Stunning snaps capture dramatic scenes in Photo of the Year contest

Birth, marriage and a RIOT: Stunning category winners whittled down from nearly 10,000 entries in the Societies of Photographers’ Photo of the Year contest

  • Some 10,000 pictures were put forward for the Societies of Photographers’ Photo of the Year awards
  • One startling picture shows a baby girl whose mother’s cancer symptoms were masked by her pregnancy
  • The image – taken by professional photographer Rachel Burton – won the top prize in the Newborn category
  • Meanwhile, breathtaking drone shot of the Norfolk coastline by Diana Buzoianu won the Landscape category 
  • Wedding category won by Sicilian photographer Giuseppe Correnti who captured a bride being flung into air
  • And dramatic shot of prison officers on fire during riot control training won the Documentary picture prize

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A breathtaking image of a sleeping baby, a blissfully joyful wedding and a flaming prison officer drill make up some of this year’s Photo of the Year contest winners.

Some 10,000 pictures from around the world were whittled down to make up the Societies of Photographers’ Photo of the Year award category winners.

One startling picture shows a baby girl whose mother’s cancer symptoms were masked by her pregnancy – and only diagnosed when the infant was born five weeks early.

The image – taken by mother-of-three and professional photographer Rachel Burton – won the top prize in the Newborn category.

Meanwhile, a breathtaking drone shot of the Norfolk coastline by Diana Buzoianu won the Landscape category.

The Wedding category was won by Sicilian photographer Giuseppe Correnti who captured a bride being flung into the air. 

And a dramatic shot of prison officers on fire during riot control training on the Isle of Man won Manx Keith Burns the Documentary picture prize.

Colin Jones The Societies Director said: ‘The competition had 9,804 images submitted with the inspirational imagery represents a broad selection of photographic subjects from our talented membership.’

Here are the breathtaking images that won the competition categories. 

Baby Jasmine was the first person to be photographed in professional photographer Rachel Burton’s new studio. The image won her the top prize in the Newborn category. Jasmine’s mother Amanda had stage four bowel cancer but her symptoms were disguised by her pregnancy. It was only when Jasmine was born five weeks early that tests uncovered the extent of her mother’s illness. Photographer and mother-of-three Ms Burton, from Fleet, Hampshire, explained: ‘Amanda had a hard pregnancy, suffered greatly with pain and different symptoms which culminated in her being admitted to hospital. The decision was made to deliver perfect baby Jasmine five weeks early as an emergency. She was placed in special care for a little while as she was premature but this baby is a little fighter and proved it to the world. This decision has probably saved Amanda’s life. Upon delivering Jasmine, the horrendous true reason for Amanda’s pain through pregnancy was revealed. She had stage four bowel cancer. It had laid undiscovered as all her symptoms were thought to be pregnancy related. No one ever imagined lurking behind that beautiful baby was something so sinister’

The joy of a wedding is captured perfectly in the winner of the Wedding category shot by Sicilian photographer Giuseppe Correnti. Father-of-three Giuseppe, a professional photographer from Catania, said: 'The photograph was taken during a wedding in Sicily, at the time of the dances'

The joy of a wedding is captured perfectly in the winner of the Wedding category shot by Sicilian photographer Giuseppe Correnti. Father-of-three Giuseppe, a professional photographer from Catania, said: ‘The photograph was taken during a wedding in Sicily, at the time of the dances’

This dramatic shot of prison officers on fire during control training on the Isle of Man won Manx Keith Burns the Documentary picture prize

This dramatic shot of prison officers on fire during control training on the Isle of Man won Manx Keith Burns the Documentary picture prize

The Landscape category was won with this wonderful drone shot of the Norfolk coastline by Romanian Diana Buzoianu, who has lived in the south-east of England for the last 20 years. She said: 'For the past two years I have been traveling a lot to the Norfolk coast to observe, learn and document the life of grey seals. This journey has unraveled beautiful local landscapes that I have instantly fallen in love with. This shot is of the Norfolk coast, close to a nature reserve. At the bottom of the picture one can see cormorants and seagulls flying by'

The Landscape category was won with this wonderful drone shot of the Norfolk coastline by Romanian Diana Buzoianu, who has lived in the south-east of England for the last 20 years. She said: ‘For the past two years I have been traveling a lot to the Norfolk coast to observe, learn and document the life of grey seals. This journey has unraveled beautiful local landscapes that I have instantly fallen in love with. This shot is of the Norfolk coast, close to a nature reserve. At the bottom of the picture one can see cormorants and seagulls flying by’

The Family Portrait prize went to this composition from Stephanie Lachance in Quebec, Canada. Professional photographer Stephanie said: 'This dear family came to see me for all their newborn sessions. I always thought the father had an interesting style and presence and I was always mesmerised by his piercing eyes. When they came for their last newborn session I sat him with his son on a stool, put a piece of fabric around them and clicked the shutter. It wasn't planned at all. I soon as I did, I saw that it would be a captivating portrait. I used natural light from the right side'

The Family Portrait prize went to this composition from Stephanie Lachance in Quebec, Canada. Professional photographer Stephanie said: ‘This dear family came to see me for all their newborn sessions. I always thought the father had an interesting style and presence and I was always mesmerised by his piercing eyes. When they came for their last newborn session I sat him with his son on a stool, put a piece of fabric around them and clicked the shutter. It wasn’t planned at all. I soon as I did, I saw that it would be a captivating portrait. I used natural light from the right side’

Mount Teide on Tenerife was the setting for the winner of the Environmental category by Kent Olsson from Sweden. The freelance photography engineer said: 'I was at the foot of Teide with my eyes on the sea and Santa Cruz when the thundercloud mixed with the air pollution suddenly pulled in below me. Since the height was about 2000 meters, the clouds came below me and it is the sun that dramatically breaks through'

Mount Teide on Tenerife was the setting for the winner of the Environmental category by Kent Olsson from Sweden. The freelance photography engineer said: ‘I was at the foot of Teide with my eyes on the sea and Santa Cruz when the thundercloud mixed with the air pollution suddenly pulled in below me. Since the height was about 2000 meters, the clouds came below me and it is the sun that dramatically breaks through’

Terry Donnelly, from Liverpool, perfectly captured the joy of the city as they celebrated the Premiership title - their first for 30 years - bagging him the Press and PR category. He said: 'I was covering the story as it broke as other results in the league that day determined that Liverpool were mathematically un-catchable and had won the title. The picture was taken at Anfield Stadium as fans descended upon the ground to celebrate. It was taken at the top end of the ground and the shadows were cast by red flares being lit'

Terry Donnelly, from Liverpool, perfectly captured the joy of the city as they celebrated the Premiership title – their first for 30 years – bagging him the Press and PR category. He said: ‘I was covering the story as it broke as other results in the league that day determined that Liverpool were mathematically un-catchable and had won the title. The picture was taken at Anfield Stadium as fans descended upon the ground to celebrate. It was taken at the top end of the ground and the shadows were cast by red flares being lit’

This picture showing a jet roaring away at an air show won Scottish snapper Liam McBride the Events category. Mr McBride, from Elgin, was visiting RAF Leuchars when he got the shot of a Belgian F-16A Fighting Falcon. He said: 'After a stormy start to Leuchars the weather slowly improved over the day. It was shot on base from the middle marker on the runway'

This picture showing a jet roaring away at an air show won Scottish snapper Liam McBride the Events category. Mr McBride, from Elgin, was visiting RAF Leuchars when he got the shot of a Belgian F-16A Fighting Falcon. He said: ‘After a stormy start to Leuchars the weather slowly improved over the day. It was shot on base from the middle marker on the runway’

A fearsome close up of a jumping spider in Oman won Khaled Faraj Al-Wadihi the Macro category

A fearsome close up of a jumping spider in Oman won Khaled Faraj Al-Wadihi the Macro category

A shy cat peering out of a hole won pet groomer-turned-photographer Belinda Richards, from Australia, the Pet Portrait category. Ms Richards said: 'Let's just say the cat, Finn, was not a huge fan when he first came to visit which is what inspired this image. He spent most of his time peering out at me from a hole in the backdrop that had been created by a very exuberant dog before him. Finn was trying to hide so we rolled with it and created what has been one of my favourite and most-successful images to date'

A shy cat peering out of a hole won pet groomer-turned-photographer Belinda Richards, from Australia, the Pet Portrait category. Ms Richards said: ‘Let’s just say the cat, Finn, was not a huge fan when he first came to visit which is what inspired this image. He spent most of his time peering out at me from a hole in the backdrop that had been created by a very exuberant dog before him. Finn was trying to hide so we rolled with it and created what has been one of my favourite and most-successful images to date’