'The picture looks so tranquil and yet it was so rough and I love the way that Ben Ainslie looks like he’s trying to take cover from the harrowing winds and rough sea.' Picture © Paul Gilham / Getty Images.



Two Getty Images photographers received top prizes at this year's UK Sports Journalism Awards – Clive Mason for the best Sports Picture and Paul Gilham as Young Sports Photographer.

'Sports photography is a great documentary discipline, inherently full of spontaneity, capturing it in the best possible way is the challenge that I thrive on,' Gilham tells BJP's Marina Scukina.

Gilham joined Getty in 2003. He specialises in Formula One and has covered major sports events, including The 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Young Sports Photographer of the year admits choosing images for the portfolio was not an easy task. 'I was looking for a variety of sports, for a variation of angles and techniques, and images that captured the essence of sport,' he says.

Mason's Sports Picture Of The Year shows the Austrian Sailing teams 49er class sailors at the Beijing Olympic games. 'Some images are obvious competition material,' he says. 'Anything that has an instant visual impact and is well composed, dynamic and well photographed is a good starting point.'

He adds that the photographer needs more than excellent technical skills to win a competition – luck is an important factor. 'If you are also lucky enough to have been at the major sports story of the year and can complete your set of 10 with a relevant and good picture from that event, your set should stand a good chance of catching the judges eye,' he says.

Both professionals agreed competitions depend on the personal views and experiences of the judges. 'Competitions are always subjective,' Gilham says.

'Every one of us sees something different in a picture, some like it, some don't, some think it should be "newsy", some think it should be "arty",’ Mason comments. 'I know some of the best photographers in the industry that have not been in the least bit successful in their success at awards, so winning awards is far from being the benchmark that defines good from bad, it is just having the right images on the right year with the right judges.'

The SJA award is a sign of professional respect in the industry, the photographers say. 'To be recognised by my peers is fantastic, this is a career that takes a massive amount of dedication and belief, not just from myself but from my family too,' Gilham comments.

The SJA awards remain the premier event in the UK sports photographic industry, according to Mason.