A PHOTOGRAPHER from Widnes has picked up two prestigious awards for his creative work.

Mike Evans, of Evolutionary Images portrait studio in Widnes, has won the top prizes in an industry competition for his photography skills.

Mike, who owns the lifestyle photography business, won both the teen and dance portrait categories at the Xperience group awards ceremony.

He is one of 10 winners in this year’s annual Xperience awards, selected from more than 5,500 entries.

His subjects, dancer Louise Rigby from Liverpool and teenager Talia Mistry from Manchester, have both won a wall portrait of their image worth £500 each.

Mike said: "There was such a high standard to compete against for the awards and picking up these trophies is not just a win for me, it’s a win for my clients who allow me to enter their photos in the competition.

"Without them, there wouldn’t be two shiny trophies sitting on the studio shelf."

Xperience chief trainer Mark Cleghorn, developed the awards to challenge members of The Xperience Group, made up of over 100 photographic studios from the UK and Ireland to make the photographers step outside their comfort zones.

He said: "Smartphone technology makes it even harder for the professional photographer today.

"That is why we should always inspire our clients more than anything else, and through mastery of light and imagination we give them unique art for their homes.

"I was blown away by the standard of entries this year from the Xperience photographers, and Mike’s winning portraits were unanimous with the judging panel.

"The portraits are full of emotion and intrigue with trendy composition and technique."

All of the winners will now have their work displayed on promotional material at trade shows and events across the UK.