Wildlife and nature photographer Kiran Simpson has taken home the top prize at the Scottish Nature Photography Awards (SNPA), winning Junior Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 with his striking macro image The Leaf Eater – marking his second consecutive victory.
At just 14-years-old, Kiran is already building an impressive portfolio, capturing species and scenes many photographers spend years chasing. He regularly shares his work, behind-the-scenes insights, and tips on Instagram, inspiring a growing audience of fellow photographers.
Kiran recently posted that he was learning macro photography – and now he’s winning awards with it! Kiran’s top-ranking spider image wasn’t taken in a ‘fancy’ woodland setting, but from the steps of his back door, shot on Sony‘s flagship full-frame mirrorless camera with a dedicated 90mm f/2.8 macro lens.
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The story behind ‘The Leaf Eater’
The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens delivers full 1.0x macro magnification with a classic 90mm focal length and push-pull focus ring reminiscent of vintage 35mm macro lenses – featuring fast AF (autofocus), optical image stabilization, and a customizable AF-hold button (Image credit: Future)
Winner
Junior Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
The Leaf Eater by Kiran Simpson
Gear: Sony A1 + FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS + Flash
Exposure: 1/200sec, f/14, ISO 8000
Kiran explains about his award-winning image: “Right outside my kitchen door, under the glow of the outdoor light, I spotted this garden spider on its web, with a leaf caught in the silk beside it.
“Against the darkness of the night, the patterns on its body and its spiny legs stood out in incredible detail. I ran inside to grab my camera, knowing it might be gone by the time I got back.
“What I love most about this photo is that it was taken literally steps from my back door. It just goes to show that you don’t need to travel far to find incredible wildlife; it’s all around us if you just stop and look.”
For more information and to discover the other winners, visit the Scottish Nature Photography Awards website.
If you are into macro photography, check our guide to the best camera for macro photography and best macro lenses. We also have supporting tutorials like how to use natural lighting effects to introduce drama to your macro photography scenes, or 4 macro hacks for your camera, lens and phone.
Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 global photo contests now open for entries