Moments frozen in time win praise at '˜Oscars'

Simon Hulme, whose portfolio included a striking image of the former Olympic diver Jane Cooke at Pond’s Forge in Sheffield, was commended in both the Bloomberg Business Photography and Genesis Regional Photographer categories of the UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards, presented at the Honourable Artillery Company Headquarters in London.

Hulme won the regional award last year and in 2005 and has been shortlisted six times.

His colleague, Bruce Rollinson was Highly Commended in the regional section. His portfolio included a stunning picture of St Mary’s, a redundant Anglican chapel standing by itself in fields west of Saxton, near the site of the 1461 Battle of Towton during the Wars of the Roses.

Rollinson also submitted a moment frozen in time of last June’s Ilkley Cycle Races, during a downpour on Riddings Road.

Ian Day, Deputy Editor of The Yorkshire Post and a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, said: “Bruce and Simon have outstanding skill, talent and an exceptional eye for detail, and these commendations are richly deserved for their dedication in producing excellent images every day.”

Matt Phelvin, of Rex Shutter­stock, who was on the judging panel, said: “ In the age of camera phones and citizen journalism, the market is saturated with imagery, but this competition shows how the pros are on another level.

“You need a great eye for a picture and the technical ability to capture the moment under difficult circumstances.”