2010 Nature Photography Competition

Prize Winners Feedback

1st place winner - Barn owl taken by Paul Cook
Principal exhibition judge, Lorne Gill

Barn Owls are seldom seen during daylight hours in Scotland so it was lovely to see Paul’s portrait photograph of this magnificent barn owl. Taken in the fading half light as it waits for darkness to fall before taking to the skies to hunt for its prey, it gives us a fleeting glimpse into its world. Perfectly framed and captured.

Paul: “This wild barn owl is a regular visitor to a site just a short walk from my house and has become quite used to the camera. He always looks so sad and lonely as he sits alone in the shadows, yet at night you can regularly hear him calling to his mate”.

2nd place winner - The old fisherman of Leith taken by Lee Howell
Principal exhibition judge, Lorne Gill

Herons are wonderful birds that are regular visitors to our lochs and shores. Like all wildlife those that are town dwellers become confident in their urban surroundings. Lee’s photograph gives us the chance to study the bird in all its finery with his choice of exposure blurring the water to create a soft and flowing background giving prominence to the bird.

Lee: “It was at the end of a long and pretty fruitless day out photographing when I happened upon this magnificent heron fishing the wear on the Water of Leith. I new the photo would become a firm favourite of mine as soon as I had taken it. The wise old bird was kind enough to stand very proud and still for me so as I could use a slow shutter speed to soften the water tumbling over the wear.

I don’t think this would have been possible with any other Scottish wildlife species never mind bird, he made my day that afternoon and I went home with a smile”.

3rd place winner - Lomond tree by Radek Nowacki

Scotland is well known for its heritage trees so it was delightful to see Radek’s stunning image of a Scot’s pine tree taken on Loch Lomondside. He has given a lot of thought to his execution of the image through the use of black and white infra red film and an old darkroom process called lith printing, this works well giving the tree a historic timeless quality. It’s refreshing to see photographers using darkroom processes in this digital age.

Radek: “My idea was to create a unique gallery of trees around my living area on north and south parts of Scotland. I was looking for extraordinary trees with amazing shapes and placed on interesting locations”.