THIS STRIKING black and white shot of her pet dog Barney earned Cleethorpes schoolgirl Chloe Leggett first prize in this month's Grimsby Telegraph Junior Camera Club competition.
The 16-year-old St Andrew's College student revealed she had taken inspiration from the work of photographer Elliott Erwitt, who is well-known for his black and white candid shots of ironic and absurd situations within everyday settings.
Her photo depicts a pensive-looking Barney sitting in front of a brick wall, next to a person wearing trainers and jeans, whose upper body is cropped from the shot.
The mystery person is in fact Chloe's 12-year-old sister Becky, who agreed to pose for the photograph.
Chloe's picture was chosen as the best entry by the team at Comley Cameras, who presented her with her prize – a canvas wrap of her winning image.
The shot is one part of three sections Chloe has submitted as part of her coursework for a BTEC in art and design. She has been a keen snapper since doing photography at school during her GCSEs.
She said: "I really enjoy taking photos and I think some of my photos are quite good. I like taking pictures of anything natural like flowers, and things that look a little bit unusual.
"I was really shocked when I found out I had won. Everyone really seems to like it, and I'm quite proud of it."
Paul Burgess, of Comley Cameras, said: "It was quite an easy decision this month. All the entries were of a high standard, but this really stood out. I like the fact it is shot down low from the dog's perspective – it's a dog's eye view of the world. There's a nice balance between the youthful trainers and Barney who is looking a bit old.
"It's got a nice youthful look to it, and the composition works really well. Denim always works well in black and white, and the dog's facial expression is just right. Everything about it was just appealing and makes for a superb canvas wrap. When the entries came through this one just leapt out at me."
If you are a school or a parent and want to find out more about Junior Camera Club, call the Telegraph newsroom on 01472 372236.
See more fantastic entries in our Junior Camera Club competition at www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/juniorcameraclub
