The Scottish Nature Photography Awards announces winners

A seabird stands on a mossy cliff amidst swirling particles of mist, illuminated by soft golden light.

Celebrating its landmark 15th anniversary, the Scottish Nature Photography Awards spotlight the nature, landscapes, and rich wildlife diversity of Scotland. The winning images not only showcase unique perspectives on wildlife and nature but also inspire a deeper appreciation for the natural world, with some highlighting critical environmental issues that affect it.

This year's competition features eight categories within the "Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year" section. Additionally, including Student and Junior categories offers opportunities for young, emerging talent to share their unique visions and experiences. For some of the winners this year, it was even their first time entering a competition.

Here are some highlights from the Scottish Nature Photography Awards, along with the stories and photographic techniques behind them…

(Image credit: Nicki Gwynn-Jones)

Scottish Wildlife Portrait Category +
Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2024
1st: Nicki Gwynn-Jones – Fulmar with Golden Raindrops

Nicki explains that winter in Orkney can illuminate nature in a magical light. On a December day, she experienced rain, sleet, snow, and sunshine all at once, which provided her with a beautiful backdrop and the hope of capturing fulmars in flight at Longaglebe Geo. The winter light created deep shadows and stunning golden hues.

She says, "I turned around and spotted a fulmar at rest in the geo behind me, and at the same moment the sun appeared from behind the clouds, bathing the fulmar in a shower of back-lit golden raindrops. Happy photographer."

Natural Abstract Category, 1st: Brian Nicholson - Frozen, he says, "I vividly remember the bitterly cold spell in January 2024, when sub-zero temperatures gripped the area. I had a plan to visit Gladhouse Reservoir, near to my home, to look for patterns/textures in the frozen water" (Image credit: Brian Nicholson)

Scottish Wildlife Behaviour Category, 1st: John Cobham - Wasps Feeding Frenzy (Image credit: John Cobham)

(Image credit: Ruaridh Mitchell)

Environmental Category
1st: Ruaridh Mitchell - Too Late

Ruaridh embarked on his photography journey just last year but has quickly made a mark by winning the Environmental category at the Scottish Nature Photography Awards with an impressive and poignant image.

Captured during a boat trip around the breathtaking Isle of Noss in Shetland, his powerful photograph tells a heartbreaking story. Ruaridh reflects, "I witnessed the devastating impact of human activity on wildlife. A northern gannet, tragically entangled in discarded fishing rope, hung lifelessly from its nest – a nest itself woven with the very material that had caused its demise."

Ruaridh describes the process of capturing this image as both challenging and deeply emotional and hopes that this image serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for action to protect our wildlife and preserve the natural world.

Scottish Landscape - Sea and Coast Category, 1st: Douglas Bruce - Evening Light, Luskentyre (Image credit: Douglas Bruce)

Scottish Landscape - Urban Greenspace Category, 1st: Anthony Robson - Paved Paradise, Put Up a Parking Lot (Image credit: Anthony Robson)

(Image credit: Callum McKenzie)

(Image credit: Callum McKenzie)

(Image credit: Callum McKenzie)

Student Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2024
Callum McKenzie – Avian Pairs Portfolio
HND Photography, Glasgow Kelvin College

Among the fresh talents is Callum McKenzie, marking an exciting milestone in his artistic journey. He says, "This is the first photography competition I have entered, and having my work recognised in this way is truly inspiring."

His work highlights various aspects of avian relationships. 'Love Birds,' 'Puffin Protest,' and 'Flying Duo' are three wildlife images that demonstrate his technical understanding of photography. In Love Birds, the shallow depth of field emphasizes the two birds, while the framing technique in Puffin Protest adds dynamism and interest through perspective and foreground elements, showcasing the playful interaction of wildlife. His knowledge of wildlife is particularly evident in Flying Duo, where he skillfully captures two red kites in flight, perfectly synchronized.

Junior Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2024: Kiran Simpson (age 13) - Feathers and Ripples, Judge Charles Everitt says, "It’s unusual to find a robin interacting with the surface of such a large expanse of water, so this photograph immediately jumped out at me" (Image credit: Kiran Simpson)

Scottish Botanical category, 1st: James Lynott - Fifeness Shallow Seaweeds, James captured this image of thong weed (Himanthalia elongate) in the shallows at Fifeness, full of many species of seaweeds and kelp (Image credit: James Lynott)

Scottish Landscape - The Land Category, 1st: Adrian Metzelaar - Alligin, Adrian’s shooting morning started with sleet and hail, he adds, "Slowly it started to clear, breaking up in the most dramatic and elegant way, giving depth and richness to this already unbelievable scene" (Image credit: Adrian Metzelaar)

Scottish Nature Video Award 2024: Richard Nicholls - July 19 2022, Judge Morag Paterson says, "I was really impressed by this video – it’s a brilliant showcase of peatland restoration in Scotland, with great production and a strong human touch" (Image credit: Richard Nicholls)

(Image credit: Bryan Millar Walker/Greenfinch/Quercus (Cover image Unseen_Scotland) )

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