Young Dorset Photographer Scoops International Award

Bertie Gregory, an 18-year old local photographer, is celebrating this week after he was crowned Young Outdoor Photographer of the Year in the prestigious, global competition run by Outdoor Photography magazine.

Bertie, who lives in Poole, Dorset, beat off thousands of other competitors from a total of 126 countries with his amusing shot close-up of an inquisitive raccoon, taken in Vancouver, Canada. Bertie knew the judges of this year's Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition would be looking for something extra special. Head judge and Editor of Outdoor Photography magazine, Steve
Watkins, said:

'We were wowed by the quality of photos that so many young outdoor photographers are producing, and by their utter commitment to getting images that reveal the world in both its enduring glory and, for some categories, at its most troubled. We thought that last year's judging was challenging, but this year we needed to re-vote many times on some categories, as it became almost impossible to reach a conclusion. In the end, though, Bertie's image of the raccoon really had everything we were looking for, and more. It has instant appeal due to the endearing gaze of the raccoon, but it also has a far quieter, subtler story to it. The image speaks of our engagement with nature and how we are all inter-connected, this story being enhanced by Bertie choosing to go down to the raccoon's eye-level to take the image. It is a superb image that put a smile on the faces of all the judges.'

Bertie Gregory said about taking the image:

'As these raccoons live in an urban park, they are fairly habituated to humans. Knowing this, I lay down next to a bush that they were in and hoped that their curiosity would draw them out. This individual came up close to investigate my camera. I noticed that he had seen his reflection in the lens, as when I moved from side to side, he would copy. I decided to get up from ground level to see if he would still copy; he did by standing up on his back legs, still transfixed by his reflection!'

Winning means that Bertie not only gets his images published in Outdoor Photography magazine's January issue, which is on sale from the 22nd December 2011, but his images will also be exhibited at the competition exhibition, which runs at theprintspace gallery in London, from the 12th-31st January 2012.

He also wins £500 worth of vouchers from Lee Filters. A fantastic Christmas present indeed!

To see all of this year's winning images, including Bertie's, readers can go to the competition website: www.opoty.co.uk/2011-winners.

For more information about the competition, please go to www.opoty.co.uk.

Bertie Gregory is also currently taking part in 2020VISION (www.2020v.org), the most ambitious environmental photography project ever undertaken in the UK.