A talented New College Lanarkshire graduate has been named the Scottish Photographer of the Year.
Neil McKellar, from Motherwell, completed his HND in Photography at the college earlier this year.
And not long after he took home an impressive seven awards in total at the recent British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) Scottish awards.
That included Portrait Photographer; Fine Art Photographer; Digital Manipulation Photographer; and Landscape and Travel Photographer of the year awards.
He also scooped the Self-Commissioned Portrait Photographer of the Year and Self-Commissioned Commercial Photographer of the Year gongs.
But his efforts were topped off with the Scottish Photographer of the Year award, which Neil said he is very proud of.
Neil told Lanarkshire Live : "I have always loved photography, and after a series of events occurred later in my life, it presented an opportunity for me to return to college to study it for a couple of years.
“College was a positive experience for me as I not only made some friends for life, but I was also encouraged by a couple of inspirational lecturers to keep pushing myself and my creativity.
“I finished college with the aim of making photography a career and not just a hobby, so I joined the BIPP who have given me further guidance and encouragement.
“At the BIPP Award Ceremony I was aware that I had won at least four awards, which I was more than happy with, but to then win a further three titles, one of them being Photographer of the Year, I was over the moon and in a state of disbelief.
“It has given me some confidence in my abilities and I aim to keep improving. I will see what paths open up for me, but I want to use photography in a positive manner so that it can be as much a blessing to others as it has been for me."
Neil’s winning images for each category will now go forward to the national BIPP Awards, where he’ll be up against photographers from the rest of the UK.
Lecturer Elizabeth Morton taught Neil during his time at NCL, and told us : “Neil was an exceptionally talented student and these are extremely well deserved awards – we are all delighted for him.
"Everyone here at NCL is crossing their fingers for him to take home a UK award to add to his collection.
“I would also like to congratulate Neil’s classmates Naomi Wood, who received three merit awards, and Kathleen Murdoch, David Rankin and Ana Ania, who received two merit awards each.
"Merit awards are given when an image gains above 75 marks by five different judges.”
Neil’s photography can be found on Instagram.
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