Forres man crowned Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year
Veteran photographer Ian Cameron, who still prefers to shoot in film rather than digital, has been announced winner of the Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year Award.
Forres-based Ian beat off strong competition from thousands of entries submitted from all over the world to win the prestigious accolade with his magnificently evocative images shot in the Highlands with his “ancient” camera.
His evocative winning images were all shot in the Highlands with what he describes as his “ancient Pentax”. They included ‘ Caramel Ice’, shot at a lonely loch side in Wester Ross as the temperature plunged to minus 25 Celsius; ‘Awakening Ben Loyal’, capturing a midsummer sunrise over Ben Loyal in Sutherland; and ‘Ceciles House’, a portrait of an old ruined home on desolate Wester Ross with a brooding An Teallach in the background.
Ian said: “I am absolutely delighted and surprised to have won. I thought the pictures I’d entered were pretty decent and that I’d do okay, but wow! I don’t enter many competitions so to win such a high accolade is definitely one of my proudest moments.”
The young photographer of the year title went to 15 year old Lewis Donaldson from Newtongrange for his image of a Steam train passing Borthwick Castle on the opening day of the Borders Railway. Lewis said: “I am really stunned but very delighted to have become Young Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year with my image of the steam train. I am so pleased they liked the image and I am so happy to have won.”
In addition to the overall title, The Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year competition consists of nine other categories, including a range of awards sponsored by supporting organisations that include Caledonian MacBrayne, Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland and the John Muir Trust.
The competition, now in its second year, seeks to promote and inspire photographers of all levels to explore Scotland’s diverse rural, urban and coastal landscapes, and to promote Scotland’s natural, cultural and historic heritage to an international audience. Winning entries will be published in a series of public exhibitions and in a special edition book that will be published on 29th February 2016
Stuart Low, the founder and head judge of the competition said: “The competition has gone from strength to strength after last year’s inaugural competition captivated the public with our best-selling book.
More than double the number of photographers entered the competition this time round – and they came from the four corners of the globe. They’ve taken to the land, the coasts and the streets, and they’ve captured the most beautiful and diverse views of our amazing country. Hats off to them all! ”
Find out more at www.slpoty.co.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
CONTACT – Stuart Low e: stuartlow1202@googlemail.com
Book
The Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year – Collection 2 by Stuart Low. £25.
ISBN: 978-0-9935413-0-8
On sale at www.slpoty.co.uk/shop/
Image use and rights
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Categories
The competition has five major categories, sponsored by Academy Class and Formatt Hitech:
Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year (overall award)
Young Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year
Best Landscape image
Best Seascape Image
Best Urban Image
Four Seasons Awards
In addition, the competition has four sponsor awards: Four sponsor awards
Caledonian McBrayne Spirit of the Sea Award
Historic Scotland Protected Places Award
Scottish Natural Heritage Protected Places Award
John Muir Trust Wild Places Awards – (x10)