A STUDENT photographer recently received praise for her work after reaching the final and being commended in a national online competition.

Fiona Read, 31, from Sauchie – who is studying HND Photography at Forth Valley College’s Stirling Campus – was a finalist in the Urban Section category of The Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year competition.

Her image – called River Spirit's View – is the statue that sits on Collylands Roundabout in Clackmannanshire and was the first of Andy Scott’s sculptures to be erected in the county in 2008.

Fiona's picture will be in the official book of the competition as well as being shown at exhibitions around Scotland during 2016.

She said: "It was actually Brian Smith one of my lecturers, who told me about entering the competition back in November.

"I entered three photos and all of them were shortlisted – which is way more than I expected. One was a finalist in the Urban Section and was commended and I was over the moon.

"It is the biggest competition I have entered and the judges were all established photographers so I am thrilled to receive this recognition from them.

"I always wanted to be a photographer, but this has inspired me even more and gives me the confidence to go forward. I can’t thank all my lecturers enough for helping to push me, they have really been fantastic."

FVC Creative Industries lecturer, Brian Smith, said: "This is a fantastic achievement for Fiona. But it is thoroughly well-deserved for all the dedication to her personal creative development and the energy she has put in throughout her time on Forth Valley College’s new HND Photography course. 

"We’re all looking forward to seeing her photographs in the exhibition and in the published book, and are sure it’s the first confident steps on to a successful photographic career."