Substance Abuse

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Bevil Templeton-Smith, United Kingdom
• Website
  https://www.bevilts.art
• Instagram
  @bevilts

I have been photographing for more than 20 years. I am drawn to photographing difficult or challenging subjects (astrophotography, extreme macro, ferrofluid structures etc).

During the lockdowns bought several ~50y old research microscopes. These have been configured with polarising filters, and homemade photo tubes and adapters, and used to allow my camera to capture the wonders of the shapes, patterns and wild colours of crystals of various substances (often sweeteners) in polarised light.

Some of these were included in Polychromo, a successful joint exhibition in London in March 2023.

I have been photographing for more than 20 years. I am drawn to making photographs of things that are challenging or difficult to capture (astrophotography, extreme macro, ferrofluid structures etc).

During the lockdowns I bought several old research microscopes. Configured with polarising filters, and cobbled-together photo tubes and adapters, with my camera I have captured a series of wonders of the shapes, patterns and wild colours of crystals of various substances in polarised light.

16 of these were selected for inclusion in a successful exhibition called Polychromo in March 2023

Awards • International Photography Awards (IPA) 2023 - Winner of non professional Fine Art Photographer of the Year
• IMACRES Awards - 12/11/23 - Honorable Mention in Fine Art photography
• The Artist Gallery awards - Honourable mention
• ND Awards 2023 - 19/11/23 - Honourable mention
• Close up photographer of the year (CUPOTY) 2023 - Shortlisted
• Motifcollection Symmetry - Shortlisted
• Chromatic Awards - 18/12/23 -Honorable Mention
• Minimalist Photography Awards 2023 - Honourable mention in Abstract
• Annual Photo Awards - 18/02/24 - Honourable mention in Abstract
• One Eyeland - 01/03/24 - Columna Reborn ranked as finalist
• Fotofestival Lenzburg - 30/03/24 - Columna Reborn one of 54 winners
• Fine Art Photo Awards - 07/04/24 - Columna Reborn ranked as Nominee
• Refocus Awards - 23/04/24 - Honorable Mention in abstract, and Nominee in Fine Art
• 1839 Awards - 11/06/24 - Nominee
• Px3 Prix de la Photographie Paris - 16/08/24 - Honorable Mention
• Vienna International Photo Awards VIEPA 2024 - 25/09/24 - Honorable Mention
• European Photo Exhibition (EPEX) - 25/10/24 - 3 x Honorable Mention
• Budapest International Photo Awards - 04/12/24 - Gold
• Chromatic Awards 2024 - 22/12/24 - Second Place in Professional - Abstract
• ND Awards 2024 - 24/11/24 - Third place in professional Fine Art Abstract
• Tokyo International Foto Awards - 06/01/25 - Gold
• Fine Art Photography Awards 2025 - 13/04/25 - Nominee
• BeStillMedia Prompt #25 - 01/05/25 - Finalist
Circle Foundation - 16/06/25 - Honorable Mention