Photo winners capture UK’s diversity | CNN

Photo winners capture UK’s diversity

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Winners of the 2011 British Wildlife Photography Awards announced

Image of jellyfish taken off a uninhabited Scottish island declared overall winner

Competition open to photographers worldwide but photos must be taken in UK

London CNN  — 

The winners of this year’s British Wildlife Photography Awards have been announced.

The competition, which was established in 2009, has produced another batch of stunning entries capturing the diversity and beauty of wildlife in the UK.

An image of a jellyfish taken by Richard Shucksmith in the waters off Sula Sgeir – an uninhabited island 41 miles north of the isle of Lewis, Scotland – was declared the overall winner.

Greg Armfield, photography and film manager at WWF – one of the competition’s several sponsors – called it “a truly beautiful shot,” which “perfectly captures its iridescent and magical qualities.”

Shucksmith picked up £5,000 ($7,800) for the shot with category winners being awarded £1,000 ($1,555).

The Young British Wildlife Photographers prizes went to 16-year-old Oliver Wilks for his “Fox Yawning” image, while Walter Lovell (aged eight) captured an amazing image of a frog and its spawn.

Seventy of this year’s best images will go on show at WildlifeXpo in London this October before heading off on a countrywide tour.

Next year’s competition opens at the beginning of February 2012. Submissions are welcome from all nationalities, but photos must be shot in the UK.