A photograph of a young girl holding a guinea pig brought home this year’s Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize of £12,000 or about $19,200 US. Jooney Woodward, the winning photographer, said she took only three shots of 13 year old Harriet Power and her cavy, Gentleman Jack, using natural light from a skylight high above. After reviewing her photos, she ended up submitting the very first one she took. “I found her image immediately striking with her long, red hair and white stewarding coat. She is holding her own guinea pig called Gentleman Jack, named after the Jack Daniel’s whisky box in which he was given to her,” Woodward said. Woodward took the photograph at the big agricultural show held at Builth Wells, Powys.

Sandy Nairne, the gallery’s director, called the winning work “a brilliant, empathetic study of a young woman”. Tim Eyles, part of the Taylor Wessing law firm said, “”This year’s images collectively convey a realism and depth of vision that makes them both relevant and easy to relate to.”

Her format is unique because she still uses actual film. To create the winning image Woodward used a Mamiya RZ medium format camera. “I prefer the quality and depth you get from using film.” She considers the use of film a dying art. “I don’t mess around with Photoshop so what you see is what you get. Enhanced images can portray a false sense of reality, whereas my work celebrates the people and places as they appear every day,” she said.

London born Woodward, 32, studied graphic design at the Camberwell College of Arts. She was chosen as one of five finalists out of 6,000 submissions from both established and amateur photographers in the competition. Usually there are only four finalists selected with one chosen as best in show and three runner up prizes. Jill Wooster came second with a £2500 cash prize. Dona Schwartz, Jasper Clarke and David Knight respectively came third, fourth and fifth, winning £1500, £1000 and £500. The winners were awarded their prizes at the National Portrait Gallery of London on Tuesday.

The five winning pictures will be displayed through February 12, 2012 in a special exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery alongside a wide selection of photographs exploring informal scenes from daily life, advertising images, staged fashion impressions and commissioned celebrity portraiture.

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