Scotland Through A Lens: Ian Bowie, Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year

Scotland’s natural heritage provides the perfect inspiration for The Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year winner Ian Bowie, finds Ellie Forbes. 

Ian Bowie longs for the great outdoors.

Living in Edinburgh, as a photographer he often feels the pull of nature. And it’s this need to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and unwind in Scotland’s peaceful landscapes that Ian believes helped crown him 2024’s Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year.

‘This recognition holds a special place in my heart as it highlights the absolute best of the Scottish landscape and those that capture the single moment in time,’ says Ian, who also scooped the Environmental Category award with an image of dead trees on the loch side shore, titled ‘Emergency-on-planet-earth’.

‘Tide Lines’, a subtle morning image of a wave breaking over a rocky beach on the North Fife Coast.

Ian’s winning portfolio of incredible images included ‘High Times #1 The Passing of the Storm’, an image of stunning light painting the mountain range he managed to capture during wild weather at a summit camp on Beinn Tulaichean; ‘Tide Lines’, a subtle morning image of a wave breaking over a rocky beach on the North Fife Coast; and ‘Travelling Without Moving’, an atmospheric shot of boats on Loch Rusky in the Trossachs.

‘This competition has been a profound source of inspiration for me and the images I capture,’ Ian continues.

The Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year competition is now in its tenth year, and attracted 4,000 entries from across the UK and overseas.

‘When I set up the awards 10 years ago, my aim was to showcase our beautiful places and promote our country,’ says SLPOTY awards founder Stuart Low.

‘High Times #1 The Passing of the Storm’, an image of stunning light painting the mountain range.

‘Every year we receive stunning images from the most popular locations in Scotland, but this year I wanted to see more images from lesser known places and more of our natural heritage, and the photographers didn’t disappoint.

‘Our environment is so precious that we need photographers to record what we have in the hope that it will inspire others to cherish and protect it for generations to come.’

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