A SCHOOLGIRL who picked up a camera for the first-time during lockdown made the shortlist of an international photography competition.

Charlotte Robson, a pupil at Lewes Old Grammar School, started taking online photography courses in the lockdowns last year. In January she entered the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021, hosted by Pink Lady Apples, an apple selling company.

The competition is open to professional and non-professional photographers from any age group and celebrates the best in food photography.

There were 10,000 submissions from 70 different countries, but Charlotte’s entry was shortlisted in the final 28 for her age category, 11–14-year-olds.

The Argus: Charlotte first picked up a camera during the lockdowns.Charlotte first picked up a camera during the lockdowns.

The 14-year-old said: “A few months ago, my club told me about the Pink Lady food photography competition. Having developed an interest in food photography, I was excited to enter.

“When I received an email to say I had been shortlisted in my category, I was delighted. Though I did not win, it was such an honour to have had my photo chosen as a finalist, and to see it published on the competition website.”

The picture that Charlotte submitted was titled Fry Away it captured melting coconut oil in a pan. The oil melted in such a way that it depicted a world map.

The Argus: The picture Charlotte took that was shortlisted. It is titled Fry Away, it is some melting coconut oil that looks like the world.The picture Charlotte took that was shortlisted. It is titled Fry Away, it is some melting coconut oil that looks like the world.

Charlotte’s mum Gaynor added: “We were thrilled for Charlotte and logged into the award ceremony on the allotted date.

“It was at this point that we realized quite what a prestigious event it was in the food photography world. Just to be shortlisted is a huge achievement.”

The awards were judged by experts in photography such as food photographer David Loftus, Fiona Shields the Guardian’s head of photography, head chef at the Four Seasons hotel in Paris Simone Zanoni, Taittinger president Vitalie Taittinger and London gallery owner Alison Jacques.

The shortlisted photographers would usually attend a ceremony in London, however, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the winners were unveiled on a Youtube virtual event on April 27.