Langley Student Wins Prestigious Photography Competition

Harry C, a talented Year 11 photography student from Langley Senior School, is celebrating after being named winner of the 11–15 age category in the prestigious Beyond the Frame competition run by Norwich University of the Arts.

Created as part of a broader project exploring the theme of Environment, Harry’s award-winning photographs demonstrate impressive technical skill and thoughtful artistic exploration, combining digital editing with traditional photographic processes to examine themes of culture and identity. The competition attracts entries from young people aged 11–19 and is open to a global audience. With nearly 700 entries submitted this year, Harry’s success is a remarkable achievement and a testament to his creativity, dedication and photographic talent.

We caught up with Harry before the awards ceremony to discuss his nomination and to find out more about the inspiration behind the project, the creative techniques used, and his ambitions for the future.

Q: Congratulations on having two photographs shortlisted for the ‘Beyond the Frame’ competition! How does it feel?
Thank you! It’s really exciting to have two of my photographs shortlisted in the ‘Beyond the Frame’ competition run by Norwich University of the Arts. It’s great to see my work recognised. I love photography, but the recognition makes it even more special.

Q: Tell us more about the project that your photographs came from.
The photographs are part of a project called ‘Environment’. My narrative explored the ideas of ‘Contrasting Cultures’ and ‘Culture within the Environment’, looking at how different cultural influences can be brought together through photography.

Q: How did you create the images?
I completed two separate photoshoots. The first was at Norwich Cathedral, where I focused on capturing the arches and architectural details. The second featured my friend wearing ornate jewellery.
For the first image, I used Photoshop to resize and layer the photographs together before experimenting with opacity to create the final composition and colour.The second image was created using the cyanotype process. I printed my original photograph onto acetate, then layered it with another acetate featuring Islamic writing. Once the image had developed, I washed the paper in green tea, which gave it its distinctive finish.

Q: Where did you find your inspiration?
I was inspired by photographers Henna Nadeem and Lalla Essaydi, who both use Islamic patterns and calligraphy in their work. I really admired the way they tell stories through their images and wanted to explore similar ideas in my own project.

Q: What do you enjoy most about photography?
I love that photography allows me to be creative and capture moments from different perspectives. I especially enjoy taking photographs when I’m travelling or at music gigs, as there’s always something interesting to document.

Q: What’s next for you?
I’m planning to study A Level Photography, where I’m looking forward to exploring even more creative techniques and developing my style. In the future, I’d like to become a journalist, and I think photography is a fantastic skill that complements good journalism. I’d like to thank Mrs Robinson, our Head of Photography, for all her help and encouragement. She’s a fantastic inspiration to everyone in the department. I’m so looking forward to learning more!