Brighton Photographer Wins National Competition With Photo Of Gay Couple

Chris Jepson, who lives in Brighton has won the Great Exposure Photography Competition with his photograph titled 'Modern Love'.

The competition, by the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign, which promotes the best of the UK abroad, has been held in partnership with The Royal Photographic Society and Heathrow Airport.

Its theme is to celebrate "the UK’s rich cultural diversity and innovative, welcoming spirit" and photographers were invited to submit "images that captured the true spirit of the United Kingdom from across the four nations".

There were 40 winning entries, which will be displayed in prominent media spaces throughout Heathrow Airport and will be seen by tens of millions of people each year.

About the winning image: George & Somchai

At 98 years old, “the oldest gay in the village” George Montague has been with with his husband Somchai for 25 years. 

 ©ChrisJepson.com

The image of the couple was taken during a session at their home while Chris was shooting their individual portraits for The Identity Project, his portrait of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Chris Jepson said:

"I am delighted to be one of the winners of the Great Exposure Photography Competition. 

"George and his husband Somchai have been together for 25 years and I think my portrait of an intergenerational LGBT couple epitomises the Modern Love category and proves it’s never too late to find ‘the one’.

"In a world where homosexuality is still illegal in more 70 countries, to have this happy smiling LGBT couple greeting travellers at London’s Heathrow Airport highlights the diversity and equality of our citizens and the welcome we afford to all."

Here are some of the other winners: