Four budding photographers across Moray and the Scottish Highlands have been crowned winners of Johnston Carmichael’s “Capture the Moment” photography competition.

The competition, which was launched to celebrate the firm’s long-established relationship with the Moray and Highland regions, received over 190 entries relating to a range of Johnston Carmichael’s key sectors; agriculture, food & drink, oil & gas, hospitality & tourism and construction.

Entries were reviewed by a panel of expert judges including local photographers, artists and journalists, as well as Grenville Johnston, the Lord Lieutenant of Moray, and grandson of Bill Johnston, a co-founder of Johnston Carmichael.

Best photograph taken on a smart phone

Debbie Knowles, 31, from Elgin was crowned the winner of the best photograph taken on a smart phone category, with her beautiful shot of Elgin Cathedral and the River Lossie. Debbie, who was walking through the area when she took the image, captured the photograph on her iPhone 8.

Best junior photograph

13-year-old Joanna Lipp, from Killen, scooped the prize for the best junior photograph, with her image of a row of wellie boots on a farm on the Black Isle. The judges loved the colours in the image and thought it encapsulated the agriculture sector very well.

Best image that tells a story

The best image that tells a story category was won by Angus Chisholm, 66, from Invergordon, who took inspiration from the fishing industry. The striking image shows a cormorant swooping down into the shoreline at North Kessock to retrieve a mackerel and received lots of praise from the panel of judges.

Best sector image

Morven Mackenzie, 53, from Findhorn took home the prize for the best sector image, with a photograph of a female engineer working at a local engineering firm. Morven was inspired by the woman, who works in a male-dominated environment, and captured an impressive image as a result.

Each winner will receive a £250 cash prize and will have their work proudly displayed in the Johnston Carmichael offices, along with the Eden Court theatre in Inverness later this year.

Scott Jeffrey, audit partner at Johnston Carmichael said: “We’ve been blown away with the calibre of entries we’ve seen and choosing our winners was no easy task.

“It’s been so interesting to see how all our entrants have interpreted each of the categories and sectors. To have over 190 entries is truly fantastic and we’ve been so impressed with the creativity and hard work that each of our entrants have showcased.”