Student wins Google Photography Prize

A Swedish student has been named as the winner of the Google Photography Prize.

Viktor Johansson, 24, was given the accolade for a series of photographs documenting Christoffer Eskilsson, Sweden's top male 10m diver.

The competition attracted nearly 20,000 entries, with the 10 finalists showing their work at London's Saatchi Gallery from 25 April to 22 July.

The gallery's director, Nigel Hurst, described Johansson's work as "arresting and unexpected".

He said the judging panel, which included gallery curator and photography writer Susan Bright, was "overwhelmed by the array of compelling, beautiful and diverse images" which demonstrated "considerable skill and vision".

Hurst added: "Viktor Johansson has chosen to show us an alternative view, one that we are not used to seeing from sport photography in the media.

"Instead of glamorous action shots of an athlete in competition, he has produced arresting and unexpected photographs that focus on the long, lonely hours of repetitive training and practice that it takes to excel in your field."

The photo-journalism student's prize is to be mentored by a professional photographer during a trip to a destination of his choice.