AN amateur photographer has had one of his pictures nominated for a leading accolade.
Dan Sands, a computer programmer from Portland, has been named as a finalist British Photography Awards.
READ MORE: Portland man wins Amateur Photographer of the Year
His photograph is of an isolated cottage in the early hours of the morning in Dartmoor.
Mr Sands said: "The British Photography Awards are a little bit different to some other awards.
"They brand themselves on being disruptive, by being not-for-profit. You pay an entry fee to submit a photograph and then you can choose a charity for that money to go to.
"They have an awards evening gala as well with proceeds going to charity, which is pretty cool.
"So the awards are trying to do something for good.
"They also try and promote the photographers that enter.
"There are 20 different categories for awards and this year for the first time they have introduced a low-light category, which was a category which I won an award for in the Amateur Photography Awards last year.
"So I thought I would give it a go.
"I do not for a second kid myself that I have a chance of winning.
"There are 25 photographs in the category and looking at the class of images in the low-light category, to see my photo in there is very flattering and somewhat humbling."
The photo was taken while Mr Sands was on holiday with his family.
He and his son set off early to try and capture the perfect shot
Mr Sands added: "The photo means quite a lot to me, I took it on my birthday this year.
"It was taken on Dartmoor, I dragged my son out at 5am trekking across the moors.
"I love the idea of a foggy moorland.
"The cottage in the photo is called Nun's Cottage and I have been there a few times.
"People can hire it out, but every time I have been there, it has always been closed because it is slap bang in the middle of Dartmoor.
"This was the first time I had seen it in use.
"I was quite lucky because there someone was staying the night I went, so the shutters were open and a light was on.
"So quite a lot came together to make the photo."
Each category in the awards has two winners, one chosen by a panel of judges and another selected in a public vote.
You can vote for Dan's picture on the British Photography Awards website.
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