Snapper on crest of a wave with latest award nomination
A HALKIRK photographer has been nominated in the 2014 Highlands and Islands Media Awards for taking one of the best photographs of the year.
James Gunn has been shortlisted for the Top Shot of the Year at the awards ceremony in Inverness next month.
His photograph of Luis Eyre hanging on to his board while in mid air during the UK Pro Surf Tour Championships at Thurso is one of three images which will be considered by judges for the award.
Mr Gunn (52), a senior technical official at Dounreay, who has worked as a semi-professional photographer for six years, was delighted to be nominated.
“I have been covering surfing competitions in Caithness since 2007,” he said.
“Firstly it was with the O’Neills Coldwater Classic event and latterly with the Scottish Surfing Championships and the UK Pro Surf Tour Championships,” he said.
“Surfing is a sport which can be spectacular for photographers to capture images when they get it right, but it is dependent on good waves, good surfers and decent light.
“This is the first time I have been nominated for a Highlands and Islands Media Award. I have a one-in-three chance of winning and the decision will be up to the judges.”
Mr Gunn is no stranger to success for his photography work. He won the The Societies’ 2012 Sports Photographer of the Year award for his image of a mud-splattered Hamish Coghill being hit in the face with a hand while playing for Caithness RFC.
It was the third year in a row Mr Gunn won an award at that event and he has also been runner-up at the Scottish Press Awards.