SNAP HAPPY
A New Co l l e g e Lanarkshire lecturer has become the first academic to win the Scottish Photographer of the Year title in t h e p re s t i g i o u s British Institute of Pr o f e s s i o n a l Photography Awards (BIPP).
Lewis Napier, curriculum and quality leader for animation, art and design and photography at the Motherwell campus of the college was persuaded by his own students two weeks before the closing date to enter the competition.
At a recent glittering awards ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in Glasgow, attended by around 30 of his students, three of the five portraits entered by Lewis clinched gold, silver and bronze awards in the noncommission category.
His Lily portrait was awarded gold, with the orchid clinching silver and his portrait of Wiktoria Kwinta, entitled ‘classy attitude’ being awarded bronze.
A massive cheer then went up in the auditorium when Lewis, who has been a passionate photographer for 30 years, was prounounced Scottish Photographer of the Year for his spellbinding collection.
“It is the first time somebody in education has got Photographer of the Year,” explained Lewis, of Hamilton, who won a BIPP category award back in 1991.
“I have been a member of the BIPP for 28 years and, as someone approaching the end of their career, this is the icing on the cake for me.
“It was one of those days that you couldn’t really dream up.”