Capturing courage: Stunning photography highlights Royal Navy's bold operations
Eye-catching imagery that takes people to the heart of Royal Navy operations, such as countering Houthi drones in the Red Sea, has won awards at the Senior Service's annual photography competition.
Royal Navy photographers follow warships, units and commandos wherever they go, sharing their important missions with the world through still images and video, providing a behind-the-scenes look at life in the Royal Navy, from emotional homecomings to frontline ops.
Leading Photographer Chris Sellars deployed to HMS Diamond and, latterly, HMS Richmond at the beginning of 2024, when the two British warships spent time patrolling the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as Iranian-backed Houthis launched relentless attacks on merchant shipping.
The Royal Navy worked alongside allies to protect vital trade routes and HMS Diamond shot down nine drones and a ballistic missile during her patrols of the region.
LPhot Sellars' images show the operations room of HMS Richmond in the tense moments when drones were launched at nearby shipping, with the Type 23 firing her Sea Ceptor missiles in response.
Another shows the dramatic moment a Sea Viper missile was fired from HMS Diamond – the bridge lit up with the powerful weapon launched from silos on the destroyer's forward deck of the ship.
The picture of HMS Diamond won the People's Choice Award, receiving 856 votes in an online poll.
LPhot Sellars' images and those of the other skilled photographers – all of them serving sailors or Royal Marines – have been recognised in the Royal Navy's annual photographic competition for 2024.
The Fleet Regional Photographic Unit East won The Peregrine Trophy for the best overall unit in the Photographic Branch with their winning portfolio, including one from HMS Richmond in the Red Sea and a stunning aerial shot of the UK Carrier Strike Group operating with a Nato amphibious group, among others.
Leading Photographer Finn Stainer-Hutchins won the Photographer of the Year award for the third year in a row.
Finn deployed with the UK Commando Force to Australia – capturing commandos as they operated deep behind enemy lines in the Northern Territory during Exercise Predators Run.
He also followed the commandos as they carried out mountain training in Wales ahead of their deployment to the Arctic this winter.
He said: "I was very surprised to win Royal Navy Photographer of the Year for a third time on the bounce.
"This year my portfolio was focused on the UK Commando Force on operations around the globe.
"I hope it highlights how integral the Commando Force is to UK global operations and the nation's security, showing the testing conditions they operate in."
Nearly 400 images and 18 videos were submitted for the annual competition, with judges impressed with how they portrayed the breadth of operations the Navy carries out around the world.
And the winners are...
The Peregrine Trophy
Winner: Fleet Regional Photographic Unit (FRPU) East
Highly commended: HMS Prince of Wales
Royal Navy Photographer of the Year 2024
Winner: LPhot Stainer-Hutchins
Highly commended: LPhot Jones
The Commandant General Royal Marines' Portfolio Prize
Winner: LPhot Stainer-Hutchins
Highly commended: LPhot Smith
Global Operations Portfolio Prize
Winner: LPhot Stainer-Hutchins
Highly commended: POPhot Alker
Royal Navy Open Category Prize
Winner: LPhot Jones
Highly commended: LPhot Bladen
Maritime Air Prize
Winner: LPhot Jones
Highly commended: POPhot Ceolin
RNRMC Family and Friends Prize Professional
Winner: LPhot Luke
Highly commended: LPhot Luke
People at Work Prize
Winner: LPhot Jones
Highly commended: LPhot Stainer-Hutchins
The People’s Choice Prize
Winner: LPhot Sellars won with 33% of the vote (856 votes). The image shows a view from the bridge of HMS Diamond as the destroyer launches its Sea Viper Missiles at a Houthi target in the Red Sea.
RN Short Form Story Telling Video Prize
Winner: POPhot Clarke
Highly Commended: LPhot Smith
Royal Navy Videographer of the Year 2024
Winner: LPhot Bladen
Highly commended: LPhot Smith
Royal Navy Amateur Photographer of the Year 2024
Winner: Lt Richardson
Royal Navy Amateur Maritime Image Prize
Winner: Lt Richardson
Royal Navy Amateur Open Prize
Winner: Lt Richardson
Royal Naval Association Prize
Winner: LPhot Jones
Highly commended: LPhot Johnson
Royal Navy Amateur Videographer of the Year 2024
Winner: Lt Richardson
Royal Fleet Auxiliary Prize
Winner: POPhot Ceolin
Highly commended: POPhot Ceolin
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