The Scottish Seabird Centre has launched a Nature Photography competition, open to amateur photographers across four categories.

The categories are:

Wildlife Photography aged 15 and under Wildlife Photography aged 16 and over

Landscape Photography aged 15 and under Landscape Photography aged 16 and over

The Seabird Centre has hosted the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year for several years and it was seen as a natural progression to launch the first Nature Photography Competition & Exhibition this year, allowing amateur photographers the opportunity to showcase their work in public.

The winners will be chosen from a shortlist of 20 in each category and the winning photographs will be exhibited at the Seabird Centre from 17 November until February 2007.

Winners and runners up will be chosen in each category and announced at a preview reception on 16 November.

The photographs will be judged by a panel which will include multi-award winning wildlife photographer Laurie Campbell, a judge with BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and landscape photographer Graham Riddell.

As well as receiving a prize, the winners will also have the opportunity for a day’s coaching with one of the judges.

The public will also have the opportunity to cast their vote and pick a winner from the shortlist being exhibited.