Coo! Stunning shots showcase Scotland

ILLUMINATED by the setting sun, this stunning image of a Highland Cow on the island of Mull topped the prize in this year’s Scotland Photo of the Year Competition.

The photograph, taken by South African wildlife photographer Victor Soares, saw him beat more than 1,200 entries to take home £2,000 plus a Sigma camera worth £1,850. The final ten images were chosen by the judges and showcased on the competition website, where a public vote decided the overall winner.

Mr Soares took the image, named Fifty Shades of Gold, on fields near Pennyghael during a week-long stay on Mull with friends.

Reacting to his win, he said: ‘This is astonishing news. With the competition I was up against I really didn’t think I had too much of a chance and am therefore incredibly happy.’

The three professional judges said the lighting in the image was ‘superb’ with ‘a lovely softness’ but ‘sharp where it needs to be’.

Gavin Duncan came third with his Mighty Herdsman image of winds whipping up fresh snow and blowing it from the peak of Buachaille Etive Mor in the Highlands. Andrew MacDonald’s shot of the Bass Rock, in the Firth of Forth, saw him win the Judges Merit Award.