North Ronaldsey and Dartmoor sheep grazing in Northumberland is the image that has taken joint top spot in the British Veterinary Association’s (BVA) second annual photo competition.
The competition saw almost 500 entries from vets across the UK offering a unique insight into the daily life of a vet and the diverse world of animals.
Mixed-practice vet Jen Rowland captured the judges’ attention with her image of rare and native North Ronaldsey and Dartmoor sheep grazing under the Milky Way in Northumberland.
Jen, a recent graduate who works in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, said: “I am completely shocked and delighted to have won this competition and it has definitely inspired me to get out with my camera more often. I was very lucky to get this shot as it was a single thirty second exposure - I had some very cooperative models!”
Commenting on Jen’s photo, competition judge and award-winning wildlife photographer George Stoyle said: “From a technical perspective, the exposure used for the sky is just long enough to make the stars visible whilst minimising star trails, and artificial light has been used just enough to highlight the sheep and the rest of the foreground.
“The entire scene along with the ragged appearance of the sheep gives the image a feeling of wild, remote, windswept moorland, which I love.”
Other photographs of a farming nature that won high appraisal include "snowy scenes in the Peak District" by Erin Marsh and "a very little large white piglet" by Laura MacDougall
