James shortlisted for Sports Photographer of the Year honour
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Caithness freelance photographer James Gunn has been recognised again at national level for the quality of his sports action pictures.
He is one of five on the shortlist for Sports Photographer of the Year at the 41st Scottish Press Awards, organised by the Scottish Newspaper Society.
It is the sixth time James has been shortlisted, having been runner-up in 2009 and a finalist in 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
His expertly captured images of football, rugby and other sports have appeared regularly in the John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier over the years
The winners were due to be announced at a ceremony in Glasgow on April 23, hosted by former BBC Scotland newsreader Jackie Bird, but the event has now been pencilled in for September.
James (58) is shortlisted alongside Ian Macnicol (Getty Images), Garry McHarg (Daily Record), Bill Murray (SNS Group Agency) and Robert Perry (European Pressphoto Agency).
It just goes to show that the action and emotions in sport are just as exciting and powerful at grassroots level as they are in city stadiums.
The Scottish Press Awards are the top awards for the newspaper industry, in both print and digital formats. There has been a record number of entries this year.
James, who lives at Harpsdale, said: "It is a great honour to be recognised by the Scottish Newspaper Society for my sports action photography. When I started in 2008 I never dreamed that I would be rubbing shoulders with the full-time professionals at national award ceremonies.
"It just goes to show that the action and emotions in sport are just as exciting and powerful at grassroots level, in front of a few spectators, as they are in city stadiums with tens of thousands spectating.
"All of my five submitted photos were taken in Caithness and published in the Groat or Courier throughout 2019."
