Harry's photo

Splitting image

Geographical photography success for Oundle student

Posted by Stephanie Broad | November 20, 2015 | School life

• #oundle-school
• #photography
• #geographical-association-national-physical-geography
• #competition
• #ammonite
• #independent-schools
• #education

Oundle School lower sixth-former, Harry Curtis (16) has been awarded second place in the Geographical Association’s National Physical Geography photography competition (14-18 category) for his entry ‘Splitting image’ taken at Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire.

The Judges commented that Harry’s entry “…reminded us of the intricate relationship between geology and physical geography and the different forms of Earth’s sculpture through time.”

Harry said of the photo: “I chanced upon a sizeable ammonite whilst walking along the beach. A storm the previous night had eroded the cliff face, causing rocks containing fossils to surface onto the face and fall onto the scree debris below. On looking at the ammonite one immediately notices the jet black rock like substance which makes up the fossil; this was caused by the process of permineralisation. Over millions of years, the shell of the ammonite would have gradually decomposed under layers of silt and sand, the cavities left by the shell would be gradually replaced by minerals from the sea causing a rock like impression to form in its absence. It was with much haste that I split open the rock, revealing 200 million years of geographical processes and fracturing the imprint whilst doing so!”

Harry with his prize-winning photo

Harry’s prize was a Páramo jacket and he will also be invited to attend the Geographical Association Awards Ceremony in April 2016, which is part of the bigger Geographical Association Annual Conference to be held at the University of Manchester. 

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