Croydon Photographer Wins LBVCR Photography Competition

Mike Farley from South Croydon has been named as the overall winner of the 2007 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run (LBVCR) Photographer of the Year competition, beating over 200 hopeful photographers with an inspired portrait of grit and determination entitled ‘Brighton or Bust!'  As the overall winner Mike will take his place as a participant on the world's longest running motoring event on Sunday 2 November 2008 when he will be a passenger on one of the 500 participating pre 1905 veteran cars.    

Mike's winning image is of Mr. Richard Hounslow from Salisbury driving his 107-year old American built Mobile Spindle-seat runabout, which was one of the 19 steam powered veteran cars entered. In the view of the judges the look of determination on Mr. Hounslow's face summed up the spirit of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, underlining the dedication and commitment of all the 500 participants in preparing and driving a 100 year old car a gruelling 60-miles from London to Brighton for the enjoyment of the estimated 500,000 spectators that turn out to watch every year. 

“We received hundreds of entries for the second 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 event has a long history and is a wonderfully photogenic event.  Mike's portrait of a very determined Richard Hounslow is fantastic, capturing the moment perfectly.  He 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 2008 LBVCR.  I'd also like to congratulate our Young Photographer of the Year winner Michael Rowley for his close up detailed image of a veteran car and Christopher Bailey for his mobile phone shot of veteran cars on Westminster Bridge with the backdrop of Big Ben.  We will certainly be running another photographic competition in 2008.”

Mike Farley (56), a keen amateur photographer since the age of 8 and a member of the Croydon Camera Club, took the shot on a Canon EOS 400D with a 70-210mm zoom lens from the side of the Brighton Road in South Croydon.  “This was one of the first shots I took during the day; I took about 70 pictures in total,” said Mike Farley.  “I was specifically looking for an interesting character shot and I was extremely lucky when this gentleman sat forward just as I took the photograph.  I'm very pleased to win this competition on an event I have been following for many years and I'm looking forward to taking part in next year's London to Brighton.”

The other category winners were Christopher Bailey, from Cirencester, in the Mobile Phone category with his shot of a 1904 Cadillac on Westminster Bridge with Big Ben as the backdrop, taken on a Motorola MOTAKRZR.  The judges decided on this image because of the composition Christopher used, with two veteran cars in the frame and no modern vehicles to spoil the shot.  14-year-old Michael Rowley from North Cheam was chosen as the 2007 LBVCR Young Photographer of the Year.  His entry of a close up detail shot of one of the participating veteran cars impressed the judges because of Michael's decision to interpret the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run event in a different way. 

Christopher Bailey and Michael Rowley each win a pair VIP Bus Tour tickets for the 2008 LBVCR, enabling them to follow the event from one of the open top buses that follow the route down to Brighton.   

CLICK HERE to see all the winning images