Hopefully you can do better than this!
The third annual Loch Leven Photography Competition is looking to showcase Scotland’s largest lowland loch and its countless birds and other spectacular wildlife.
Loch Leven National Nature Reserve is home to a host of spectacular sights, from the stunning scenery of the loch itself, dotted with islands and surrounded by looming hills, to the crawling, swimming and swooping array of wildlife it supports. Visitors to the loch often bring their cameras along to capture the quiet persistence of tufted ducks and teals dabbling for food, huge flocks of wintering wildfowl, and ospreys patrolling the loch in search of fish suppers. The reserve is one of the most important sites for waterfowl in Britain, attracting thousands of breeding and migratory birds every year.
Iain Jamieson, SNH reserve officer, said: “I’d encourage anyone who has a picture of Loch Leven or its fantastic wildlife to enter the contest – or why not come and visit the loch, take a walk along the heritage trail, and enjoy taking a few pictures at the same time?”
Fantastic prizes are up for grabs courtesy of The Camera Shop Perth, RSPB and Historic Scotland. Top entries will also be exhibited at RSPB Vane Farm, as well as included in a competition calendar. In both the senior (over 18) and junior (under 18) categories, first prize is compact binoculars, two tickets to Castle Island, and mystery pack of photography-related goods. Second prize is a RSPB Homes for Wildlife Pack, two tickets to Castle Island, and a mystery pack of photography-related goods. Third prize is a RSPB Homes for Wildlife Pack and a mystery pack of photography-related goods.
Professional photographer Laurie Campbell will be judging the entries before giving an evening talk at 7:30pm on 26 October in The Loch Leven room in the Green Hotel in Kinross.
The closing date is 19 October, 2010, and the contest is open to amateurs and professionals of all ages. There is no entry fee.
There is a maximum of three entries per person. Entries should be printed out in A4 size on photographic paper, along with the original digital file on a CD or original negative or slide. Please write your name and postcode on the back of your entry and include a card with your name, age on 19 October 2010, address, category, photograph title, and the date and location the picture was taken. Send entries to Loch Leven Photo Competition, SNH, The Pier, Kinross, KY13 8UF.