Shortlisted for Equine Image of the Year

For a third year running, Equestrian Photographer Emma Campbell achieves international acclaim, being shortlisted for Equine Image of the Year.

Emma Campbell, a fine art equine photographer based in Cumbria has reached the final of the fiercely contested Guild of Photographers Image of the Year Competition for a third consecutive year.

Last year, Emma went on to win not only ‘Equine Image of the Year’, but also took the ‘Overall Image of the Year, Judges Choice’.

The Guild is a highly respected UK based association for photographers, which has members from overseas as well. Each year it runs an online monthly photographic competition, judged by internationally respected judges, with awards given to the best entries.

Fierce competition – Equine Image of the Year

During 2021, the competition has attracted over c13,000 entries from the most talented of photographers.

The Guild recently announced that from all the entries across the year, the Guild’s Judges have selected just 10 images in various genres to go forward to the annual Image of the Year Final. Those selected really are the best of the best.

Guild Director Lesley Thirsk said “One of the Guild’s aims is to drive standards and creativity amongst photographers. Our competition certainly does that, for the standard of the entries we see each month is quite staggering. To have an image recognised by the Guild in the monthly competition is difficult enough, so to have four images selected as being the best in a category for the end of year Final is without doubt an incredible achievement, and shows just how talented photographer, Emma is.”

Emma said “I’ve been working so hard on growing my Equine photography business this year and gaining my Master Craftsman qualification, that I really didn’t think I’d be shortlisted for The Guild’s ‘Equine Image of the Year’. So it was such a lovely surprise to find out that, not only had I one or two images selected, but flabbergasted at four!”

One of the images shortlisted is a bay gelding called Bob, owned by Bruce Braithwaite from Yorkshire. Two are young race horses, Marina, a bay mare and Star, the later owned by Malcolm and Sue Johnson and presently in training with Iain Jardine.  While the black and white photograph is of a Lake District fell pony, called Deepghyll Dollar, bred by Courtney Savage.

“This is really just the icing on the cake, after such a busy year,” commented Emma, especially after hearing recently she’d also achieved two honorable mentions at the International Photography Awards, with portraits of Debbie Hutchinson – Cartmel’s mare, Felicity and Nicky and David Robinson’s thoroughbred Blakerigg.

In December, highly regarded Judges gathered together from across the country to choose the overall winner. The results will be announced in early February 2021.

To find out more about the Guild of Photographers and their competition visit their website www.photoguild.co.uk.