De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) Photography graduate Lucas Dove has impressed judges at the prestigious Eizo Student Awards, securing a first-place win.

Lucas with his Eizo award

The awards give photography and filmmaking students in the UK the opportunity to showcase their work across four categories and gain recognition in the industry.

Having already gained experience in photography, Lucas decided to challenge himself by entering his sports videography piece in the ‘Movement’ category. The risk paid off, earning him first place and an Eizo monitor as a prize.

“It felt really surreal being at the awards ceremony. When they called my name, I had a moment when I couldn’t believe it had happened,” said the 22-year-old from Cambridge.

“The whole experience was a great networking opportunity. I spoke to the judges who are really prominent industry figures. All the finalists were there so it was great to see everyone’s work. I’d met some of them before at other exhibitions so it was great to see them again and strengthen those connections.”

One of Lucas’ photos that was showcased at the Free Range exhibition

Lucas’ talent was also recognised at the Free Range exhibition that he attended during his final year at DMU. Held annually in London, the event is a showcase of the work of fine art and photography students from around the country.

After exhibiting his work, Lucas was approached by a representative from Amateur Photographer magazine, asking to include his work in a graduates highlight feature in their next issue.

“There was only a handful of people included in the article so it was really incredible to be chosen for that,” said Lucas.

“Getting an offer like that off the back of the Free Range show just shows you never know what will happen and who might be watching. Those events are great opportunities to get your work out there and be seen.”

Photo: Lucas Dove

Having studied double sports and photography at A-Level, Lucas found his niche before beginning his studies at DMU, and having the opportunity to unite his hobbies has given him the drive to achieve his current success.

“I’ve always loved swimming and rugby and the more I did photography, the more I loved it. I completed a placement at Gymshark during my third year which was just the best year of my life. I learned so much about sport photography and met so many amazing people,” said Lucas.

Lucas made the decision to study at DMU after seeing the facilities on offer. He said: “I was considering a few different universities but I knew I’d have the opportunity to work on both my photography and videography skills at DMU.

“The Vijay Patel Building and the studios are incredible. You can hire out some really advanced equipment to use for your own projects, which is amazing.”

Photo: Lucas Dove

Since winning the competition and graduating, Lucas has been utilising his skills by working on a videography project for his old rugby club. After being sent an equipment package by Cannon, he’s been able to continue to produce high-quality sports-based videos.

“It’s been a domino effect from the competition and things have really taken off from there. It has opened so many doors for me,” he said.

Lucas is now focusing on his freelance career, having set up his own company, and has plans to go travelling while continuing his photography and videography, broadening his range and adding to his portfolio.

Posted on Tuesday 17th October 2023