Derbyshire Photographer Wins LBVCR Photography Competition

John Fowler from West Hallam in Derbyshire has been named as the overall winner of the 2009 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run (LBVCR) Photographer of the Year competition, beating over 200 hopeful photographers.  The world's longest running motoring event was held on Sunday 1 November in what some described as the worst weather conditions in living memory and this set the scene for the 2009 Photographic Competition.   

John submitted three inspirational images but it was his image entitled ‘Hang on, nearly there!' that caught the eye of the judges.  The picture is of Mr. John Kennedy's 1903 Gladiator just arriving in Madeira Drive, Brighton and despite the driving rain, Mr. Kennedy and his passengers are obviously pleased to have taken part in the 76th running of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run; a feeling that John caught in his image. As the overall winner John will take his place as a participant on the world's longest running motoring event on Sunday 7 November 2010 when he will be a passenger on one of the 500 participating pre 1905 veteran cars. 

The Young Photographer of the Year is 11-year-old Esther Bara from Lavilletertre in France, who entered three inspirational images with lots of motion blur.  However it was her shot entitled ‘Murielle and Norman' which won her the 2009 title.

In the mobile phone category Shaun Easton from Tonbridge in Kent entered one shot of a Bulldog on a veteran car.  With the weather and the ‘Bulldog Spirit' very much in evidence amongst the participants the judges felt this was an excellent choice of subject.

“We received hundreds of entries for the fourth LBVCR Photographer of the Year competition, with the standard being extremely high which made judging the winners extremely difficult,” said LBVCR Event Director Roger Etcell.  “The LBVCR has a long history and is a wonderfully photogenic event.  The weather on this event made it extremely difficult for the owners and passengers on the veteran cars to complete the 60-mile journey but the majority had big smiles on their faces as they crossed the line having enjoyed the experience and the winning image caught this feeling perfectly.  John will now have the chance to see the world's longest running motoring event from the passenger seat of one of the veteran cars taking part in the 2010 LBVCR.  I'd also like to congratulate our Young Photographer of the Year winner Esther Bara for her image of a veteran car in Hyde Park and Shaun Easton for his mobile phone shot of one of the many four legged passengers who take part in the event and literally had the Bulldog spirit.  We will certainly be running another photographic competition next year.”

Esther Bara and Shaun Easton each win a pair VIP Bus Tour tickets for the 2010 LBVCR, enabling them to follow the event from one of the London buses that follow the Veteran Cars down to Brighton.  

All of the winning images, as well as a selection of the other entries, can be viewed in a special gallery HERE