Unidays Student Photographer of the Year 2025

One of the highlights of 2025 came in August when I attended the Unidays Photographer of the Year Showcase. It was very much a surprise when I’d found out I’d won the Communities in Motion Category - so much so that I’d forgotten I’d entered it months previously! I checked my emails late one Saturday night as one does and in the Junk folder was the good news that my Tinside piece was a winner and was to be exhibited in Soho, London.

Along with prizes courtesy of Unidays and Ocean Culture Life, it was exciting to be able to network with new people and to talk about a subject that is gaining traction in the media - our planet and the life in the oceans that surround us. Ocean Conservation is becoming an increasingly urgent matter and speaking with OCL’s CEO Tamsin Raine about my inspiration and Plymouth as “Britain’s Ocean City” has made me more aware of subjects that directly impact the place I live.

This was also a big step forward for me mentally. The photo itself has served me well and has opened so many doors for me in industry but, equally, I am fearful of imposter syndrome affecting my mindset. I don’t want my future to be defined by that one photo - I want to be so much more and realise that my full potential is just as much about how I present myself to other creatives rather than all about a single shot. Rising above my anxiety and speaking to people in a welcoming, comfortable environment put me at ease and I couldn’t have done it without the support of everyone in my personal and professional life who remind me that what I’m doing is the right path for me.

It’s important not to give up, not even for the accolades and awards - all of that stuff is irrelevant at the end of the day. The main rule you should follow in your career is being able to enjoy what you do and, luckily, pursuing what I did in my Masters degree gave that fun factor back to me.