Skye-based photographer wins prestigious award

A SKYE-BASED photographer has won a prestigious award.

Nick Hanson has been named 2016 Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year, having beaten off fierce competition from thousands of competitors from across the world.

Originally from Dumfries and Galloway, the 44-year- old outdoor photographic guide received the runner-up prize in last year’s competition and a highly commended in 2015.

Nick said: ‘There are so many fantastic photographers out there. I am over the moon to have produced a winning portfolio.’

Nick’s winning images were shot in Skye, the Cairngorms and Glen Affric with a Canon camera. They included Glamaig Reflection which captures the snow- capped reflection of Glamaig mountain during the sunrise behind Skye’s red hills; Autumn colours, shot on a cold night by the side of Loch Pityoulish in the Cairngorms National Park; and Autumn in Glen Affric, in the great Caledonian Forest.

Glamaig Reflection also received one of the 10 Wild Places Awards, sponsored by the John Muir Trust, which owns and manages Glamaig and the surrounding land.

The competition, now in its third year, is the brainchild of Fife-based landscape photographer Stuart Low. He said: ‘Nick’s portfolio really captivated us, not only because they’re beautiful images in their own right, but also because they look at everything in our landscapes and that’s what inspires others.’

‘My interest in photography started when I was about 14,’ said Nick. ‘I bought myself a 35mm compact camera and started taking photos. It wasn’t until I moved with my parents to England at the age of 17 that I bought my first SLR camera and got into wildlife photography. My interest in landscapes returned when I moved back to Scotland.’

Nick took up the seasonal post of photographic guide on Skye in 2015 and turned his hobby into a profession. ‘Skye is one of my favourite places to photograph,’ he said, ‘and I’m thrilled one of the winning photographs was taken on the island.’