SNPA 2020 Winners Revealed
March 31, 2021Well what year it’s been and our connection with nature has never felt more important
The annual Scottish Nature Photography Awards has provided yet another round of striking entries and is something that is definitely going to deliver on the positive vibes we so much need after an awful year of covid! The judging panel this year consisted of photographers Mhairi Law, Charlie Phillips and Niall Irvine, with a wealth of environmental, abstract, botanical, wildlife and landscape images to choose from.
Charles Everitt was our overall winner this year with his beautiful ‘Taking Root’, an image of a Pink Purslane rooted in the base of a tree, which also won the ‘Scottish Botanical’ category.
Charles said: “It came as a huge and wonderful surprise to learn that I had won the Scottish Nature Photography Awards 2020 competition and I’m very grateful to the judges for picking my image. Now over a decade old, the contest has firmly established itself as Scotland’s premier nature photography competition which makes it all the more of an honour to be named as this year’s winner.
“The Water of Leith is a wonderful little river that starts in the Pentland Hills and flows through the city of Edinburgh. Well managed by its own Conservation Trust, the river has become a corridor for fauna and flora as it flows through both woodland and urban environments.
“While walking in a wooded area along the banks of the Water of Leith just outside Edinburgh, I noticed a pocket of Pink purslane rooted in the base of a tree beside the river. I returned the next day and was blessed with dappled sunlight so just needed to wait until the flowers became illuminated. Scotland has a wide range of wild flowers and I always enjoy the challenge to try to capture their beauty.”
Judge Niall Irvine said: “This image draws you in. The purslane is nestled in its own miniature landscape of the old tree roots, highlighted by that wonderful dappled light. It takes sensitive observation to see the potential in this plant growing wild. Charles has distilled its story into a quietly powerful image.”
Max Eve has won the Junior category for the second year in a row with this image titled ‘Coral Beach’.
Max said: “I wanted to create an image showing detail of a rocky outcrop in the sea, with the distant mountains of Raasay and Skye beyond. I chose a very long exposure to simplify the image, removing detail of clouds in the sky and waves in the water. The aim was to concentrate attention on the rocks and mountains beyond. The very light coloured coral sands beneath the water help the subject stand out. I was pleased with the result and very happy it has now been recognised.”
Emily Grace Cassidy took the top spot in the Student category for her portfolio titled ’Hazen Rays of Winter’s Encroaching Grasp’.
Emily said: “It was in that strange part of winter where the sun was already setting at 3pm and my sister and I went for a walk at Morton Lochs. A thick mist settled as the sun set, and we were privy to a gorgeous array of rays and beams of light emanating from behind the silhouettes of trees laid bare by winter. With nippy fingers on the camera (my gloves forgotten at home) it was assuredly not autumn any more…
“I feel incredibly lucky, firstly to simply have been able to witness and capture such beautiful natural light as it transpired before me and secondly to have been awarded Student Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2020. My heartfelt thanks to the judges for selecting this work, and recognising in it the beautiful interplay of nature and light I sought to capture. I greatly appreciate this honour, thank you!”
Judge Mhairi Law said: “It was a pleasure to judge the Student category for the Scottish Nature Photography Awards. The responses to the theme of ‘natural light’ were creative and right on point. Emily Cassidy’s Hazen Rays of Winter’s Encroaching Grasp stood out as a succinct body of work that had variation and interest. Her keen eye and technical grasp of her medium meant she created strong and balanced images of rich colour and subtle detail that unfolded itself the more I viewed them. One to watch!”
Paul Carpenter was crowned winner in the Nature Video category, with his film ’Hare Today, Hare Tomorrow’ and also snatched second place with ‘The Year The World Shut Down’.
Paul said: “To understand the depth of delight this award gives me (and my family) people would have to know about the sadness we have felt, not just of the lockdowns, losing jobs etc., but also trying to accept me living with cancer and hoping the chemo I am presently having prolongs my life.
“Hare Today, Hare Tomorrow?, is a video of hope. Hope that has since happened, regarding the protection of mountain hares, creating a double plus for me in a world full of uncertainty, as covered in the second placed video, The Year The World Shut Down.
“Thank you for boosting my hope, for boosting my will to live, for dismissing my uncertainty and letting me know that my best IS more than good enough.”
