A photograph of one of Bermuda’s fortifications has won the top award in a nature and culture photography competition.

The picture by Alessia Vianello, won in the 7 to 10 age subcategory in the Bermuda Buildings category of the Dr Reg Grundy Annual Youth Photography Competition.

Alessia was one of 27 finalists in the third annual contest titled Your Eyes on Bermuda, launched in memory of Reg Grundy, an Australian media mogul and photographer with a passion for nature, who lived in Bermuda.

“This picture represents Bermuda’s history and how the first constructions were built to protect our island,” she said. “It shows how strong it is, just like when Bermudians get together to help each other after a hurricane or difficult times.”

Joy Chambers Grundy, Dr Grundy’s widow, and the National Museum of Bermuda established the competition in 2019. It is open to all local photography enthusiasts aged 7 to 18, and aims to “inspire the next generation of photographers and encourage an appreciation for Bermuda’s natural and cultural environment and a desire to protect it”.

Ms Grundy said: “The standard of the photographs in this year’s competition was exceptional. Hearty congratulations to all who entered. I hope that our competition might inspire at least one of the entrants to become a professional photographer one day”.

Students submitted photos under the following themes: Bermuda Families, Bermuda Buildings and Bermuda Nature in three age categories, 7 to 10, 11 to 14 and 15 to 18, [see panel for the list of category winners].

The judges this year were Meredith Andrews, a professional Bermudian photographer with international credits; Deborah Atwood, the National Museum of Bermuda curator; and Chinni Mahadevan, the Reg Grundy Photographic Libraries curator.

The winners received Iron Kids Accounts at Clarien Bank ranging in value from $500 to $200 depending on the age group; runners up received $150 gift cards for Brown & Co stores; and the school with the most submissions, Mount Saint Agnes, won a $1,500 gift certificate at AF Smith for school supplies.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education who attended the virtual ceremony, said: “Each year, this competition provides an opportunity for Bermuda’s students to engage with photography, develop their creativity and enhance their visual literacy and ability to see the world around them in a unique way.

“Being able to appreciate art at an early age is such a vital skill set to take with you for the rest of your life.”

Elena Strong, executive director of the National Museum of Bermuda, added: “We were blown away by the number of submissions this year, 760, which is more than double what we had last year.

“We also had the most number of schools submit entries this year, 29 in total, as well as students who are home-schooled.”

All finalists photographs are on display on the second floor of Commissioner’s House in Dockyard and are featured on the museum’s website.