The winners of the UK’s ‘Landscape Photographer of the Year’ competition have been announced. All of the winning and commended photographs from the competition can be found in the Awards book ‘Landscape Photographer of the Year: Collection 8’ by AA Publishing. The overall winner is Mark Littlejohn and his photo of a small, transient stream created by heavy rain and dwarfed by the might of Glencoe’s mountains. “When I got the call, I was in a cafe in Tynemouth and it was a surreal experience to say the least," Mark Littlejohn said. "When you enter the competition you hope against hope that you will get an image in the book and you can't really consider the possibility that you will win." The exhibition of winning entries will be held on the recently-built Mezzanine at Britain’s busiest station, London Waterloo, which will showcase the very best of the British countryside in the very heart of the capital. Not only will the photographs appear on display stands across the balcony but will also make an appearance on Motion@Waterloo, a 40m wide LCD screen which is the largest single indoor screen in the UK and spans the station from platforms 7 to 11. Opening on Monday, December 1 st 2014, the exhibition is hosted by Network Rail and will run for nine weeks, closing on January 31st 2015. Admission is free.

LPOTY Press Release

THE WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED

Monday 10th November 2014

A photograph of a small, transient stream created by heavy rain and dwarfed by the might of Glencoe’s mountains wins top prize in this year’s search for the UK’s ‘Landscape Photographer of the Year’. Cumbrian-based photographer, Mark Littlejohn becomes the eighth person to win the overall title and the £10,000 prize. His picture was chosen , by the judges, from the thousands of entries that showcase the richly diverse landscape of the UK.

From the evening sun slanting across the greenest of fields to ruined castles and starry skies, the winning photographs in the ‘Take a view - Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards’ not only display the talent of their creators but also inspire visitors to explore and discover the British countryside.

Charlie Waite, one of Britain’s best-loved landscape photographers and founder of Take a view said, “Mark discovered and isolated a fleeting moment of beauty within a vast and slightly threatening arena. The composition compels us to visually explore the image and its deli cacy and understatement are enormously satisfying. I am very much looking forward to seeing the subtle colours and painterly textures of the scene in the large exhibition print.”

Mark Littlejohn spoke of his feelings on hearing the good news, “When I got the call, I was in a cafe in Tynemouth and it was a surreal experience to say the least. When you enter the competition you hope against hope that you will get an image in the book and you can't really consider the possibility that you will win.

Even during the call, I expected Charlie to tell me I was runner-up or something of that nature and I struggled to take in the news that I'd actually won. I suppose all I can say is that I just felt pure joy. I haven't stopped smiling since.” The drama evoked by black & white photography was popular with the judges and the Young Landscape Photographer of the Year title has been awarded to Sam Rielly whose monochrome image of his Mother walking on Anglesey has a strong narrative quality.

This year, the Awards are being held in association with VisitBritain and the Countryside is GREAT campaign, whose vision is to get the world thinking and feeling differently about Britain so that we are seen as a vibrant, inspiring and innovative place to visit. Two special awards were offered to highlight this; the VisitBritain ‘You’re invited’ Award for the best image by an overseas entrant, which was won by Sven Mueller from Germany for his dawn image of the Peak District and the ‘Countryside is GREAT’ Award for an iconic image that would encourage people to visit and explore Brit ain, which was given to John Robinson for his photograph of the beautiful, heather-strewn North York Moors.

Joss Croft, VisitBritain’s Marketing Director said: “Congratulations to all the winners for their inspirational and dazzling images of GREAT Britain. It’s safe to say that our country is officially beautiful. Yes we are small, but the photos prove that beyond our towns and cities, with our 28 World Heritage Sites, 15 National Parks and 12,400km of coastline, there real ly is something to inspire and delight every visitor.”

Congratulations also go to the winners of this year’s other Special Awards. The Network Rail ‘Lines in the Landscape’ Award was won by Stephen Bright for his picture looking over the platforms of Lo ndon Bridge station and James Osmond’s sweeping view of the Brecon Beacons was The Sunday Times Magazine’s Choice.

The exhibition of winning entries will be held on the recently-built Mezzanine at Britain’s busiest station, London Waterloo, which will showcase the very best of the British countryside in the very heart of the capital. Not only will the photographs appear on display stands across the balcony but will also make an appearance on the amazing Motion@Waterloo, a 40m wide LCD screen which is the largest single indoor screen in the UK and spans the station from platforms 7 to 11. Opening on Monday, December 1 st 2014, the exhibition is hosted by Network Rail and will run for nine weeks, closing on January 31st 2015. Admission is free.

All of the winning and commended photographs from the competition can be found in the Awards book ‘Landscape Photographer of the Year: Collection 8’ by AA Publishing, which is available from 10th November 2014.
(NB: London Waterloo closed on Christmas Day).

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