THIS touching photograph of a soldier with his young daughter saw an IW photographer win a national competition.

Steve Jones, of SJ Jones Photography, won the 2018 photo competition for ABF The Soldiers' Charity with his entry 'Daddy's Girl'.

The annual competition gains hundreds of entries every year, each capturing aspects of life in the Army.

The top 12 entries will feature in The Soldiers’ Charity’s 2019 calendar, with Steve's first place entry securing the front cover.

Steve said: “I am truly honoured to be voted overall winner and can’t quite believe it. I am a self-taught photographer who took a risk and started my business head first and full-time. To get recognition, especially amongst such incredibly talented photographers, is a fantastic achievement and I am truly grateful.

“Having recently become a new father to a little girl, I can see more clearly the sacrifice service men and women make for both their country and family.

"Knowing that my work will be used to help raise money to support these families when they need it is a wonderful feeling.

"It is a fantastic charity that really supports our service men and women and their families."

The father and daughter in the image are Paul and Nina McGregor, from Carisbrooke.

Steve said: "The photo was taken at Parkhurst Forest as part of a special Father's Day session and after receiving lots of great feedback from it, Johanna, Paul's Wife, contacted us and recommended we entered it into the competition — luckily we got it entered on the final day."

This year’s line-up of judges included British explorer, adventurer and ambassador for The Soldiers’ Charity, Levison Wood; Army Sgt Maj Glenn Haughton; and Maj Gen (Ret’d) Martin Rutledge, chief executive of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

Sgt Maj Haughton said: “These images capture everything we espouse — service, duty, bravery and national pride.”

Levison Wood said: “These wonderful photographs really encapsulate the variety of rich experience Army life has to offer. It was tough to choose, but the runners-up and the winning image were all fantastic and well-deserved.”

Steve is a full time photographer based in Newport specialising in wedding, portrait, commercial and event photography.