PITTSFIELD, Maine (WABI) – One Pittsfield amateur photographer is building his skill (and brand) before he even hits high school age!

Luke Murray, 12, began his photography journey in September of 2023.

His interest was first sparked by his family.

“My brother and my grandfather have both been photographers for a long time. They were going to go on a trip up to Acadia National Park, gonna go about 11 o’clock at night to get some Milky Way photos. And I had never tried out photography at that point, and it was just one of the most amazing trips in my life,” Murray said.

“They have taught me everything to know about cameras that I need, and from then on, I’ve just continued this passion that I think I will for a very long time,” said Murray about the influence his brother and grandfather had.

His main focus is shooting nature, which he expands on as he creates long exposure, star trails, portraits and more in his photos.

Luke’s passion for photography is fueled by creativity, which he says acts as an outlet for self-expression.

“From when I was a kid, I wanted to be an architect, and I’ve always wanted to be able to express creativity in a way that I just couldn’t. And when I found photography, it really just lets you have another way to express yourself,” Murray said.

The creative nature of photography is tied to its freedom, as photographers can manually control color, light, focus, and more. For Luke, that’s one of his favorite parts: “I can do whatever I want with it, I can just do it all myself, which is something that really drew me in.”

His Facebook page has garnered some local attention, with commenters astonished by the level of skill at such a young age.

Not only does the online attention give his photography more exposure, but it also provides accountability and a push to keep moving forward.

“It’s all been so supportive and very motivational for me to go out and keep on shooting,” Murray noted.

In the future, he hopes to turn his passion into a fulfilling career. Being only 12 years old, he’s got plenty of time to perfect his craft.

“I’m just glad I’m able to learn everything and not have to go through the process while making a business for it,” said Murray about learning now to capitalize later.

We asked Luke what his advice would be for young people pursuing their own passions, which he says: “For any passion, don’t give up. Be creative. Don’t think you just can’t go out and do anything, because you really can! If you put in the effort, you really can do anything you set your mind to do.”

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Today on The Culture Show, we kick it off with Irish dramatist Conor McPherson, who wrote and directed a play incorporating 20 songs by Bob Dylan — but this is no jukebox musical. And though it is set in Dylan’s hometown of Duluth, Minnesota it’s no bio-musical either.

It’s titled “Girl From the North Country.” Set in 1934, the Dylan songs upon which McPherson draws convey the desperation and existential aching of Depression-era America. With the Broadway hit now in Boston, McPherson joins The Culture Show host Jared Bowen to talk about weaving Dylan’s songbook into a deeply stirring show.

Then, Celtic Woman celebrates its 20th anniversary. The ensemble, which honors Ireland’s history and celebrates the contemporary spirit of modern-day Ireland by fusing traditional and contemporary Irish music, stops by The Chevalier Theater on March 21. Ahead of the show, ensemble singer Mairéad Carlin joins The Culture Show.

From there, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kick off their international tour next week, kicking off with west coast dates March 19. Though they won’t be paying Gillette Stadium this time around, you can still have the Bruce Springsteen experience by way of a photography exhibition that offers a unique early and intimate perspective of “The Boss” far from the sold-out arenas.

Local photographer Barry Schneier is featured in “Bruce Springsteen: Portraits of an American Music Icon,” currently on view at the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame at the Wang Theatre. Schneier joins The Culture Show to talk about his experiences photographing Springsteen in the early days of a 50-year musical career.

It’s all on The Culture Show — listen to the full episode above!

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It was the clearest example yet of what Dunn enjoys most on the court, a feeling he said can’t be replicated by anything he does off the court. 

Though it has competition.

“When I take a picture,” Dunn said, “and I come back and edit it and it looks good, I get really excited because I know I’m improving.”

Dunn, who on Monday was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s All-Defensive Team, is an aspiring photographer. Along with big dunks, blocks and steals, Dunn has a developing album of snaps. 

“I’ve had an interest since I was young,” Dunn said. “I always liked photography. I always enjoyed it. And it was just something that I wanted to pick up, but I never had the time to do, or I got distracted. 

“But once I got older, I became fascinated with it.”

Photography has turned into Dunn’s favorite non-basketball-related hobby. During the last several months, he’s taken his camera – a Sony Alpha 7 III – on trips through Grounds, through different Charlottesville neighborhoods and even to the baseline of women’s basketball games at JPJ to work on his craft. 

The 2024 Sony World Photography Awards has unveiled an incredible collection of top photography, showcasing incredible talent and diversity of photographers in the global competition.

Shortlisted photos have been chosen from over 395,000 participants from 220 countries, offering an exclusive visual feast for images.

Images featured in the Open tournament include New Mexico’s spectacular alien planet-like landscapes, spectacular Scottish moonrises, and a joyous encounter with the inquisitive, worldly capybara the largest tortoise, exploring the kitchen in the Amazon jungle.

A spectacular competitive attack by a jaguar on a caiman crocodile, a breathtaking shot of a lone polar bear walking a group of walruses, a breathtaking shot of snowy llamas against the Torres of southern Chile.

The magnificent mountains of del Paine Are also visible Category winners not only receive recognition but also digital cameras from Sony. They go forward to compete for the prestigious Open Photographer of the Year title, which includes a $5,000 (£3,897) prize, and the winner will be announced at a grand awards ceremony in London on 18 April.

Viewers are invited to browse through this carefully selected selection of stunning images from the Mail Online tour and vote for their favourite in a poll at the bottom of the page, and get involved a celebration of visual storytelling and artistic excellence.

Which of these is your favourite? 

“Zenande, Sinawe, Zinathi and Buhle at Sea Point Pavilion, Cape Town” © Michelle Sank, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“This image is part of my ongoing series Ballade, which is a poetic homage to my birthplace. My strongest memories are of Sea Point Promenade and the Pavilion swimming pool, although due to apartheid, they were only for the privileged white population. Returning in 2023, I was again drawn to these spaces where little seems to have changed in terms of structure and recreation, but they now celebrate cultural and social diversity.”

The 2024 Sony World Photography Awards continues to announce the winners of its various competitions, including the 10 category winners of the Open Competition. This division honors the best single images from 2023 across 10 different categories and is a beautiful glimpse at the photography talent that lives all around the world.

From Michelle Sank‘s portrait of young women lounging at a pool in South Africa to Ian Ford‘s incredible documentation of a jaguar hunting down a caiman, the winners cover a wide variety of photographic genres. But what they all have in common is the ability to move us through their technical skill and visual storytelling.

For their efforts, each category winner receives digital imaging equipment from Sony and will compete for the title of Open Photographer of the Year, which will be announced in mid-April at a ceremony in London. In addition to the winners, the judges also shortlisted 124 photographs from the Open Competition. The strength of these entries proves how tough the competition is, particularly in a year when over 395,000 images from over 220 countries and territories were submitted.

Scroll down to see the winners of all the Open Competition categories and some of our favorite finalists.

Here are the Open Competition winners of the 2024 Sony World Photography Awards.

“Caiman Crunch” © Ian Ford, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“We had bid farewell to our São Lourenço River lodge, marking the end of our Pantanal adventure, but as we were leaving, we heard that a jaguar had been spotted roughly 30 minutes away. We raced to the scene and encountered this sleek female jaguar stalking her prey. Our boat – and my camera – was perfectly positioned as she pounced on an unsuspecting caiman.”

“Moonrise Sprites over Storr” © Liam Man, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“As a moonrise burns across the horizon, lights dance above the Old Man of Storr in Scotland. This iconic rock formation was illuminated with powerful lights attached to drones, which cut through the darkness to reveal the icy landscape. Blizzards howled for the majority of the night, leaving mere minutes to execute this photograph before the moon became too bright.”

“Falling Out of Time” © Ana Skobe, Slovenia, Winner, Open Competition, Architecture, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Bathed in soft evening light, a lighthouse rises into the clear sky, its clean, sleek, geometric design contrasting with the coastal landscape. Positioned at its base is a figure – a contemplative man gazing out at the expanse of the ocean before him. The juxtaposition of the solitary silhouette against the infinite horizon creates a moment of reflection and connection with the vastness of the ocean.”

“Twende Ziwani (Let’s go to the Lake)” © Alvin Kamau, Kenya, Winner, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“This editorial photoshoot was inspired by haute couture fashion culture. The photograph was taken in a studio in Nairobi, Kenya. ‘Twende Ziwani’ is Swahili for ‘Let’s go to the Lake’. The model’s pose shows him carrying his shoes on his shoulders while looking to his side. The title also refers to Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa and the source of the Nile River.”

Over 395,000 images from over 220 countries and territories were submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2024.

“The Hand” © Callie Eh, Malaysia, Winner, Open Competition, Street Photography, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A groom waves enthusiastically while passing by during a ceremonial procession for a wedding in Bhaktapur, Nepal.”

Untitled © Rob Blanken, Netherlands, Winner, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A 5x enlargement of crystals of amino acids (B-alanine, L-glutamine and glycine), photographed with the help of polarizing filters.”

“Rider Getting Down and Dirty” © Samuel Andersen, Norway, Winner, Open Competition, Motion, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A rider passes through a muddy part of the course at the Norwegian National Championships in Hafjell Bike Park, Norway. As I was using an 11mm fisheye lens I needed to get really close to get this shot, and both myself and my gear ended up getting splashed. It was worth it, though, as the backlighting from this angle was very effective.”

“Coalition” © Toni Rinaldo, Indonesia, Winner, Open Competition, Object, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“I took this picture in a waiting room. The difference in color of the two chairs next to one another caught my eye. This reminded me of my country, Indonesia, where different cultures exist side by side, and that is what makes people interested in visiting it.”

“Between Calm and Catastrophe” © Yan Li, China Mainland, Winner, Open Competition, Travel, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“On Lake Titicaca, between Peru and Bolivia, a tranquil floating village stands in stark contrast to the approaching wildfire, a dramatic testament to nature’s dual disposition.”

Here are some of our favorite finalists of the 124 photographs that were placed on the shortlist.

“The Orange Man” © Philip Joyce, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Jama Elmi is a well-known member of the London Colour-Walk community, which meets every month to celebrate color and personal style. This picture was taken when I met him in the street and approached him to take a portrait.”

“Sea Level” © Bin Yang, United States, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“The sea level markers I saw on a trip to Death Valley, California, reminded me of the waterfowl that once lived in the area. Concerned about climate change and the increasing drought in the western United States, I placed photographs of waterfowl in a surreal desert setting in the hope that it would serve as a reminder that humans need to do the right thing when it comes to climate change.”

“Hemispheric” © Eng Tong Tan, Malaysia, Shortlist, Open Competition, Architecture, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“The Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) in Valencia, Spain.”

“Saludo Sony” © Jesus Frias, Spain, Shortlist, Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A mother elephant greets her daughter. I called the little one Sonia, or Sony.”

“Spire” © Marcin Zajac, Poland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A strange spire juts out of the barren landscape of the Utah Badlands, bathing in the golden light of the setting sun. Standing 25 meters tall, its otherworldly appearance is more reminiscent of a Star Wars film than anything you would expect to see on Earth.”

The overall winner of the Open competition will be announced at the ceremony in London on April 18.

“Dancing Queens” © Natalie Strohmaier, Germany, Shortlist, Open Competition, Object, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“This picture is part of my Unattainable Beauty series, which explores the artificial creation of beauty. The ‘flower models’ were hand assembled using needles to hold them and photographed in the studio. I adjusted the saturation, contrast, color, and brightness in Capture One, then used Photoshop to remove the needles and clean the picture.”

“Traffic Circle” © Lim Chien Ting, Malaysia, Shortlist, Open Competition, Architecture, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“The design of the Pearl Ring Roundabout in Beijing, China, harmonizes seamlessly with the detailed patterns of its surroundings.”

“Fisherman and his Goldfish” © Tetiana Nikitina, Ukraine, Shortlist, Open Competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“This photograph was taken when my parents came to visit me in Portugal. My dad is not very independent; he’s like a small child who always needs help and support, and my mum helps him with everything, whether it’s filling out documents or going to the doctor. I decided to create this image to present my mum as a real goldfish that grants wishes. My dad is very lucky.”

“The Turning White Horse” © Sarah Wouters, Netherlands, Shortlist, Open Competition, Motion, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“During a trip to Cappadocia, Turkey, I went to Göreme Valley early in the morning to photograph the hot air balloons taking off near the horse stables. The horses were running around, which enabled me to capture this image.”

“Still Waiting” © Sonia De Wit, Belgium, Shortlist, Open Competition, Street Photography, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Walking past this pub, I looked through the window and saw this little dog waiting for his owner. I went inside and took this photograph – I didn’t have time for a second one.”

“Baobab Road” © John Seager, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Travel, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“The Allée des Baobabs in Madagascar is probably one of the best places on the planet for viewing the incredible baobab trees. Using a drone, I was able to compose the striking outlines of the baobabs along the road, creating an unforgettable atmosphere in the very last moments of the beautiful sunset.”

World Photography Organisation: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Sony World Photography Awards.

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