previous competition winner-turned-professional photographer Catriona Parfitt; wildlife photography expert and guide Ellie Rothnie; and RSPCA photographers Andrew Forsyth and Emma Jacobs.

For the first time this year, Fabian Rivers, commonly known as Dready Vet, who is an exotic animal and wildlife veterinarian as well as an RSPCA ambassador appearing on CBBC’s The Pets Factor, also served as a judge.

Anwen Whitehead, a 15-year-old from Mid Wales, emerged as this year’s overall winner with her photograph of a puffin titled ‘Daydreaming in the chamomiles’.

Winners in each category received trophies and various prizes at the Tower of London event.

As the overall victor, Anwen was awarded a weekend photography retreat with Natures Images.

This reward includes two nights’ lodging for the winner and a parent or guardian.

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The RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2025 will open for submissions on May 6.

For further details, please visit RSPCA’s website for the latest news, galleries, and photography tips.

Other notable entries included Worcester teenager Alex George, 16, who was acknowledged in the 16-18 category for his photographs of a puffin and a razorbill, and Kingsley Palmer, 17, also from Worcester, who was recognized in the 16-18 mobile category for his image of a stag beetle.