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SCOTTISH SEABIRD CENTRE NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

vetreportDecember 13, 2013

Seabird Centre announces finalists: Exhibition of shortlisted images now open

The award-winning Scottish Seabird Centre has announced the finalists in its Nature Photography Awards. Now in their eighth year, the awards attracted a record level of entries across the seven categories involved, and more than 100 stunning images of flora and fauna from across the globe have been shortlisted, and are now on display in a colourful exhibition within the Centre.

Included in the exhibition are some incredible wildlife images from locations around the world including a brown bear mother and her cubs taken in Alaska, a group of macaques taking a natural spa treatment in Japan and some wonderful Scottish wildlife images featuring such well-loved creatures as  puffins, red squirrels, red deer and ospreys. Locations featured range from East Lothian and Perthshire to the Antarctic and Arizona.

Entries were received from amateur photographers across Scotland, the rest of the UK, and internationally, with images submitted from Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Hungary and the USA.

The judges – Lorne Gill, the award-winning official photographer at Scottish Natural Heritage, outstanding freelance photographer Graham Riddell and Scottish Field editor Richard Bath – were hugely impressed by the standard of entries and the creative approach shown by the photographers.

The exhibition is open to the public until 31 January 2014, and members of the public are being invited to vote for their favourite. The image with the most public votes will then be awarded the People’s Choice Award.

Tom Brock OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said:

‘We’re delighted to have received a record number of entries this year, and are also thrilled by the incredibly high standard of the images submitted. Given that the competition is only open to amateur photographers, the quality of the entries is stunning.  These amazing photographs will inspire everyone who sees them. Whether the images are closely observed shots that capture flora and fauna in detail or sweeping landscapes that take a creative approach, the one thing they all have in common is that they demonstrate outstanding skill in highlighting our amazing natural environment.’

Lorne Gill added:

‘This is my first year on the judging panel for the Nature Photography Awards and I have been tremendously impressed by the high standard of the images submitted, both in terms of content and the technical skill shown. All photographers whose work has been shortlisted should be very proud, as the standard has been excellent. I hope that members of the public will come and see the exhibition of the shortlisted images. I think they’ll find it hugely enjoyable and thought provoking. It will definitely make them want to head to the great outdoors to capture some nature photography shots of their own. It’s particularly encouraging to see such superb entries submitted in the Juniors category. Some of our young entrants could well be the photographers of tomorrow and it’s fantastic that the Seabird Centre’s competition has inspired them to capture nature in such imaginative ways.’

The shortlist in each category is as follows (please note some people are shortlisted for more than one image):

Landscape: Alistair White; Bruce Ponder; Gary Killon; Grant McCullough; John Mackle; Magdolna Gyoni; Pui Hang Miles; Rob Schulze; Ronnie Mitchell; Ruth Mitchell; Shelley Skipton Knight; Tom Gardner; Robin Tolladay; Paul Collins

Worldwide Wildlife: Bruce Ponder; Chinedu Okpara; Douglas Gregor; Heather Kerr; Joe Burn; John Horsley; Luca van Duran; Neil MacGregor; Pui Hang Miles;  Russell Childs; Tom Houslay; William Backhouse; Ally Hansen; Shelley Skipton-Knight; David Bradshaw

Scottish Wildlife: Bob Humphreys; Alec Trusler; Barry Forbes; Bob Humphreys; David Miles; David Wolfenden; Fiona Govan; James Gebbie; Marilyn Young; Neil MacGregor; Rob Schulze; Ronnie Mitchell; Sue Dudley; Tom Gardner

Creative Visions of Nature: Alastair White; Andrew McNeish; David Wolfenden; Fiona Govan; Katrina Martin; Liz Wheelans; Lolly Twigg; Neil MacGregor; Paul Collins; Ruth Mitchell; Samantha Twigg; Tom Gardner

Environmental Impact: Alastair White; Ann Jeffray; Dave Bradshaw; Luis Martin; Luca van Duran; Malcolm Davidson; Michael Connor; Nat Spring; Robin Tolladay; Shelley Shipton Knight; Tom Gardner

World Flora: Alan Johnstone; Allan Tunnock; Andrew McNeish; Ann Jeffary; Bruce Ponder; Caroline Delany; Fiona Govan; Frances Butler; Katrina Martin;

Magdolna Gyoni; Peter McClean; Sue Dudley; John Greene

Junior: Alfie Kidner; Brandon Grant; Calum Hind; Catherine Sim; Ella Spring;  Georgina Thompson; Holly Woodman; Imogen Kell; Inga Zurhelle; Isla Sneddon; Oliver Stevens; Orley Mowat; Rab Ellis; Samantha Twigg; Bea Booth; Sophie Bickerton; Finn Zurhelle

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Scottish Seabird Centre in February 2014. For more information on the awards visit www.seabird.org

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