The winners of this years Army Film and Photographic Competition have been announced.
The winners are:
British Army Photographer of the year &
Professional Long Video
Corporal Ben Beckett - Royal Logistic Corps
Professional Category Portfolio
Corporal Nathan Tanuku - Royal Logistic Corps
Best Overall Army Image
Rifleman Connor Eggett - Rifles
Professional Short Video
Corporal Becky Brown - Royal Logistic Corps
Professional Edit Video
Corporal Sam Jenkins - Royal Logistic Corps
Best Online Image (voted by the public)
Corporal Danny Houghton - Royal Logistic Corps
Amateur Category Portfolio
Bombardier Murray Kerr - Royal Artillery
Amateur Category Soldiering
Rifleman Connor Eggett - Rifles
Amateur Category Video
Captain Sam Davies - Light Dragoons
Amateur Category Portrait
Dr Samuel Potter – Ex Royal Army Medical Corps
Runners up:
Professional Category Portfolio
Corporal Danny Houghton - Royal Logistic Corps
Best Overall Army Image
Sergeant Tom Evans - Royal Logistic Corps
Professional Long Video
Corporal Ben Beckett - Royal Logistic Corps
Professional Short Video
Sergeant Donald Todd - Royal Logistic Corps
Professional Edit Video
Sergeant Obi Igboebisiokwu - Royal Logistic Corps
Best Online Image (voted by the public)
Staff Sergeant Retief Uys – Army Air Corps
Amateur Category Portfolio
Lance Sergeant Chris Morgan - Welsh Guards
Amateur Category Soldiering
Lance Sergeant Steve Duncombe - Royal Corps of Army Music
Amateur Category Video
Lieutenant Will Addison - Light Dragoons
Amateur Category Portrait
Cpl Adam Wakefield – Royal Logistic Corps
Breaking new ground Corporal Ben Beckett has become the first soldier to win the top gong - British Army Photographer of the Year - from his efforts in the Video categories.
A former Gunner in the Royal Artillery, Cpl Beckett is based in Tidworth as a part of the South West Press Office and a part of a combat camera team at Army Headquarters in Andover. He also had a highly commended video piece within the Video Edit category.
Ben, 26, from Liverpool, was named British Army Photographer of the Year after scooping both the winner and runner-up awards in the Professional Long Video category.
Ben Beckett said, “I’m over the moon that I was recognised for my hard work this year. Being able to capture and share the stories of the soldiers serving in the British Army is such a privilege, 2020 was a tough year with COVID-19 but receiving the news I had won the accolade of being named British Army Photographer of the Year was a great way to end it”
WO1 (SSM) Daniel Harmer RLC, Command Master Photographer and British Army Film and Photographic Competition host and judge said: “I was really blown away with the amount and quality of the submissions in all of the photographic and video categories, especially during a very challenging and demanding 2020. The judging was a tough task and I’m really pleased with all the winners and runners up.”
Corporal Nathan Tanuku from Fiji was the Winner of the Professional Portfolio category, for his piece entitled Dark Places.
Bombardier Murray Kerr, from Glasgow, won Best Amateur Portfolio in the prestigious annual British Army Film and Photographic Competition and had another portfolio commended highly by this year's judges.
WO1 Harmer said: “I was especially thrilled to see so many excellent amateur photographers, knowing that this isn’t their core role just goes to show the ability and diversity of our service personnel.
"The skill is not only in content capture, but in the planning, storyboarding, messaging and post-production, and in many cases, while working in some of the most challenging and physically demanding environments in the world."
This year was a very different year because of the COVID-19 restrictions. Physical prints were missing and all judging and submissions were done electronically for the first time in the competitions history.
Professional photographer, photo re-toucher and returning judge, Mr Glyn Dewis said, "Despite this being my second time having the honour of judging, in no way did it make the task any easier.
“Looking through so many images of such a high standard to then choose winners and runners up is quite a challenge; there were so many images I would have been extremely happy to have in my own portfolio.
“This year, too, the amateur category submissions were nothing short of excellent, which again made for a very difficult task. However there have to be winners and I'm extremely happy with those we selected; each demonstrated not just technical expertise and creativity on behalf of the photographer but actually put me as a judge right there in the moment. Congratulations to all!”
Ex-serving British Army Photographer and now judge, Russ Nolan said: “We were really please to be part of the photographic competition, and it was great to step back into the world we came from.
“The first thing that really amazed us was the amount of video entrees from both amateurs and professionals alike. It’s great to see the use of video on the increase. The quality of the amateur entries was excellent, with some really well thought through ideas and concepts.
“As for the professionals, the creativity and camera skills that were demonstrated were truly of a high standard, making our job as judges a difficult one. An example of this was Cpl Ben Beckett’s submission; not only did it show great camera work and dedication to the craft, but it was fantastic to see some of the photographers tackling a longer form video, with his coming in at 33 minutes.
“It just goes to show that what can be achieved with some forethought and planning.”
Great prizes will be given to the winners and runners up from this year’s sponsors. Due to COVID-19 the restrictions a planned ceremony and presentation evening has been cancelled and instead all trophies will be sent directly to the individuals.
For more information, visit www.army.mod.uk/PhotComp