A stunning photograph taken at a Norfolk school has been given the Royal seal of approval by the Duchess of Cambridge.
Kate Middleton and other judges selected an aerial shot of pupils at Sheringham Community Primary School for an online exhibition showing a snapshot of life during lockdown.
Hold Still is a photography project run by Kate and the National Portrait Gallery.
The community initiative aimed to capture life in lockdown while exploring three themes: Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness.
The project was inspired by a heartwarming image of Ray and Theresa Cossey from Little Plumstead sharing a moment with their grandchildren at the height of lockdown.
People of all ages from across the UK were invited to submit a photo to the scheme, and in the six weeks the project was open 31,598 images were submitted.
Now, after whittling down the thousands of entries, the Duchess and a judging panel have revealed the final 100 images.
The Sheringham shot shows pupils posing in front of a giant rainbow to thank key workers on the front line of the coronavirus fight.
Chris Taylor, who took the photograph using a drone, said the image came about after he was contacted by the school.
Mr Taylor, who has been a professional photographer for 15 years, said: “I was really pleased that they asked me to take the photograph. They had created this beautiful rainbow, so the credit obviously goes to the primary school, teachers and children who created it.”
Mr Taylor said he was initially unsure whether to submit the image to Hold Still, because it was not a typical portrait.
He said: “I was really surprised [it was selected], I’m obviously really pleased for it to get into the final 100 and especially looking at the other portraits.
“I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to represent Sheringham and Norfolk in this national exhibition because it’s a record that will be kept forever marking these bizarre times,” he said.
Hold Still can be viewed at npg.org.uk/holdstill
A selection of the photographs will be shown in towns and cities across the UK later in the year.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here