Wigan mum's Christmas photo wins national photography award

Samantha Wenham, from Billinge, has won CEWE Photoworld’s “My Inspiring Moments” competition after capturing an image of her seven-year-old peering through the pines of a Christmas tree.

The former Wigan and Leigh College student - who now works as a microbiologist for a large pharmaceutical company - said that photography is one of her biggest passions outside of the office.

“It’s such an adorable photo,” said the 39-year-old mum-of-two. “I really love taking pictures of the kids.

“I always try to capture them pulling funny faces or my son when he does a funny little dance. My husband doesn’t like being in pictures as much,

“I always think how nice it would be to go on a frosty walk and capture the ice on a spider’s web, or the low-lying fog in the early morning when I am on my way to work.

Samantha, who took the photograph last year at her mum’s house, only came across the competition by chance on Facebook.

The award was created by CEWE Photoworld who are “aiming to bring the joy back into photography”, asking entrants to share their most treasured memories and inspiring moments on camera.

It came after research discovered that 20 per cent of people now take the majority of their photos to portray a certain image on social media – with a quarter of people stating that aiming to get a good photo to share on social media had made them stressed and anxious in the past.

Samantha’s winning photograph of her daughter enjoying last Christmas’ festivities was selected as one of the final 12 images by judge photographer Julian Calverley, who was stunned by the poignant moment she managed to capture on camera.

She added: “I took this photo of my daughter peeping through the branches of a Christmas tree last year and think it perfectly captures the joy and magic of Christmas as seen through a child’s eyes.”