Photographs of nature have been captured in the winning images of Shepherd Neame’s annual spring photography competition.
The Faversham, Kent brewer was inundated with entries after launching its search for photos of nature and wildlife in its heartland at the start of the year.
The top prize of a £150 Shepherd Neame gift card went to Mark Ford, from Herne Bay, who snapped a stunning shot of a blackbird in Godmersham (above).
News of his win came as something of a surprise to Ford, who only took up photography five years ago and this was his first entry into a public contest, having only entered competitions within the Herne Bay Photographic Club before.
Ford said: “I knew absolutely nothing about photography five years ago! I enjoy getting out and taking photography because it’s great to be in the fresh air and to get my thoughts together.
“I took the picture of the blackbird from a hide in Godmersham. It was only the second time I had visited it,” he said.
Ford, who uses a Canon R6 Mark II, intends to treat his wife and two grown-up children to a meal this summer with his winning gift card.
Shepherd Neame director of marketing and communications Kathryn Tye said: “We were once again delighted by the fantastic response to this competition, which is now in its fourth year.
“We received so many wonderful entries, and the standard was incredibly high, making it a real challenge for our judges to select the winners.
“The display of the winning entries always attracts lots of interest and positive comments from visitors to our brewery while it’s on show.”
The winning images can be seen in Shepherd Neame’s reception in Court Street, Faversham, where they will be on display during normal office hours for at least a month.
