College News

World around us photography competition

Three students from QE have won top prizes in the Darlington and Teesdale Naturalists’ Field Club’s (DTNFC) photography competition entitled ‘World Around Us’. Students were encouraged to submit a photograph based on one of the areas of natural history studied by DTNFC along with a brief written summary explaining what the image represents, with entries being judged by DTNFC members and staff from QESFC. Following a fierce competition, Max Morton secured first place, winning £100, with his entry of an Alpine chough taken at the top of the Petit Flambeau in the Chamonix Valley in the French Alps. Max took this magnificent photo whilst participating in the Geology department’s annual visit to Chamonix, and he explains in his summary: ‘I think that this bird represents freedom and that there is always somebody watching over you no matter where you are in the world’.

Ben Hartley finished in second place, winning £50, with his photo of a herd of African elephants visiting a watering hole at Mvuu Safari Camp, captured during the College’s expedition to Malawi as part of World Challenge. Finally, Daniel Stokell was awarded third place and £25 for his photo of the remains of the Tees railway viaduct in Barnard Castle. Martin Chisholm, treasurer of DTNFC who presented the awards, comments: ‘We are very pleased to sponsor this photography competition and encourage more young people to take an interest in natural history. We hope that all students will be inspired by the entries received and become more aware of the wonderful world around us’.