Halkirk photographer turns spotlight on sport

The Halkirk snapper, whose work regularly features in the sports pages of the Caithness Courier and John O’Groat Journal, holds a licentiateship with the Society of International Sport and Leisure Photographers.

Its annual photographer-of-the-year awards are combined with seven others under the umbrella of The Societies. He was short-listed in two of its three sports categories – general and motor sport.

The Societies has around 8000 members worldwide and is one of the largest organisations of its kind. Around 18,000 photographs were submitted for the awards and those short-listed have been published in a book.

James’s entry in the motor sport category was taken at the Caithness Motocross Club’s race meeting in June and features local rider Iain Nicolson creating a huge dust cloud as he rounded a corner.

His general sport photo was taken during the heats of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic surfing event staged at Thurso East in April and features Marlon Lipke, of Germany.

The Societies recently held an awards ceremony in London attended by nearly 500 people. TV personality Philippa Forrester presented a total of 33 awards.

James, who was not able to attend the event, won the motor sport category and the impressive glass globe trophy now sits alongside the one which he won last year in the ball games category.

He also did well in Digital Camera magazine’s 2011 photographer-of-the-year awards by scooping third place in the action category.

Over 3000 entries were received from all over the world and the winner was from Russia. James’s photo featured Richard Christie, from New Zealand, in action during the semi-finals of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic at Thurso East last April.

The photo is featured in the February edition of the magazine. He won a year’s subscription to the magazine and a year’s membership of the Royal Photographic Society.

James said: “I’m absolutely delighted at doing so well in two prestigious competitions, especially as the thousands of entries feature many great photographers from all over the world.

“It just goes to show that there is no need to travel to see spectacular sporting action. Hopefully the photos will help to promote Caithness as a great location for taking part in sporting activities.”