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A dramatic black and white image of a Sea Harrier has won the first official Defence Photographic Competition. The picture, by Leading Airman (Photographer) Michael Handy, was taken on the flight deck of HMS Illustrious as the ship passed through the Straights of Gibraltar.
The Royal Navy, Army and RAF have always held single-Service competitions; this year, for the first time, a competition for defence civilian photographers was launched. Winners of all four contests competed against one another to find the 'best of the best'.
The final was judged by internationally renowned photo-journalist Tom Stoddart; Reuters UK Chief Photographer David Viggers and Sunday Times Picture Editor Ray Wells. Tom Stoddart said:
“I think we've all been surprised by the quality and variety of the pictures which have come through to the final. The winning image shows the highly skilled, technical side of modern warfare, but other pictures show elegance, sensitivity, adventure and history.”
Prizes were awarded in six categories, from which the two overall prize winners were chosen. Second prize went to SAC Ben Stevenson, with a digitally re-mastered image of a Typhoon. The core of the image was a picture of the cockpit of a Typhoon, taken to help students learn the controls of the aircraft.
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The Defence Experience: Winner and The Best Defence Image 2006: Winner – Images from the Upper Deck [Picture: LA (Phot) Handy]
A dramatic black and white image of a Sea Harrier has won the first official Defence Photographic Competition. The picture, by Leading Airman (Photographer) Michael Handy, was taken on the flight deck of HMS Illustrious as the ship passed through the Straights of Gibraltar. More Military Pictures
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Using a long exposure of eight seconds and pulling back a zoom lens, SAC Stevenson created the unusual effect. He then later layered another image, of a pilot, on top. SAC Stevenson, who works in the photo section at RAF Coningsby said:
“It's good to win, but it means more to me to win for the team back at Coningsby. Sergeant Morgan was Runner up in the Best Defence Equipment category, so it's great to have two winners in the competition.”
Leading Airman (Photographer) Simon Merrill, from Fleet Regional Photographer Unit East, in Portsmouth, won the Best Sporting Photograph category. His moody image is of a Royal Marine in the boxing Gym at HMS Nelson:
“I was surprised to win,” he said, “because I didn't win the sports category in the Navy competition, which just goes to show how subjective photography can be.”
Although most of the entries in the competition came from professional Defence photographers, there was a Best Amateur Photograph category, which was won by WO2 David Scammell. His winning photo of a gunner looking out of a helicopter over Basra, Iraq, was, as he puts it:
“A pure fluke. When I took the picture I was half way through changing lenses. We were mid flight, I was playing around when I got off two shots, thinking
