Connie Smyth, aged 15 years, has been announced as the overall winner of the London Legacy 2020 Photo Awards. She impressed the judges with her picture ‘rust’, an “eerily beautiful” shot of a lamppost beneath railway arches in London Fields.As a reward for her efforts, she won £1,000 worth of camera equipment including a digital SLR, as well as the opportunity to carry out a photo-shoot with the English National Ballet, courtesy of City law firm CMS Cameron McKenna.

Press Release

Legacy 2020 Photo Awards – Underneath the Arches

The fifth, annual London Legacy 2020 Photo Awards were held on the 8th November at the City law firm CMS Cameron McKenna. Connie Smyth, aged 15 years, was announced as the overall winner of the project.  She impressed the judges, made up of an expert panel including Simon Newman, EMEA News Editor, Pictures, Thomson Reuters and Maxine Cupitt, a Senior Partner at CMS Cameron McKenna, with her picture ‘rust’, an eerily beautiful shot of a lamppost beneath railway arches in London Fields. 

As a reward for her efforts, she won £1,000 worth of camera equipment including a digital SLR, as well as the opportunity to carry out a photo-shoot with the English National Ballet, courtesy of CMS Cameron McKenna.

The photography project took place between June and July 2011 with 90 pupils from Hackney and Tower Hamlets schools taking part. The aim was to use photography as a conduit for the world view of young people living adjacent to the Olympic Park. The insights that they give are coloured by their experience of living in areas identified as the most deprived in London. 

The students were guided by a professional photographer and filmmaker to think creatively and/or tackle the project from a photo journalist’s perspective. 

Liam Kane, Chief Executive, East London Business Alliance said “The London Legacy 2020 Schools Photography Project is a prime example of the important work that London Legacy 2020 Board is doing in east London.  With sponsorship, mentoring and skills transfer from our member companies, we are bringing together the private sector and future visionaries, leaders and inspirational citizens to secure a positive legacy from the Games.”

Dick Tyler, Executive Partner of CMS said “I am delighted that we have supported this project from the outset.  We support this project because it meets our core CSR objectives; nurturing young people and helping to remove the obstacles for social change.  The photography project gives us great satisfaction in knowing that we are supporting communities, on our doorstep.

Simon Newman, EMEA Planning Editor, Pictures, Thomson Reuters, “It’s always a pleasure to view the work of talented young photographers, and an afternoon spent judging the short-listed entries for the London Legacy 2020 photo competition was no exception. The judges viewed a wide selection of images - some beautiful, others humorous, some poignant, others graphic or illustrative. The young photographers made us see the Host Boroughs through fresh eyes, producing imaginative work that made for some very stimulating discussion.”

Connie, a Year 10 student Haggerston School, the overall winner said of the project, “I did not think that I would win, I was quite shocked but I could not be more proud. I found the location work quite difficult, as I’m quite shy and so wasn’t very comfortable approaching people. I suppose that’s why I looked for other things to photograph.  I thought the lamp was beautiful.  I am glad that I was able to show others something extraordinary about the place where I live.”

Photo: Connie Smyth - Rust

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