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‘Faith through a lens’ is a nationwide photography competition in the UK. The competition is inviting entries from photographers of all levels to submit a photograph that shows how faith and community spirit binds people together. You have until the end of this month to submit your photos. As always, we suggest that you read the rules before entering your work.

Website: Faith Through a Lens

Press Release

CAPTURE THE SPIRIT OF FAITH AND COMMUNITY IN A SNAPSHOT

Have your photograph reviewed by top photographer Don McCullin and get the chance to meet the iconic photographer himself

Calling all budding photographers – if you can take a photograph that captures the vital role of faith and community fellowship in your local area, then national insurer Congregational & General wants to hear from you.

The firm’s nationwide Faith through a lens competition is inviting entries from photographers of all levels to submit a photograph that shows how faith and community spirit binds people together.  The winner will receive professional quality photographic equipment for them to donate to the charity or community group of their choice. 

What’s more, the winning photograph will also be displayed at a famed London Gallery. Leading the judges of the competition will be world-renowned photographer Don McCullin, who will present the winner with the prize at the gallery on 22 November.

Don, who is a keen advocate of community engagement, provides some essential advice to entrants to help them create a strong and meaningful image of their own community.

“Good photography is ideally a form of collaboration between the subject and the photographer,” he said. “The best pictures are captured when the photographer has established a rapport with his or her subject. This invariably shines through in those pictures that touch us”. 

To give entrants a helping hand, Congregational & General has put together some top photography tips:

1. Plan ahead. Make sure you have enough, film, batteries or memory cards to shoot everything you want. There is nothing worse than running out half way through!
2. Light is extremely important. The best times to shoot are when the light is good in the early mornings or early evenings. At midday, the sun is at its highest and creates ugly shadows.
3. Try different points of view. The picture does not always need to be taken at eye level, experiment with different levels, angles and camera orientation.
4. If you’re photographing in a public space, and especially if your shot includes children, explain to people what you are doing and make sure you get the appropriate permissions. 
5.  Remember that opposites attract. The best photographs are often of detailed subjects with simple backgrounds. Conversely, simple subjects can look better with complicated backgrounds.
6. Framing objects surrounding the subject, which are sometimes closer or further away to the camera, can give the photograph depth.
7. Ask yourself can I get closer? A camera frame that is filled with your subject adds a powerful intimacy to the image.
8. Don’t always just look at your subject, look for meaningful and significant juxtapositions between other objects and subjects in the frame.
9.  Remember the rule of thirds – If you split up your camera frame as if it’s a noughts and crosses board, keeping the subjects away from the centre squares, it makes your photo more interesting.
10. Once you have taken your photo, play around with the photo and its composition. Cropping a photograph and the removal of any unwanted distractions can transform an image.

For more information on ‘Faith through a lens’ and how to enter visit http://www.faiththroughalens.co.uk Good luck!

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