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Gravesend photographer Fraser Gray wins National Historic Ships UK Award

A photographer has won a national award for an amazing riverside snap.

Fraser Gray took the photo named "Thames Sailing Barges" from the walkway by the Thames near Gravesend Town Pier looking east.

The winning photo 'Thames Sailing Barges' at Gravesend Town Pier. Picture: Fraser Gray
The winning photo 'Thames Sailing Barges' at Gravesend Town Pier. Picture: Fraser Gray

Speaking about winning the award at the National Historic Ships UK Awards this year, he said: "The award was a great and unexpected surprise for me.

"To win this prestigious award is a great honour and I wish to thank the National Historic Ships UK team, judges and sponsors for judging my photograph the overall winner.

"Especially so, because of the quality of my fellow competitors' photography and the restrictions on all our personal freedom and loss of photographic opportunities caused by the Covid-19 pandemic."

The photo was taken on a Nikon D3500 with an 18-200mm zoom lens at 200mm and features a unique vessel in the background.

Fraser explained: "Because the Thames near Gravesend is narrow and busy with commercial shipping, all vessels with sails are required to use their engines for safety reasons.

"The sailing barge in the background is Blue Mermaid and she is unusual in that she does not have an engine and was in full sail while the other barges were alongside Gravesend Town Pier.

"All these lucky events fell into place and in that moment, combined with the beautiful golden light reflecting in the Thames silhouetting the masts of her sisters, gave me the frame and composition I had hoped for."

This year's National Historic Ships UK Awards competition was broadcasted online on Tuesday, November 26 with the theme "Back To The Water".

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