Sniff the world by Nadia Curtis
A Thanet teen has been recognised for her outstanding image in this year’s RSPCA Young Photographer Awards.
Winners were announced at a ceremony at the Tower of London held on Thursday (18 December) – with Nadia Curtis, 15, from Ramsgate, commended in the Mobile Phones & Devices category.
Nadia snapped a funny picture of a dog’s curious nose peeking out of some bricks while on a walk near her home, titled “Sniff the world”.
She said: “Every time I walk down my neighbouring street, I can trust that I will see this nose. This nose knows that I am coming. This nose knows it’s me. This nose is what I look forward to seeing. But this nose smells not just me, this nose sniffs the world through the gap in the brick wall.”
Every year, the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards invites young people aged 18 years and under to capture the animal kingdom on a camera or a mobile device. This supports the RSPCA’s mission of inspiring everyone to create a better world for every animal.
This year’s awards were judged anonymously by a panel of photography experts, including professional wildlife photographer and photographic guide Ellie Rothnie; former competition winner-turned-professional photographer Catriona Parfitt; wildlife photographer, tour leader and owner of Natures Images, Danny Green; and RSPCA photographers Andrew Forsyth and Brett Harkness.
RSPCA photographer and judge Andrew Forsyth said: “This year’s entries have been of an incredibly high standard that made it very difficult for us as judges.
“It’s been lovely to see so many creative photos of both pets and wildlife and see how the youngsters have interpreted each category in what has been an incredibly strong competition.
“This competition is a great way to encourage young people to go out and connect with animals, and the fantastic images we’ve seen this year have been very inspiring. There are some beautiful pictures in this year’s winners gallery, with real talent shining through.”
Presenter and broadcaster Radzi Chinyanganya, a former Blue Peter presenter, hosted this year’s awards.
Sponsors of the competition are Natures Images (wildlife photography holidays), Camtraptions (camera traps for wildlife photography) and multichannel communications provider MBA Group.
Winners in each category were awarded trophies and a selection of prizes at the Tower of London ceremony and the overall winner received a weekend photography break with Natures Images.