Festival Photographic Competition 2010

18 Jan 2010

The winners and runners-up in the Festival Photograph Competition are announced.

There were 144 entries for the Benromach Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Photographic Competition. From the total entries, 53 images were selected for the final judging from which the overall winner and the 3 category winners and runners up would be selected.

The judging panel led by Allan Gawlthorpe, the past President of the Scottish Photographic Federation were very impressed with the overall quality of the images entered in the 3 Categories:

Seasons of Speyside
Spirit of Speyside
People of Speyside

The overall winner of the Competition was David Langan of Lossiemouth with his image "Breakwater" taken just after the sun set at Lossiemouth Harbour. David was also the overall winner of the competition in 2009 and with his stunning submission "Storm over the Barley". David's ambition is to become a professional photographer and he was delighted to have won this competition for the second year, which he considers to be "One of the most prestigious photographic competitions in the North East".

Winner of the Season's Category and also the runner up was James Gordon. James, a keen amateur photographer, is based in Nethy Bridge and has an eye for a stunning photograph. The winning image "Creeping Shadows" was taken at Loch Mallachie by Boat of Garten in Strathspey; the runner up was "All Wrapped Up" also taken at Boat of Garten.

Winner in the Spirit Category was Alan Butterfield, the current Chairman of the Moray Camera Club with his image "Worth Waiting For? Taken in one of the Glen Moray Warehouses, this image symbolises one of the most important aspects of whisky making - Maturation. Runner up was festival stalwart Allan Adam with his image "At the Steamie" taken at the Speyside Cooperage. Allan always seems to be at the centre of the action, wherever that is!

Winner in the People Category was Allan Adam with his image of a well-known "Speyside Potter" at work. Allan's winning streak in the Spirit of Speyside Competition spans the last 3 years. He always looks forward to the competition - It's his favourite. Runner up in this category was Patsy Grant of Forres with her image "Tommy and Morgan in Harness" a wonderful image reflecting the bygone days of ploughing with horses before the age of mechanisation.

22 images from the finalists have been selected to form a travelling exhibition to promote the Festival. The exhibition will be launched at the Scottish Parliament on 28 January 2010, then move to the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh for the month of February. The exhibition will then return to Speyside and will be on display at Johnstons of Elgin during March.

Winners and Exhibitors SOSWF Benromach Photographic Competition 2010