Ten regional newspaper photographers have passed the May National Certificate Examination – with two awarded distinctions.

Earlier this month 14 press photographers and one photojournalist sat the exam in Sheffield, and ten candidates, listed below, were successful – a pass rate of 67 per cent.

The successful candidates were:

Jonathan Enoch,
Lincolnshire Echo

Geoffrey Girvan-Merryweather,
Burton Daily Mail

Simon Hammond,
East Kent Gazette

Douglas Jackson,
Whitby Gazette

Nicholas Morrish,
South Wales Argus

Benjamin Russell,
Derby Evening Telegraph

Dominic Salter,
Stockport Express Advertiser

Matthew Stewart,
Derby Evening Telegraph

Christopher Vaughan,
Lincolnshire Echo

Kate Woolhouse,
Hull Daily Mail

In addition, Benjamin Russell and Matthew Stewart, who both work for the Derby Evening Telegraph, were awarded distinctions for achieving passes of more than 75 per cent.

The examiners said: “Benjamin Russell and Matthew Stuart’s work was very high quality and we are sure that they both have a bright future in the industry.

“The number of excellent candidates at this NCE made their work a pleasure to mark. The qualifications for photographers continue to demand high levels of performance and professional skills and recognise the well trained and talented creative news photographers in our industry.

“Credit should also go to the staff at Norton College Sheffield for all their hard work in ensuring that the examinations ran extremely smoothly.”

Each candidate had to submit a portfolio of ten pictures and a picture spread as well as a logbook of their training period.

The practical exam included an action shot and caption, and a front page and inside pictures for a supplement, all produced to a written brief.