Essence of Orkney competition — shortlist revealed today!

The top five pictures from each of the Essence of Orkney competition categories have gone on show at the Pickaquoy Centre today, Friday, ahead of the overall winners being announced later this month.

The hugely successful competition invited you to submit photographs that capture the essence of Orkney, as seen through the lens of your camera.

Out of nearly 400 entries, our judges, Raymond Besant, Tom O’Brien and Fionn McArthur have whittled these down to just five in the Under 16s category, and five in the Over 16s.

Their selections will be on show at a special pop-up exhibition at the Pickaquoy Centre, starting today, and running until Sunday, March 24.

THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Also on display will be the top five pictures chosen by the public for the People’s Choice category, via online vote. The eventual winner in this section will be selected by a final ballot.

To vote for your favourite, simply view the pictures at the Pickaquoy Centre, next to the entrance to the cinema. Pick your favourite of the five in this category, tick your choice on the slip provided, and post it it the nearby ballot box.

In this category, the picture with the most votes cast at the Pickaquoy Centre will claim the Essence of Orkney People’s Choice prize.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

The winner, and the judges’ favourite from the Under and Over 16s categories, will be announced at the launch of the 2019 Orkney Islander magazine, in the VisitScotland iCentre in Kirkwall, on Friday, March 29, from 12 noon until 2pm.

All of the competition entries are still available to view online at www.essenceoforkney.co.uk

The competition, run by The Orcadian, is sponsored by Firefly Energi, The Merkister Hotel, The Foveran and NorthLink Ferries.