Renowned photographer visits Worth for masterclass and awards

Renowned sports photographer David Cannon visited Worth this week to deliver a masterclass to Year 10 Photography pupils and to present the School’s annual Photo of the Year awards.

Worth parent David is regarded as the world’s leading golf photographer, having covered the sport at the highest level for more than 40 years, and in 2022 he received the PGA of America Lifetime Achievement Award in Photojournalism.

Across the years he has captured some of golf’s most iconic moments featuring the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, Rory McIlory and Tiger Woods, but his work extends beyond golf, having also photographed many Olympic Games and football World Cups. His famous photograph of American sprinter Carl Lewis in ‘mid-flight’ at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics was projected on to the Houses of Parliament during the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.

The wet weather prevented David from leading an outdoor masterclass at Worth this week, but he spoke to students in the Photography studio, discussing key photographic milestones from his career, delving into the technical aspects of each image while offering valuable context and insight into the moments that shaped them. He also demonstrated his photographic equipment and gave pupils a chance to experiment with it firsthand.

David then presented first, second and third prizes in Worth’s annual Photo of the Year competition as well as the David Cannon Sports Photo of the Year awards which are presented annually in his honour.

Head of Photography Mr John Everest said: “David’s authentic passion for photography is unmistakable, particularly in such an intimate setting. His humility in presenting his achievements is truly admirable and the way he speaks about his craft balances both the excitement of his work and the reality of the dedication it requires. I felt this offered pupils an inspiring outlook on the levels of resilience required within the pursuit of excellence and success in many aspects of life, not just creatively in Photography.

“We are incredibly grateful for the connection he has built with the School across both sporting and photographic contexts.”

A Photo of the Month competition is run each year at Worth to celebrate the work and creativity of our students, with each monthly winner being put forward to the Photo of the Year competition which is judged by a panel of five professional photographers.

Mr Everest said: “Our ongoing photography competitions continue to champion the medium, celebrating technical skill, creativity and timing across the pupils. Congratulations to all this year’s winners and to every pupil who submitted work throughout the academic year. The consistently high standard of photographs seen emerging in the studio and from other pupils within the whole-school community ensures that each monthly winner is thoroughly deserving of their recognition.”

David’s visit marked the beginning of a busy and exciting period for the Photography department as we prepare for the Visual Arts Summer Exhibition on 17 June with diverse displays of final outcomes and creative journeys from our GCSE and A Level photographers.

Photography is a popular subject choice at Worth at both GCSE and A Level, as well as being offered through our activities programme.

For more on Photography at Worth click here to read our options guides.