Press release -
Photo finish!
After filtering through thousands of entries from across the globe, Craig Aitchison from Kirkintilloch, has won the first ever Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year competition.
The competition which was endorsed by VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation, was the brainchild of Fife-based landscape photographer Stuart Low and celebrates the beauty of Scotland’s breathtaking scenery.
Craig’s winning portfolio of images consisted of three stunning shots of a Buachaille Etive Mor snow scene, Loch Etive and a rainbow over Loch Tulla.
In the individual categories, Brian Kerr, from Carlisle, won the Best Landscape award for his stunning shot of Threave Castle in Dumfries & Galloway, while Willem Vlotman from Aberdeen won the Best Seascape category for his dramatic image of the lighthouse at Aberdeen Harbour. Donald Cameron, from Perth, captured a striking shot of the Falkirk Wheel which collected the Best Urban award.
With a prize fund of £10,000 and supported by Academy Class and Formatt-Hitech, the competition was timed to coincide with the spectacular colours of the Scottish autumn. The competition opened for entries on Tuesday 15th October and closed on Tuesday 18th November 2014.
Craig Aitchison, photographer and overall winner said:
"I am surprised and delighted to hear that I have been awarded the prestigious title of Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year. From the beginning my number one photographic inspiration has always been Scotland’s unique landscape. To a photographer it has the perfect ingredients that can, at times, produce real moments of magic and it is these singular moments that I strive to capture on film to the very best of my ability. Winning this award is a dream come true.”
Stuart Low, organiser of the competition, said:
“It’s been a truly amazing experience to create this competition. At times it’s been nothing short of exhausting but to actually see it through has been one of the best experiences I could have hoped for. We had entries from across the globe and trying to decide a winner from thousands of achingly beautiful images was just agonising at times. I’ve always known there are amazingly talented photographers out there who promote Scotland through their images and the competition has proven this to be the case. It’s shown me that Scotland really is a world class destination for photography and I’m positive that when people see the book of winning images, it will inspire other photographers to come here and capture our amazing views”
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland:
“With over 11,000km of coastline, hundreds of islands, majestic mountains and beautiful canals, rivers and lochs, Scotland’s landscape and distinct geography makes for the perfect photographer’s playground. From the Scottish Borders to the Shetland Islands, we have a worldwide reputation for our natural beauty, with people coming from far and wide to witness our spectacular landscapes.
“Congratulations to all the entrants on their extremely high-quality images, we hope the competition will encourage even more people to get out there and explore the beauty that lies right on our doorstep.”
The overall winner, category winners and those commended will also have their work showcased in an upcoming exhibition, book and postcards.
More information on the Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year can be found here: http://www.slpoty.co.uk/
For further information contact:
Stuart Low – Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year organiser - stuartlow1202@googlemail.com
or
Jack Gorman
Corporate Press Officer
Tel: 0131 472 2283
jack.gorman@visitscotland.com
Out of hours media enquiries: 07699 766986
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Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, the tourism economy supports 270,000 jobs in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the tourism economy contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business tourism in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
Year of Food and Drink 2015
- 2015 is the Year of Food and Drink, a celebration of Scotland’s natural larder and the role that food and drink plays in shaping our economic success.
- Scotland generates over £2.5m per day through food and drink tourism.
- A series of themed months will create an appetite for key areas of Scotland’s food and drink industries – from seafood and whisky to berries and high-quality meat
- For more information, visit www.visitscotland.com/foodanddrink
