An Exmouth teenager’s career in photography is taking off in a flash.

Tom Coleman, 15, of Madeira Villas, hadn’t even picked up a camera seriously until February this year, and has never had a photography lesson.

Despite this, his talents were quickly spotted when he entered the Exmouth Festival Young Photography project, and since then he has built up an impressive portfolio, including the photos here.

He has also become the youngest photographer ever to address a meeting of Exmouth Photo Group.

Tom said: “I was never serious about photography until I got my DSLR camera in January, and I started taking that seriously in February.

“I’ve taken pictures before, but now it’s about taking good or interesting pictures.”

Tom has been unable to study photography at school as Exmouth Community College doesn’t offer a photography course until A-Level.

However, he has picked up some tips by following other photographers from photo sharing website Flickr.

“I’d like to carry on with it, do it at A-Level, then possibly do a degree or apprenticeship.

“I think it’s inevitable I’ll be a photographer because I take a camera everywhere I go – if I don’t have a camera and then see something I want to photograph, it feels weird.”

The festival project’s co-ordinator Bryan Webb said: “Tom’s commitment to and interest in photography is truly impressive, as, of course, are his photographic images. The Exmouth Photo Group members really engaged in his presentation and admired his interest and photographs.”

To see more of Tom’s work, visit www.flickr.com/photos/tompcoleman.