The shortlist for the prestigious First ScotRail Press Photography Awards is announced today (Wednesday 27 February). From over 3,000 entries, 42 talented photographers and eight newspapers and/or magazines have been selected across 14 categories: Vying for the top award of Photographer of the Year are entries from The Scotsman, Herald, Getty Images and The Press Association. In total, The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and Edinburgh Evening News have amassed an impressive 19 shortlisted entries: 12 for The Scotsman, five for SoS and two for the News. Donald Macleod is shortlisted four times and Jane Barlow, Robert Perry, Ian Rutherford and Phil Wilkinson are each shortlisted twice. The Herald has 15 shortlisted entries and the Sunday Herald and Glasgow Evening Times also feature strongly with 14, including six in the Newspaper and Magazine/Supplement categories. Gordon Terris is shortlisted four times and Jamie Simpson of the Times has two images shortlisted. The Celebrity shortlist is dominated by The Herald, with three of the four shortlisted images, plus the Sunday Mail. It features shots of Chris Martin, Coldplay front man and husband of Gwyneth Paltrow; Gok Wan, presenter of 'How To Look Good Naked'; singer and activist Sir Bob Geldof and author Ian Rankin. The Daily Record is shortlisted in the Newspaper, Magazine and News Picture categories. Sunday Times Scotland is shortlisted in three categories: Open, Newspaper and Magazine/Supplement. In the Local Photographer category, the Falkirk Herald has three shortlisted photographers, with Gordon Fraser of the East Lothian News also making the grade On the agency side, the Press Association has three shortlisted entries; Getty Images has two, with SNS Group and Ideal Images gaining one apiece. And it's neck and neck between Edinburgh's Stevenson College and Glasgow's Metropolitan College as each has two photography students on the shortlist. In a special category for staff of Awards sponsor First ScotRail, the four finalists include two train drivers from Helensburgh and Ayr, a train care operative from Glasgow and a station worker based at Ladybank, Fife. Winners will be revealed on 26 March at an awards ceremony at The Mitchell in Glasgow. Ken Lennox, chairman of the judges, said: "Overall, entries are of a high standard. Scottish photographers are certainly holding their own in world photography. The Features category is full of innovation, style and quality, and the Open section has some wonderful images, including that rare pleasure - photographs that make you laugh. The portfolio categories will tax the judges this year as the images are excellent with little to choose between them." Mary Dickson, First ScotRail's managing director, said: "For the third year running, we've had a superb response from press photographers working in Scotland. I would like to wish everyone the best of luck for the awards." Media Enquiries Clare Meikle/Gemma Smith 3x1 Public Relations Tel: 0141 221 0707 Mob: 07837 399 215 / 07832 101 170 FIRST SCOTRAIL PRESS PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2007 - SHORTLIST Photographer of the Year Ian Rutherford, The Scotsman Daniel Lawson, Press Association Jeff Mitchell, Getty Images Gordon Terris, The Herald Picture Essay of the Year Kirsty Anderson, Sunday Herald Jane Barlow, The Scotsman Ian Rutherford, The Scotsman Robert Perry, Scotland on Sunday Features Photographer of the Year Neil Hanna, The Scotsman Donald Macleod, The Scotsman Jeff Mitchell, Getty Images Phil Wilkinson, Scotland on Sunday Sports Photographer of the Year Jane Barlow, The Scotsman Tom Main, Freelance Ian MacNicol, Freelance Ian Rutherford, The Scotsman Local Photographer of the Year Brian Averell, Freelance Lisa Ferguson, Falkirk Herald Gordon Fraser, East Lothian News Michael Gillen, Falkirk Herald John McIntyre, Freelance Jimi Rae, Falkirk Herald Young Photographer of the Year Ed Jones, Edinburgh Evening News Roddy MacKay, Freelance Dan Phillips, Edinburgh Evening News Craig Williamson, SNS Group Student Photographer of the Year Claire Cox, Stevenson College, Edinburgh Stephen Edgar, Stevenson College, Edinburgh Alistair Horton, Glasgow Metropolitan College Johnny Mclauchlan, Glasgow Metropolitan College News Picture of the Year George Hunter, Daily Record Andrew Milligan, Press Association Alan Richardson, Freelance Phil Wilkinson, Scotland on Sunday Sports Picture of the Year James Galloway, The Herald Rebecca Lee, Ideal Images Tom Main, Freelance Robert Perry, Scotland on Sunday Celebrity Picture of the Year Mark Anderson, Sunday Mail/Freelance Colin Mearns, The Herald Gordon Terris, The Herald (x 2) Open Category Neil Hanna, The Scotsman Colin Hattersley, Freelance Ian Jacobs, Freelance Thomas Mcdonald, Freelance Donald Macleod, The Scotsman (x 3) Andrew Milligan, Press Association Jamie Simpson, Glasgow Evening Times (x 2) Stuart Wallace, Sunday Times Scotland Gordon Terris, The Herald
Newspaper of the Year Daily Record The Herald Glasgow Evening Times Scotland on Sunday Sunday Herald Sunday Times Magazine/Supplement of the Year Daily Record Glasgow Evening Times Herald Magazine Scotsman Magazine Sunday Herald Magazine Sunday Times Ecosse First ScotRail John Hay, maintenance engineer - Glasgow Darrel Hendrie, train driver - Helensburgh Alan Wallace, train driver - Ayr Marjorie Ward, station worker - Ladybank, Fife