How would you describe the year from the point of a news photographer?

This year has been non-stop but that’s exactly what you want as a news photographer. It keeps you on your toes and pushes you to tell the story in the best possible way.

Passersby react as an anti-Brexit demonstrator waves flags outside the Houses of Parliament on 10 September.

I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in some really interesting stories, including Cambridge Analytica, the Salisbury poisoning, a royal baby, two royal weddings, Donald Trump’s working visit to the UK, the World Cup, the Pope’s visit to Ireland, the migrant caravan in Mexico and, of course, Brexit. Each and every one of them was very different, often challenging but equally as rewarding.

Pope Francis laughs as he leaves St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral during his visit to Dublin on 25 August.

Dries Mertens of Belgium in action with Panama’s José Luis Rodriguez (left) and Erick Davis during the World Cup Group G match between Belgium and Panama at Fisht Stadium, Sochi, Russia on 18 June.

What was your favourite assignment?

My favourite assignment this year was the World Cup, it was so exciting to be covering a story that had such a global interest, particularly coming from England, where World Cup fever was as big as it was in Russia. Knowing the pictures you’re taking are being seen all over the world is all you want from a story, and the World Cup did exactly that.

England fans watch Croatia v England in Flat Iron Square, London on 11 July.

Brazil’s Alisson talks to the media, England fans look dejected after Croatia’s first goal.

A migrant, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America, climbs the border fence between Mexico and the United States in Tijuana, Mexico on 18 November.

What is the best image you took or one that touched you – is there a story behind this?

My favourite image I took this year was one taken while on my second visit to Mexico covering the migrant caravan. It was the first time in my life I’d seen an actual physical border between two countries. Amazed and fascinated by its existence, I was drawn to spending time at the border fence. It was taken on my first day in Tijuana, I’d been sitting on the beach in front of the fence for about an hour just absorbing my surroundings. It was very busy with locals and tourists enjoying the good weather on the beautiful Mexican beach, so I didn’t expect to witness anything related to the story, but then I spotted a male migrant take his shoes off and he began to climb the fence.

It was surreal, I’d travelled over 1,000 km with the caravan as they made their way through Mexico to the US border so that moment and this picture sum up the story for me.

Rosa Julia Romero, a four-year-old migrant girl from Honduras, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America trying to reach the United States, wears her mother’s shoes as she walks through a temporary shelter after heavy rainfall in Tijuana, Mexico on 29 November.

Migrants, part of a caravan of thousands travelling from Central America en route to the United States, walk along a roadside in Juchitán on 31 October.

Nancy Alejandra, an 11-year-old migrant girl from Honduras, sleeps on the roadside as she waits to board a bus to Mexico City from Córdoba, Mexico on 5 November. Right; A migrant rests on the roadside in Tapanatepec on 28 October.

Fernando Velosque, a six-year-old boy from Honduras, lies on the ground in front of Mexican riot police outside the El Chaparral port of entry on 22 November.

Are there any communities that you have made relationships with in your work as a photojournalist?

Working with the migrant caravan this year was the most amount of time I’ve spent with any one community as a photojournalist, some of them were wonderful people who were very welcoming. As an outsider looking in, it’s important to build a rapport with people, to be invited into their world because it helps you get the most out of the story.

A man covers his face as he runs from teargas thrown by the US border patrol near the fence between Mexico and the United States in Tijuana on 25 November.

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, ride a horse-drawn carriage after their wedding ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

Do you approach stories in a particular way? How do you approach switching between completely different stories and places?

The thing I’ve learnt the most about this job is to approach every story with an open mind because you really never know what is going to happen next with it. When people are involved, you just have to let them do their thing and the pictures will follow.

Supporters of the royal family celebrate outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s hospital. Right: Claire Ptak, the owner of Violet Bakery in Hackney, east London, puts the finishing touches to the cake for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

One of the best things about this job is the variety that comes with it. Every day is totally different and switching between stories so quickly keeps your mind and your pictures fresh.

Andrew Mitchell (centre), a former Conservative party chief whip, speaks to former attorney general Dominic Grieve (left), as an anti-Brexit protester stands near them opposite the Houses of Parliament in London on 10 May.

Theresa May prepares to speak outside 10 Downing Street after a confidence vote by Conservative party MPs on 12 December.

It’s not unusual to be photographing the prime minister walking out of 10 Downing Street one day and then sat getting wet at Stamford Bridge for a Chelsea game the next, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. I think that says a lot about my attention span!

Stormzy performs at the Brit Awards at the O2 Arena in London on 21 February.

Dua Lipa performs at the Champions League Final in Kiev on 26 May.

Jeremy Corbyn delivers his speech at the party’s conference in Liverpool on 26 September..

Nurses Josephine Warner and Hannah Hall work in the nurses’ station in ward 24 at Milton Keynes university hospital.

Aside from the news-driven material – were there any features in particular that you were most proud of?

The feature I shot that I’m most proud of this year is one called: Pride and worry, Britain’s free health service turns 70, the beginning of an ongoing project illustrating life within the NHS. I worked in an NHS hospital while I was studying to become a photographer so it’s something I’d wanted to shoot for quite some time.

Donald Ritson lies in bed in ward 24 in Milton Keynes university hospital on 22 May.

“I’ve had so many things go wrong with my body in the past four and a half years that it’s just incredible that one organisation can cure so many things and treat me so kindly, efficiently and for free. It’s just astonishing,” said Ritson. He remembers what it was like before the state-funded NHS when healthcare was beyond the reach of many people because they could not afford to pay doctors’ fees.

I can remember my brother being ill and my parents being unable to afford to go to a doctor, so they tried to treat it themselves, We could never go back to that sort of system. Cradle to grave, it’s not a bad idea Donald Ritson

Patients participate in a physiotherapy class in the hydrotherapy pool. Right: a surgical team prepare a patient before performing an operation.

Theresa May and the US president, Donald Trump, walk away after holding a joint news conference at Chequers near Aylesbury on 13 July.

Behind a photograph

This was the third and final time I was photographing Donald Trump during his working visit to the UK. I’d noticed he had a tendency to hold Theresa May by the hand when they used stairs, so I lay on the floor for 15 minutes waiting for the pair to exit via some steps. As they did, Trump took May by the arm and shouted over his shoulder: “Yes” in response to the question: “Mr President, will you tell Putin to stay out of the US elections?”

France’s Kevin Mayer celebrates winning the men’s heptathlon at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham on 3 March.

Police officers in hazmat suits search the river and Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury on 19 July.

Model Madeline Stuart, who has Down’s syndrome, is prepared backstage before the Colleen Morris spring/summer 2019 presentation at London Fashion Week on 15 September.

A cyclist crosses Westminster Bridge in the snow on 28 February.

After weeks of hot weather, man flies a kite in Greenwich Park, London on 25 July.

Miao Rong Lu, 68, swims in the sea at the Sai Wan Swimming Shed in Hong Kong on 5 October.

Rong Lu said she has been coming to the swimming shed for 30 years.