Photographer wins top award twice

One of Sean Clee's pictures of troops preparing to board a Chinook

A Royal Navy photographer from Plymouth has won the Navy's top award for his profession for the second year running.

The annual prize for Royal Navy Photographer of the Year rewards excellence among naval photographers.

Petty Officer Sean Clee, who was a keen amateur photographer, spent 10 years as an Able Seaman before changing career.

PO Clee was recognised for his work covering the war in Afghanistan where he was deployed with the Royal Marines for six months.

There is a natural tendency to feel invincible with a camera in your hand Petty Officer Sean Clee

He was given access to be in the middle of the conflict because of his experience working with Royal Marines, including the first Gulf War when he worked with the amphibious task group commander and landed in southern Iraq.

He said he felt "privileged" to have been accepted by the Marines on the frontline.

"I was out there taking risks with my life on a daily basis and could have been killed many times during fire-fights, but you just concentrate on getting the best images you can," he said.

"There is also a natural tendency to feel invincible with a camera in your hand," he added.

PO Clee is now photographic section manager at the Fleet Photographic Unit in Devonport, Plymouth.

He is believed to be the first person to have won the award twice.