By Isle of Wight Observer
A tranquil sunset photograph of the weathered pier over the saltmarsh at Newtown National Nature Reserve will be sent out to the National Trust’s 5.6m members, following a competition to find an image for cover of the annual handbook.
Les Lockhart, who lives in East Cowes, won the contest with the striking shot of his favourite local spot. He said: “I love being able to go out to Newtown regularly, whether it’s during the day to watch all the wildlife, or in the evening for the sunset. It’s such a beautiful, peaceful location, and there are so many features that make it a great place for photography too, like the walkway and the boats on the estuary.
“One of the reasons I like photography is that you’re able to share these places with others. Hopefully seeing the image on the Handbook will encourage people to really appreciate and make the most of beautiful places on their own doorstep.”
Thousands of photos were entered into the competition with the theme of ‘places that make you feel good’, with submissions ranging from mist-cloaked valleys to carpets of woodland bluebells.
The winner was chosen by a panel of five judges, including famous naturalist, presenter and wildlife cameraman Simon King who said: “Les’s photo stood out because of the beautiful composition, with the wooden walkway drawing the eye in and giving that combination of the gentle touch of man in a wild landscape.”
Mike Greenslade, National Trust General Manager for the Isle of Wight added: “We’re so delighted that one of our local visitors has been selected as the winning photographer by this prestigious panel in a national competition. Mr Lockhart has perfectly captured the beauty and tranquillity of this truly special place. It’s our privilege and pleasure to look after it, for the wildlife and for generations to come.”
