A stab in the dark. Overall winning image. RSPCA Young Photographer Awards. Credit: Gideon Knight, aged 17

A rare photograph of an egret fishing in a London canal has won the top prize in the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2017. 

Taken by seventeen year-old Gideon Knight from Ilford, the image shows the bird fishing on a winter morning in the young photographer’s local park.

The winning photo beat more than 3,500 photographs to win a weekend photography break, a trophy and certificate presented by Springwatch presenter Chris Packham.

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Describing how he took his winning image, Knight said: “On a winter morning, a little egret fishes in a shallow canal in my local park.  These birds are rare visitors here so I approached carefully as close as I could get without spooking it.  

“The bright morning light, coupled with a shadowed area behind the bird, created this stark contrast of black and white and highlighted the droplets of water created by the fishing egret.”

Cunning Cub. Runner up – 12-15 years old. RSPCA Young Photographer Awards. Credit: Daniel Zhang, aged 14

The awards were open to entries from under 19s across England and Wales in five categories.

Other category winners and runners up included a fox cub in front of the sunset, a formidable garden spider and a close-up look at a bee.

For the full gallery of the winning images visit  https://young.rspca.org.uk/ypa/galleries


Holiday Hawk-moth. Winner – Under 12. RSPCA Young Photographer Awards. Credit: Thomas Easterbrook, aged 9


Wolf spider in the garden. Winner – 12-15 years. RSPCA Young Photographer Awards. Credit: Joshua Myers, aged 14


Let it Shine. Winner – Under 12 mobile. RSPCA Young Photographer Awards. Credit: Oliver Porter, aged 11


Milou. Winner – 12-15 mobile.RSPCA Young Photographer Awards. Credit: Marlon Darragh, aged 12


Buzzy bee. Winner – 16-18 mobile. RSPCA Young Photographer Awards. Credit: Lily Edwards, aged 17


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