His images won an army competition – and set him on course for a new career as a press photographer.

Now, after a crash course in photojournalism at Norton College in Sheffield, Ian has just been named Press Gazette Student Photographer of the Year.

Ian, aged 45, was in the army before becoming a professional skydiver and then turning to photography: "When my unit was deployed to Afghanistan, I took my camera. People kept telling me I had an eye for photography and the course at Norton has been fantastic in developing my skills," he said.

All five runners-up – Jaroslaw Bogdanowicz, Lee Durant, Hannah Kinver, Simon Mulvaney and Nick Wilkinson – were also from Norton College.
Another recent success was for former Norton trainee James Glossop, who has won the Times Nikon Young Photographer of the Year.

James, 24, beat more than 200 entrants with his portfolio which included New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg speaking at a Conservative party conference and Manchester United fans celebrating outside Old Trafford.