The first UK monthly winner from the CEWE Photo Award is announced!

Some exciting news! We’re delighted to announce that in June, we had the very first UK monthly winner in the CEWE Photo Award 2023 competition.

Robert Brewer’s ‘Diving Gull’ image was selected as one of the top three photos submitted throughout the month from entrants across the world. To celebrate, we spoke to Robert about his entry and his passion for photography.

How did this photo come about? I was sitting in the local park and noticed that the gull was diving for bread thrown into the pond.

What does this photo mean to you? This photo reminded me that even a common bird like the gull can yield an interesting wildlife photo.

What do you particularly like about your photo? When looking at the photo, I am particularly pleased with the symmetry and beak placement above the water. I also like the high contrast.

Please describe in a few sentences what motivated you to travel to where the photo was taken and anything you particularly enjoyed, if relevant. I didn’t need to travel far to capture this image, as the pond’s location is very local to me.

How did you get into photography? I got into photography a very long time ago. It happened when I was just starting to travel to interesting places. I moved onto photographing wildlife and other subjects later on in my life.

What does photography mean to you? Photography and having a camera connects me to the natural world.

Tell us your 5 most beautiful photographic moments.

• Getting very, very close to wild Grizzly Bears in Katmai, Alaska.
• When the sun shone brilliantly when sailing in the Lamaire Channel in the Antarctic.
• Watching a couple play crazy golf in the middle of the night in Iceland while the sun was still up over the glaciers.
• Getting lucky late one evening when flying a drone over some local fields being planted with potatoes.
• Sunrise near Annapurna in Nepal.

What tips do you have for beginners in photography? My top tips for budding photographers would be to learn the very basics of exposure: ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed and how these relate. Also remember that it’s not about the gear, it’s you, and make sure to connect with your subject, whatever it is. Finally - patience, take your time and lots of pictures.

Tell us about you as a person in a few sentences. I am a retired engineer, taking pictures for more than 50 years. I have a real passion for travel and wildlife, which inspires my photography.

Alongside Robert’s image, the other winners for June included ‘Game of Reflections’ by Helene Guillard from France and 'Beneath the Ice' by Steven Hirsch from the USA.

To enter the CEWE Photo Award 2023 competition, you can submit up to 100 photos for free that celebrate the competition’s ‘Our World is Beautiful’ theme. There are 10 categories for budding photographers to enter – from aerial shots and animals to landscapes, travel and culture, highlighting the true beauty of the world around us. You have until the end of May 2023 to enter.

Enter now for your chance to be an August monthly winner and win a CEWE voucher worth £100!

Find out more here!