Atmospheric shot wins annual photography prize
Eoghan Anderson has won the annual Scottish Woodlands staff photography competition for a beautifully atmospheric shot of a forest in Mull.
His image of the new bridge at Glenforsa was selected from a range of excellent entries by professional photographer and videographer Phil Wilkinson.
Phil said the picture by Eoghan, a Senior Forest Manager based at Lochgilphead, had “lovely light, and strong composition” He added: “It really stood out to me. The fence leads you naturally into a glorious landscape.”
The first runner-up was Jamie Reith, Business Development Manager based in Perth - for another atmospheric shot taken on the hill behind his house in Crieff, Perthshire.
Phil said: “The lovely light streaming through the tree is well-captured - and placing the sun behind the trunk is good, allowing the camera to pick out the detail in the darker areas.”
In third place was Isla Campbell, a Forest Manager in Dingwall, for her picture at Moniack looking west towards Cabrich, west of Inverness in the Highlands.
Phil said: “This picture has a strong composition and a nice balance of the sunset and detail in the shadows of the darker areas. The gate opens up the idea that you can walk into the image."
“All the top three pictures were chosen for pretty much the same reasons - lovely light and fine composition.”
David Robertson, Investment and Business Development Director with Scottish Woodlands Ltd, said: “The photography competition is a chance to remind our staff of the beautiful places we work, and to celebrate those landscapes, the forestry industry and rural communities in general.”
“We had a great response again and I’m delighted to see such an excellent winner and runners-up. Many thanks to Phil for casting his expert eye over the entries and giving great feedback."
Phil Wilkinson has worked on a number of Scottish Woodlands projects, taking photographs and producing high-quality videos across the UK - including films on the graduate development programme, a new planting site at Tipperty, and at the Royal Highland Show. He recently filmed a short video at the Confor awards dinner, including Jillian Kennedy of Scottish Woodlands, who won the Future Forestry Leader award.
Phil’s photographs still regularly appear in national newspapers, and his website is here.