Joseph Davies won the under-16 photographic section of the British Library Front Page competition. His prize was work experience as a photographer with the Evening Standard newspaper in London.

Working for a week as an Evening Standard photographer certainly exposed me to many experiences I do not think I will forget - my first press scrum when Pete Doherty arrived at West London Magistrates Court, witnessing a bishop abseil from the Tower of London and stalking Sarah Brown at the European Women of Achievement Awards. It may not sound all that exciting to an experienced photojournalist but for me, a sixteen year old student seeking a career in press photography, it was a compelling start.

The picture below was taken in the City of London. After the foiled terror plots in previous days the brief was ‘heightened security’. This was taken outside the Old Bailey where it may be a fairly routine procedure, but it has some rather important looking armed police officers and enough police cars to be illustrate the point.

 On Tuesday I went with Jeremy Selwyn to West London Magistrates Court for Pete Doherty’s latest appearance. He was late by a few hours which gave me a chance to observe the way the paparazzi operate and also talk to a few other photographers. Eventually he arrived, skipping childishly up to the doors of the court I felt lenses in the back of my head. I managed to get a few of him but this one below was the most interesting. Not the most conventional image there is too much noise and empty space. It was an exciting thirty seconds, which left me saying to myself ‘if only I had’, but I guess that is the way it goes.

Later on in the week, I was asked to get some pictures of affluent middle eastern shoppers outside Harrods, after spending about an hour hovering around outside without much luck I got this one below.

On my last day I went with Jeremy to the European Women Of Achievement Awards 2007. The picture below of Moira Stewart and Sarah Brown (who were among the winners) managed to make the West End Final. It was a fantastic end to an amazing week. Seeing my picture and name in print was such a great feeling and something I hope to see again soon.

Joseph Davies