Capture the beauty of the dales

A FINAL call is going out for amateur and professional photographers to submit their images of the Yorkshire Dales by July 15 to the national ‘Take a View’ competition.

‘Take a View’ is an annual competition run in association with Natural England and the English National Park Authorities. There are categories for adults and youths as well as one for images captured on a mobile phone, but the ultimate prize is £10,000 and the title ‘2009 UK Landscape Photographer of the Year’.

This year’s competition includes a special English National Parks Award which celebrates the 60th anniversary of the introduction of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act that established how the countryside could be protected and enjoyed by future generations.

The prize, which is yet to be announced, will be awarded for the picture judged to be the best taken in any of the fourteen English National Parks, including the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Kate Green, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s Communications Manager, said: “The countryside within the Yorkshire Dales National Park is utterly captivating and breathtaking. It has been inspiring artists for centuries and we’re hoping that it has recently been inspiring visitors and residents to pick up their cameras and camera phones to try to capture its special qualities.

“As a competition to ultimately find the best landscape photograph, it would be a real loss if images from the Yorkshire Dales did not feature in the exhibition held in December at the National Theatre on London’s South Bank, or in the associated ‘Take a View’ book. We are encouraging everyone to get snapping and share their favourite Yorkshire Dales views with the nation.”

The competition offers a total prize fund of £20,000 and the deadline for submissions is July 15 2009. Further information is available from www.take-a-view.co.uk including terms and conditions and entry fee details.