An eight-year-old girl has become the youngest ever winner of the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards with a close-up of her pet turkey.
Jamie Smart, from Powys, Mid Wales, won with a picture of Frederick the turkey taken through the bars of his pen.
The photograph was described by the charity’s president Chris Packham as one which could be an “album cover for a punk band”.
Jamie said that her shot made the bird “(look) like he was in prison, which was quite appropriate due to the bird flu situation at the time”.
Jamie also won the Pet Portraits prize with an image of Curious George, a horse she spotted on moorland
Credit: Jamie Smart/RSPCA/PA
“I wanted to show the beauty of its feathers with their iridescent shine, which it loves to display during spring and summer.
“People don’t often get to see the amazing plumage of turkeys. When the restrictions were lifted it was able to be let out,” she added.
Judges selected her photograph out of more than 6,000 entries because they were impressed by “the level of detail illuminated on the turkey” as well as “the contrast of colours and the dark and brooding background”.
The judges also said that they felt the image “encourages people to think about turkeys differently”.
Beau Healey, 14, took a macro image of a tarantula which won in the Small World category
Jamie has her own website, called Eagle Eyed Girl, for her wildlife photos and videos and said after her win that she would like to be a “wildlife photographer and presenter when I’m older”.
“I really want to spread awareness and make a difference. I want to inspire people of all ages to get as many people as possible to help and conserve all these beautiful creatures.”
The win makes her the youngest ever to receive the award, which has been running for over 30 years.
Corbyn Thomas, 12, from Lancashire won the 12-15 mobile category with a photograph of a jellyfish captured on Blackpool beach
The eight-year-old also won the Pet Portraits prize with an image of Curious George, a horse she spotted on moorland, and was commended for her shot of a caterpillar in the Small World category.
The winner in the latter category was Beau Healey, 14, from North London, who took a macro image of a tarantula.
The 12-15 mobile winner was Corbyn Thomas, 12, from Lancashire with a photograph of a jellyfish captured on Blackpool beach.
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A photographer captured this gorgeous image of the Gemenids last night when they were at its peak, but don’t worry there’s still to capture the shooting stars.
Raghuvamsh Chavali traveled to Orangeville, Canada to record the dazzling Geminid meteors. He took almost 600 photos to create the composite image.
“Even though I didn’t catch all of the meteors on camera, the night was really amazing,” Chavali tells PetaPixel.
“The Geminids produced an amazing visual retreat as they danced across the sky. Every picture highlighted the victories and setbacks of a night spent chasing stars in addition to the beauty of the meteors.”
Chavali used a Sony a7 III with a Tamron 24mm f/2.8 with his camera set to four-second exposures at ISO 4,000 and an aperture between f/2.8 and f.4.5
“I used a tripod to make sure every photo was clear, which allowed me to combine the meteors almost 600 separate shots to produce a composite image,” says Chavali. “The end result was an enthralling work of art with the bright Geminids set against a charming rustic barn.”
Capturing meteors with a camera is no easy feat, but good preparation will go a long way toward getting great photos. Photographers must find a clear, dark sky, and ensure that their camera is stable. Since meteors are unpredictable, long exposures are often the best way to capture the streaks across the sky. Often, a wide-angle lens is a good choice as it offers the most expansive view of the sky.
Astronomers began recording the Geminids in the mid-1800s, but their source was unknown at the time. It was later discovered that they are the result of debris left behind by the 3200 Phaethon asteroid, which is unlike most meteor showers that originate from comets.
The Geminids run until December 26 but tonight is the last chance for a strong showing for a while. According to Space, 2024 has as high chance to be a poor year because a full Moon will likely drown out the meteors with its brightness. However, 2025 should be a much stronger show because the Geminids coincided with a waning crescent Moon.
Earlier this month, PetaPixel published a guide to the night sky in December.
More of Chavali’s work can be found on his Instagram, website, and Facebook.
Image credits: Photographs by Raghuvamsh Chavali
