Ian Cameron's Caramel Ice taken at Loch a Chroisg, Kinlochewe, Wester Ross
A photographer who eschews modern digital equipment has snapped up first prize in a landscape competition.
Forres-based Ian Cameron, who uses what he calls his ‘ancient Pentax’ was judged the winner of the Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year.
Cameron, who shoots on film, beat off strong competition from thousands of entries submitted from all over the world to win the accolade with his evocative images shot in the Highlands.
His images included Caramel Ice, shot at a lonely lochside in Wester Ross as the temperature plunged to -25C; 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.
He 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.”
Lewis Donaldson's stam train passing Borthwick Castle, Midlothian
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 29 February.
Stuart Low, 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.”
More details are on the competition website.
