The Armed Forces should not be afraid to show the sensitive side of the jobs done by service men and women, according to judges in this year?s RAF Photographic Awards.
While applauding the high standard of entries, judges called on the RAF to show the force?s more sensitive side in photographs used for publicity purposes.
David Viggers, chief photographer in charge of UK operations at Reuters news agency, suggested the RAF depicts events such as memorial services from an RAF viewpoint. ?You see the press side of those things; you see the television and news pictures? but, it would, I think be incredibly powerful to see the RAF side of it ? see the service man and woman?s view of things.?
Viggers added: ?I can understand there would be sensitivity about it but I don?t think it?s anything to shy away from now. I think everybody accepts these things and I don?t think people would be horrified ? it would actually be a very useful voice, certainly to the RAF?s photographic community, and maybe also to the Armed Services in general.?
Commenting on this year?s entries, fellow judge Eric Jenkins, from the British Institute of Professional Photography, added: ?The only thing that?s missing is some of the more-sensitive images, which have a very important role to play within information communication, but don?t necessarily make wonderful display images.?
An image snapped from the backseat of a Typhoon fighter jet won this year?s competition.
The photograph, called ‘Behind Enemy Lines’, was captured by SAC Mark Dixon and voted RAF Public Relations Image of the Year.
Picture: Crown Copyright 2007
