Teen crowned winner of animal photo comp with stunning stag snap

A 17-year-old photographer has been crowned overall winner of the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards after capturing a striking image of a stag glowing in near darkness.

Thomas Durrant impressed judges with his ethereal photograph of a red deer in Richmond Park, earning him the top prize at a ceremony held at the Tower of London on Thursday.

The image, which shows the stag’s silhouette edged in golden light, was described by judges as “simply stunning”, with one calling Thomas a “master of light”.

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Thomas said the winning shot was years in the making. “This is an image I’ve been searching for for some time,” he said.

“Everything came together – the stag, the light, the positioning. The golden outline shrouds the animal in mystery while keeping its iconic shape.”

Living near Richmond Park, Thomas has spent countless hours photographing the resident red deer since taking up photography at the age of 10.

“They’re definitely my favourite animals to photograph,” he said.

“Over time you get to know them – they all have individual personalities, which can be quite amusing.”

As well as winning the 16–18 category and being named overall winner, Thomas also finished runner-up in the same category with an image of two grebes titled Lovers in the Mist, and won the Portfolio category with a collection called The Power of Light. All entries are judged anonymously, making his multiple successes all the more remarkable.

Ellie Rothnie, a professional wildlife photographer and one of the judges, said: “It’s been a very strong contest, but Thomas’ golden stag really stood out. The atmosphere in the shot is so special – he clearly understands the importance of light, and uses it beautifully.”

The annual competition, open to young people aged 18 and under, aims to encourage a love of animals and nature through photography.

This year also saw the launch of a new category, Documenting Animals, won by 10-year-old Jamie Smart from Wales for a series of images telling the story of a grey-headed flying fox being rehabilitated at Australia Zoo.

Other winners included images of pets, wildlife and urban animals from young photographers across the UK, ranging from a leaping badger at sunset to a hare sprinting through bluebell woods at dawn.

Presenter Radzi Chinyanganya, who hosted the awards, said: “Young people are the future, and seeing this level of creativity and talent shows the future is in very safe hands.”

Last year’s overall winner, Anwen Whitehead, 16, from Aberystwyth in Wales, was commended in the Pet Portraits category for her shot of her rescue cat Emlyn looking like he’s giving jazz hands mid-air, titled ‘Reach for the sky’.

Other winners included:

•   Maisie Hayman, 16, from Fleet, won Pet Portraits with a black-and-white image of her senior rescue Staffie.

•   Satsuki Whittle, 13, from Newcastle, won Pet Personalities with a goofy snap of her dog Rex lounging in the garden.

•   Jamie Smart, 10, from Wales, won Small World with a space-like picture of a Greater Water Boatman at the Botanical Gardens of Wales, taken using a macros set-up and speed flash.

•   Vanaiya Gill, 12, from Walsall, won the Mobile Phones & Devices category with a mind-bending picture of two zebras at West Midlands Safari Park.

•   Sam O’Donnell, 17, from London, won Urban Animals with his image of a Sand Martin in some old drainage pipes at his local reserve in Walthamstow Wetlands.

•   Jack Brackley, 13, from Cambridge, won A Better World for Animals with his picture of a rare red-backed shrike at RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes - the first red-backed shrike spotted in Cambridgeshire since 2021 and only the 22nd since 1980.

•   Flynn Thaitanunde-Lobb, 10, from Southampton, won the Under 12 category with his atmospheric snap of a hare sprinting through bluebell woods at sunrise.

•   Shelby Grant, 15, from Hatfield, won the 12-15 category with his image of a badger leaping through a newly-cut crop field at sunset.

RSPCA photographer and judge Andrew Forsyth said: “This year’s entries have been of an incredibly high standard that made it very difficult for us as judges.

“It’s been lovely to see so many creative photos of both pets and wildlife and see how the youngsters have interpreted each category in what has been an incredibly strong competition.

“This competition is a great way to encourage young people to go out and connect with animals around them, and the fantastic images we’ve seen this year have been very inspiring.

“There are some beautiful pictures in this year’s winners gallery, with real talent shining through.”

As overall winner, Thomas, from London, received a weekend wildlife photography break, including accommodation for himself and a parent or guardian.

The RSPCA Young Photographer Awards will reopen for entries on 5 May 2026.

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