The Wigan 10 Foto Club was formed 18 years ago and includes a small group of just 12 amateur and semi-professional photographers. They're the reigning Great Britain photographic club champions. But in December, they pulled off their biggest achievement when they were crowned World Club Champions by the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) - an organisation set up to promote photographic art.
![Vortex [pic: Gwen Charnock]](/manchester/content/images/2007/01/12/wigan_vortex_180_180x150.jpg) | | Vortex - by Gwen Charnock |
Gwen Charnock is one of the founder members: "We really didn't expect to get it - it's taken us by surprise! We got together 20 images between us - you couldn't have more than two images from each person. And we sent them off to FIAP. "We didn't know what these foreign judges would be wanting and off the pictures went. Then we forgot about it because obviously we thought we stood no chance. But then of course the results came back and we were stunned!" Awards Their winning portfolio includes a range of sporting, wildlife and travel photographs, featuring boxers at the Reebok, penguins in the Falklands and the tranquil beauty of the Lake District. | "We forgot about it because obviously we thought we stood no chance. But then of course the results came back and we were stunned!" | | Gwen Charnock, Wigan 10 Foto Club |
Gwen submitted two images - Deception, which shows a computer enhanced image of woman with a stone mask, and Vortex, taken on a long exposure inside a lighthouse in Brittany. And club member Marco Pozzi picked up a silver medal in the individual awards for his portrait called Lady in Green. Gwen's husband Philip, and son Christopher are also part of the winning team. Members of the group will travel to Paris to collect their award in March. | 
![Lady in Green [pic: Marco Pozzi]](/manchester/content/images/2007/01/12/wigan_10_203_203x152.jpg)
