York snapper takes army’s top prize

Sergeant Paul Morrison, 38, an Army Photographer with the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC), won the Professional Portfolio category and also a runner-up in the Professional Soldiering Image category.

His favourite image from his portfolio is of a young soldier passing out at AFC Harrogate. He said he was “really chuffed” about his win adding: “ I was surprised because I know how high the standard of entries was.”

The annual competition is open to all regular and reserve personnel, staff and cadets of the Combined Cadet Force, Army Cadet Force, University Officer Training Corps (Army) plus Minstry of Defence civilians and contractors who work directly with the Army. Entries must have been taken in the year to September 2014.

The married father of three from Inverness and currently based in York, completed a six-month operational tour in Afghanistan in 2012. He has travelled all over the world including Canada, Australia and Iraq as a photographer.

He said: “I had him look straight into the camera while everything else was going on around me. The presenting officer was inspecting the ranks and I was just there concentrating on the image.

“It’s like I’m in a completely different world while other stuff is going on all around. That’s why I enjoy photography so much, because it doesn’t matter what else is going on around, I can see something else that I want to get out of it. I really enjoy interacting with people when I’m behind the camera and trying to get something really nice, something different.”

The Best Overall Image, which was voted for by the public on Facebook, which was won by Corporal Jamie Peters, RLC, of Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders. His winning shot ‘Fireball Flyers’ of an Apache flying over a large explosion taken during an air show, topped the public poll with 1671 likes, narrowly beating ‘Armed and Dangerous’ by Steve Dock with 1595.

Sergeant Russ Nolan, of the RLC who won the Professional Portrait category, said: “It’s great to have won another award. I won it the year before last, so it’s like getting my trophy back again.”

Amateur Soldiering Image and Amateur Portfolio winner Corporal Dean Docwra, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers attached to the Queen’s Royal Hussars, said it was “was quite a shock, really” when he heard about his win.

Of his winning image, he said: “That image was a javelin firing, taken on Sennelager training area. When I saw the shot I was really happy about it. It’s not an opportunity you get a lot, to go and see something like that, let alone take a photo of it.”

This year’s award winners, who were announced at a special ceremony held at Army Headquarters in Andover, include:

• Professional Portfolio: Sergeant Paul Morrison, RLC

• Professional Portrait: Corporal Fisher - by Sergeant Russ Nolan, RLC

• Professional Sport/Adventure Training: I’m a medal WINNER! - by Mr Graeme Main, Soldier Magazine

• Professional Soldiering Image: Dawn Raid - by Acting Sergeant Mark Webster, RLC

• Amateur Portfolio: Corporal Dean Docwra, Queen’s Royal Hussars

• Amateur Portrait: The Waiting Game - by Corporal Ian Chapman, Royal Engineers

• Amateur Sport/Adventure Training: Army Team Rider at Pearce RD5 - by Corporal James McAllister, Defence School of Photography

• Amateur Soldiering Image: One of Four - by Corporal Dean Docwra, Queen’s Royal Hussars

• Best Overall Image as voted for by the public: Fireball Flyers - by Corporal Jamie Peters, RLC

• Army Multimedia: What if 15 men had the power of an army? - by Corporal Luisa Scott, RLC http://youtu.be/0s9GMoO1Zcs

• Professional Video: Flight of the Bumblebee - Sergeant Gary Kendall, RLC http://youtu.be/3gnKFR6iMPU