AN airmAn from RAF Benson has been named the best photographer in the air force.

Senior Aircraftman James Stier, 27, scooped three awards including PR Photograph of the Year for his snap of a Merlin helicopter preparing for deployment to Afghanistan SAC Stier, a reservist who serves as the squadron photographer with 606 (Chiltern) Squadron, also won the Open Video and RAF Experience categories.

SAC Stier, who runs his own photography firm in Sheffield, said: “As a civilian, my role is always changing, especially now with moving images.

“In the RAF it’s great to know I can always be hands-on with the camera, doing what I enjoy the most, without having to focus on some of the downsides of running your own company.

“My RAF career also pushes me in different ways – the motivation isn’t business focused, it’s more about the people and the way the public interpret the work they undertake.

“I see first-hand what an amazing job all military personnel do.

“Being able to show that through my work is constant motivation.”

SAC Stier joined the forces in July 2008 and has taken part in numerous training exercises.

The winning image was taken during on an exercise in California, earlier this year.

He said he joined the RAF to challenge himself.

He said: “After I got back from working in Asia on a project that saw the production team walk from east to west of the Himalayas in some really tough conditions, I knew that I wanted to push myself in similar ways, and the RAF provides those challenges.

“The full-time regular forces did appeal to me but the reserves allows me to keep developing my business, without sacrificing all that I’ve worked for.

“Plus working with helicopters is cool.”

Awards were presented by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, who said “These dynamic images reflect the breadth of service life.”