Innovation in Photography

More than 1,000 photographs and 35 videos were submitted in the latest RAF Photographic Competition. We bring you the finalists’ photographs from 2022 that caught our eye.

The Personnel Category, sponsored by the RAF Association, saw Mr Andrew Wheeler of RAF College Cranwell’s photographic section win the first and the second places. The RAFC Cranwell photographic section also won the Photographic Section Portfolio prize, with photographs from Andy, Gordon Elias and Linda Lowing.

After Studying Photography to Higher National Diploma Level, Andy worked for many years as a photographer on cruise ships, capturing people and places around the world. He then began his own business as a wedding and commercial photographer, gaining many awards. He simultaneously worked in schools photography.  Then Andy applied to be a photographer with Babcock, and started working for the Royal Air Force, at RAF Cranwell's Photographic Section. Andy says his passion for photography is now heightened by the range and variety of jobs he gets asked to do. He can be photographing Royalty visiting a high profile officer graduation one day, shooting aircraft landing with a foreign dignitary another and then heading over to a down and dirty inter services rugby game in the rain the next. He says: 'I really love my job in the RAF and every day I think how lucky I am to do something I not only trained for many years to do, but also something I have a real passion for." 

The awards' 11 judges spent seven days narrowing down the entries to their final choices of photographs, before selecting a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and highly commended across the competition's 12 categories. From those, the best nine images were chosen to go head-to-head in the Peoples' Choice category – where the general public vote for their favourite.  

Category A – Personnel

1st place

During the Remembrance service at RAF Scampton a young boy visiting from Scampton Primary peered out between the officers as they formed up.  The judges also selected this image as one of nine finalists for the People’s Choice vote.

2nd place

The squadron commander leads the graduating officers into the Rotunda at RAFC Cranwell at the end of the graduation parade for the Modular Initial Officer training Course in February 2022. This marks the final journey to become an officer in the RAF and the start of their next phase of training.  

3rd place

15 field squadron RAF Regiment Ground Gunner, photographs taken during an exercise at RAF Honington.

Highly commended

Pictured here is a crewman from 27 Squadron at RAF Odiham as he watches the scenery out of one of the Chinook’s bubble windows.

Image of a 47 Squadron C-130J Hercules pilot flying through the low-flying system, known around the world as the Mach Loop. Crews use the area to practice their low flying skills. 

Category C – Photographic Section Portfolio. 

1st place – Royal Air Force College Cranwell

An Officer cadet looks at her sword as the light bounces off into her eyes, Taken at the Modular Initial Officer Training Course No. 13 on the 4th August 2022 at RAF Cranwell. Taken just before the officer cadets march on and graduate as officers

Corporal Herrera is a member of the RAF College Band. Her primary instruments are woodwind. She was photographed for RAF Music Services recruitment purposes.

Photograph of Corporal Case of the Royal Air Force College Band, taken in July 2022. 

Category D – Peoples’ Choice.

Peoples Choice Winner – Public vote 9

A formation flight of specially painted Chinook and Puma helicopter took place on 25th November 2021, to mark over 90 years of combined service. The occasion saw the aircraft take a commemorative flight over a number of locations in the South of England. This was the helicopters’ first formation flight as a pair. The Puma (XW224), from RAF Benson, Oxfordshire, has completed 50 years of service, while the Chinook (ZD984), from RAF Odiham, Hampshire, has completed 40 years of service. Each aircraft’s tail art was especially commissioned to commemorate the significant anniversaries of their entry into service with the Royal Air Force. The flightpath included a number of iconic sites, stretching from the Isle of Wight to central London; with each location offering unique joint training opportunities for the crews who will often work together on operations.

Photo from the same Chinook and Puma helicopter flight as the winner above

ZJ914, Blackjack, the RAF Typhoon Display Team jet breaks through the clouds. 

AS1 Rivers of RAF Wyton is declared the winner over AS1 White at the RAF Benson boxing night in May 2022. RAF Benson was hosting it's first boxing event since the global pandemic. The station boxing club welcomed other RAF stations from around England as well as the Thames Valley, Cambridge University, Dale Youth and Islington Boxing Clubs for a night of boxing in front of spectators in the Puma Force hangar. Boxing holds a special place within the UK Armed Forces, giving individuals from across defence the chance to grow in terms of fitness, confidence and discipline. Many go on to compete at national and international level events 

Royal Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft flying on a low altitude sortie across the Southwest of England. 

An F–35 Lightning Lightning from No. 207 Squadron at RAF Marham with rainbow ribbon lighting to celebrate UK LGBTQ+ history month (February). This annual month-long event is a celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.  

A Royal Air Force Atlas C1 A400M and Voyager from RAF Brize Norton in the skies to perform air-to-air refuelling training.