ASPC extended an invitation to photographers throughout the region to take part in our 2023 photography contest. Celebrating the beauty of the North East of Scotland through the lens of passionate photographers, we selected 12 winners to be featured on the homepage of our website each month. 

October’s arresting photo was submitted by Robert Lawrence. I wonder if, like me, you were momentarily struggling to place the location. The dramatic colouring in this scene tends to confuse the viewer, as not something often seen. This is the River Feugh, just as the river descends into the Falls of Feugh. Caught on what seems to be a changeable day of weather, the river is in a tumultuous state, the water in spate, churning and foaming over the rocks.  

The sky seems to be in a state, too. The clouds, broken and with ominous darkening, seem to suggest squally showers, interspersed with sunny periods. It may be a boisterous day to be out and about.

The real humdinger in the photograph, of course, is the splendour of the trees. Already showing autumn colours amongst the greens, the patchy sunlight has the effect of spotlighting and amplifying the intensity of some of the vibrant reds and oranges, making the overall effect just breathtaking.

We thought Robert had captured, in one frame, almost all of the qualities of autumn in the North-East. 

Interested in learning more about our 2023 photography competition? Explore the impressive array of entries from the previous months by visiting our website. To view last month's winning submission, click here.