From Royal Marines launching a night raid on an Arctic inlet…
To a commando boat team racing across Sydney Harbour at sunset…
And destroyer HMS Dragon silhouetted against the endless Atlantic…
While hunter-killer HMS Astute charges on the surface at speed…
And a stunning Christmas video which impressed millions of viewers around the globe.
The very best imagery and video of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines on operations at home and all over the globe over the past 12 months showcases the work of the Senior Service – and the skill of its small band of full-time professional photographers who work around the clock.
The Royal Navy Photographic Awards – known by sailors as the Peregrines – are the Senior Service’s Oscars, rewarding men and women who record everything sailors and Royal Marines do and where they do it: training, ceremonial duties, international exercises and front-line missions.
Petty Officer Alexandra ‘Alex’ Ceolin from Plymouth takes the title as the Royal Navy’s top photographer over the past 12 months for her canon of work covering the UK Commando Forces.
And she also collects the coveted Peregrine Trophy – awarded to the best photographic unit in the Navy, again for their portfolio over the past year – on behalf of the two-strong team she leads.
Alex hails from Newcastle and has served her country for the past 12 years, first as a communications specialist aboard frigate HMS Somerset, then transferring to become a photographer.
The job has surpassed expectations, taking her to Tokyo, the USA, Norway, Cyprus, Africa and throughout the Mediterranean, documenting some of the Royal Navy’s most dynamic and demanding activities.
“The greatest privilege is the unparalleled visibility being a photographer gives you across the entire Service. You see everything, capturing moments which not only record naval history, but also showcase the extraordinary work of sailors, marines, and units worldwide – it’s both an honour and a responsibility.”
She leads the photographic team – her colleague Finn Stainer-Hutchings is a three-time winner of the Photographer of the Year trophy – with 30 Commando IX Group based in Plymouth, following the Royal Marines wherever they go.
It’s 13 years since the commando unit last took the most coveted prize in Navy photography – which she attributes to a combination of hard work, professionalism and a shared creative vision.
As for the individual prize: “I feel deeply humbled. The Photographic Branch is filled with exceptionally talented photographers, all producing imagery of the highest calibre. With such strong competition across the branch – the standard is truly second to none – it makes recognition like this all the more meaningful.
“Above all, this isn’t a personal accolade, but a reflection of the extraordinary people, operations, and moments I’ve had the privilege to document through my lens.”
Petty Officer James Clarke collects three titles: best image of the Fleet Air Arm and Submarine Service, plus Videographer of the Year.
It’s his evocative Christmas video Silent Night – inspired by the actions of HMS Diamond defending shipping in the Red Sea – which stands out and has been seen by 1.4 million people on Royal Navy social media channels – not to mention many more who watched it when it was published by mainstream media outlets as well.
“It ended up being compared in the national press to the John Lewis adverts, which was a nice moment for the team,” the 34-year-old from Knutsford in Cheshire said.
“It’s a great feeling to have picked up multiple wins in this year’s competition. It makes it even better knowing the winning images and videos will be on display at the new Royal Marines Museum in Portsmouth later this year.
“The competition is a great reminder of what the photographic branch can do and its importance, especially at a time when imagery and digital media play such a big role in how stories are told.”
James was serving as a Royal Marine with Somerset-based 40 Commando helping islanders in the Caribbean recover from devastating Hurricane Irma in 2017 when he saw a Royal Navy photographer at work recording events – sparking an interest which led to him qualifying as a full-time shooter in 2021.
Since then he’s travelled extensively covering the Royal Navy and Royal Marines on exercise, operations and deployment from commandos in the white of the Norwegian Arctic to the broiling heat of the Red Sea.
He now heads the Royal Navy’s Video Production Unit, which produces high-end quality short films to promote the work of the Senior Service, including Raid for the Royal Marines and the Christmas advert.
“I count myself very lucky to do this job. The places I’ve been, the people I’ve met, and the experiences along the way have been second to none. It’s like having an access-all-areas pass. It’s a role where you really do get to see everything,” James said.
Beyond imagery and moving footage used in news and media outlets and on social media channels, Royal Navy photographers are used to gather intelligence, record front-line operations and material/machinery defects to assist with the day-to-day work of the Naval Service.
The annual awards trace their history back several decades – owing their name and origin to the Royal Navy’s former home of photography at HMS Peregrine/Ford Air Station in West Sussex.
Today the contest rewards and showcases the imagery and video captured by the Royal Navy’s small cadre of professional photographers, plus amateurs, serving personnel, naval veterans and cadets who feel compelled to record the daily activities of the Naval Service.
The judges – a combination of leading picture editors from national media outlets and agencies, and experienced military and civilian photographers – pored over 486 images, and watched 13 video submissions.
Warrant Officer 2 Owen Cooban, the Royal Navy’s senior photographer, said the ten judges had spent several days considering the winners, having been struck by the breadth – and quality – placed before them, particularly material from front-line operations.
“I have been a Royal Navy photographer for two decades and the quality of our imagery – and video packages – gets better by the year,” Owen said.
“Our work is vital – not just for conveying the Royal Navy’s story to the wider world, but for providing intelligence, helping engineers fix problems and recording what the Navy does, wherever it does it, 24/7/365.”
The winners will receive trophies at an awards evening planned for September, while the public will be able to see an exhibition of this year’s winning and highly-commended entries when the new Royal Marines Museum opens in Portsmouth Naval Base in the autumn.
Images provided by Royal Navy
