Scottish Seabird Centre Nature Photography Competition & Exhibition 

The top 100 shortlisted entry from this year's competition are now on display in The Nature Photography Exhibition at the Scottish Seabird Centre which is open daily until February 2010. Here is a small selection of some of the stunning photographs and  a link to our Gallery of the top 100 shortlisted photos. The winners will be announced on Thursday 11th February, when this year's competition will also be launched.

With grateful thanks to our Sponsors 

The annual Nature Photography Competition & Exhibition, organised by the Seabird Centre, features five categories; Scottish Wildlife, World Wildlife, Landscape, Creative Visions of Nature and Environmental Impact. Now in its fourth year, the competition has become well established, attracting around 250 entries each year and offers an excellent opportunity for amateur photographers to showcase their work and win some excellent prizes.

This year's poster, which featured the photo above by Stuart MacLaren, "Curled Fern Still Life" can be downloaded here. A gallery of last year's winners can also be viewed in the Winners' Gallery. 

The judging panel includes award-winning wildlife photographer Laurie Campbell (a previous winner and judge of the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition) and acclaimed landscape photographer Graham Riddell. A shortlist of 100 photographs is selected by the judges which is then displayed in The Nature Photography 2009 Exhibition at the Scottish Seabird Centre from November to February. In "X-Factor" style, visitors to the exhibition at the Seabird Centre also have the opportunity to vote for their favourites pictures and this counts towards the final outcome, when the winners are announced at a ceremony each year in February. 

Tom Brock OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre comments, “The Scottish Seabird Centre is a charity which is dedicated to inspiring people to get closer to, and care more for, wildlife and the natural environment. This competition, therefore, is a natural progression for us, encouraging people to get close to nature through the eye of their own camera lens.” The judges' remit is to look for an artistic and innovative approach, not just a rare wildlife spectacle that only a fortunate few could ever experience!

Visit the Photography Competitions Network for news of other competitions.