Derwen College Ludlow recently hosted a wildlife photography competition that brought together students from the college’s four campuses as well as a local school and a college in Kuwait!
The event, held at the Business Eco Park, showcased the talents of budding photographers.
The Shropshire college’s Ludlow campus welcomed esteemed wildlife photographer Jez Shimmin and Darren and Kara Musgrove of Darren Musgrove Photography to judge the competition. Local businesses were also invited to visit the campus, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the event.
The competition attracted 27 impressive entries from Derwen College’s Telford, Walford, and Gobowen campuses, as well as Church Stretton School. The event even received submissions from the Gharnata Training Centre, a specialist college in Kuwait, which Derwen College supported to launch.
Ludlow students excelled as hosts, preparing snacks and drinks for the guests. They practised their hospitality skills, warmly welcoming visitors and serving as excellent ambassadors for the college.
The judges were impressed with the quality of the entries, making the task of selecting winners a challenging one. They evaluated the photographs based on creativity, connection, technical quality, and the story behind each image.
First Place: ‘Strong’ by Joseph Griffiths, Ludlow
Joseph Griffiths’ photograph of a tree, titled ‘Strong,’ captivated the judges. They were moved by how Joseph powerfully conveyed the strength of the tree through both the image and his description. Joseph wrote, “I took this photograph to emphasize the strength of a tree. The tree is important as it is home to many animals. It produces oxygen to help humans live and breathe. Its strong presence is not only beautiful, it gives life.”
Second Place: ‘White Swan’ by Rehenna Holding, Telford
Rehenna Holding’s close-up shot of a swan, titled ‘White Swan,’ earned second place. The judges appreciated how Rehenna captured the swan’s beauty and conveyed the calmness it brought her. They felt that the photo, title, and description met the competition brief exceptionally well and made a deep emotional connection.
Third Place: ‘The Rapid Waterfall’ by Ben Lawley, Ludlow
The judges were impressed with how Ben captured the movement of the waterfall and his vivid description of the experience. Ben shared, “We were walking in the blustering wind in New Radnor when we found a tall gushing waterfall. I took an outstanding photograph. Above the waterfall, we saw a bird of prey soaring in the sky. We walked down the steps to the bottom of the path and paddled in some cool spring water to get the sticky mud off our boots. We will always remember the stunning waterfall.”
Highly Commended Entries
- ‘Icicles’ by Jessica Norbury, Gobowen:Judges admired Jessica’s close-up of winter flowers resembling icicles and her attention to detail.
- ‘Trees’ by Liam Burgess, Gobowen:Liam’s beautifully framed woodland photo with sunlight shimmering through the trees was a favourite which was only let down by a lack of title and description.
Judges Jez Shimmin and Darren Musgrove commended all participants for their efforts. Jez noted, “Every photo had something we liked, making it difficult to choose winners.” Darren added, “The standard was high, and showing your work to the public is a brave thing to do. We hope students continue to enjoy photography and nature.”
Congratulations to everyone who participated and contributed to the success of the competition!
