A BUDDING photographer is celebrating after being chosen as the winner of ‘Lens On Longbridge’, a new photography competition aimed at students and young people in the area.

Mariah Tooke, aged 16, has been announced as the winner after submitting a selection of images that were judged to have “captured the very essence of Longbridge”.

Mariah has been awarded a Nikon D3500 Digital SLR camera, worth £350.

The competition, launched by St. Modwen, the developer behind the £1bn regeneration of Longbridge, received more than 100 entries – all of which were judged by Ross Jukes, a Longbridge-born photographer famous for his dramatic cityscapes.

Guest judge Ross said: “Choosing the winner wasn’t an easy task – the entries were of a really high standard and were all so diverse.

"It was fascinating to see Longbridge through different people’s eyes. Mariah’s photograph really stood out to me because it shows how Longbridge has evolved, with exciting buildings and the surrounding landscape. It’s well-composed and really pulls the viewer in with plenty of interesting aspects.”

Mariah said: “I wanted to capture my hometown as I see it through these images.

"Observing everyday moments and different corners of Longbridge to get the perfect pictures was a great experience and reminded me what a brilliant place it is. As a budding photographer, winning this competition means a lot and I can’t wait to get back out with my new camera."

‘Lens On Longbridge’ was created to encourage young people aged 13 to 18 to explore Longbridge and its surrounding neighbourhoods as the area’s ongoing regeneration moves towards its second phase of development.

Entries to the competition, with photographer credits, will be shared on Longbridge Life’s Facebook and Twitter channels over the coming weeks.