Two young Whakatāne students have made their school proud, taking first and third place in the primary school category of a national photography competition.

Victor Fourie, 7, won first prize and $1000 in the Through the Lens competition, while six-year-old David Vinoop took third place and $250. Both boys attend Whakatāne Seventh-day Adventist School.

Victor’s winning photograph features road cones topped with sports balls, arranged in a creative composition. David’s entry captures a scene in the school playground.

The competition, run by Frankie and the Hynds Foundation, was open to school students throughout New Zealand, with primary, and intermediate and secondary school categories. Entrants were challenged to photograph their school property from an interesting angle or perspective, and entries were judged on composition, form, format, editing and “vibes”.

David and Victor’s teacher, Kirsten Bland, said the school was delighted by their success.

“Photography was part of the visual arts programme for term three, and the whole school was given the opportunity to take a photo for the competition,” she said.

Professional photographer João Alves Santos volunteered his time to mentor the school’s students, teaching them basic photography skills and helping them explore angles, shapes, colours and composition.

Bland said Alves Santos worked with about 54 students, many of whom had never used a professional camera before.

Alves Santos said he explained the competition requirements and encouraged students to choose their own subjects.

“I explained to them exactly what we wanted in the pictures – that they should be about the school, the architecture, the walls, the shapes, the colours – and gave them instructions on basic photography,” he said.

“I let them choose the subject. Victor is very clever, and he had the idea of cones and to put the balls on them. I gave them instructions and they create the compositions and the subject.”

Bland said Victor’s photograph had impressed everyone who saw it before it was entered.

“All the people who saw Victor’s photo before it was sent away thought it was just an incredible idea. The layout and design of how he positioned everything was very creative.”

She said the school was grateful for Alves Santos’ support and mentoring.

The boys have different plans for their prize money. Victor has kept his $1000 saved, while David has his eye on an electric scooter.

The winning photographs can be viewed in the competition’s online gallery at  https://throughthelens.lightfolio.com/

Picture perfect: João Alves Santos mentored students at Seventh-day Adventist School, helping them develop their photography skills, including competition prize-winners David Vinoop, 6, left, who placed third, and Victor Fourie, 7, who took first place. Photo: Kathy Forsyth and supplied