Honouring the natural beauty of the North East of Scotland, ASPC invited photographers across the local region to submit their best photographs of the local area. After whittling down the submissions to only 12 talented photographers, each winner will receive a thoughtful gift alongside the opportunity to feature on our website home page for one month.

This month’s evocative photo was submitted by Eilidh Guyan. It captures, in the most atmospheric way, a sight familiar to all who live in the country – a field of grain ripening near maturity in August. The fact that it is a field of barley, with long hairs, amplifies the fluidity of movement in the rippling caused by the breeze.

Eilidh has captured a golden moment as the setting sun lends a special quality to the light. This is taken near Stonehaven but could be almost anywhere in the farmlands of our area.

The quality of the light, slanting across the field, partially diffracted by the trees in the middle distance, lends further magic – almost, it seems, picking out each individual strand of the plants. 

An everyday sight, rendered magical, by the skill and art of Eilidh.

Interested in finding out more? Browse our impressive collection of past submissions from our 2023 photography competition, click here to see July's winner.