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Shot with a 10-year-old DSLR loved by many, this photographer takes the crown of the Scottish Nature Photography Awards . | Credit: Dance of the Gnats \u00a9 Toby Houlton<\/p>\n
Wildlife and nature photography often focus on documenting animals and landscapes as we know them \u2013 but by embracing a more creative and abstract approach, one photographer has been awarded the Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 title.<\/p>\n
The Scottish Nature Photography Awards (SNPA) has just announced its winners, with the overall title going to Toby Houlton<\/a> for a striking long-exposure image. Judge Niall Irvine praised “the highlighted patterns created by the movement,” adding that the subtle woodland textures in the background give the image “drama and impact.”<\/p>\n To create the shot, Houlton used a DSLR <\/a>first released in 2016, paired with a versatile 70-200mm zoom lens<\/a> \u2013 but what exactly did he capture? If you’ve ever visited Scotland, you might recognise them. They are not a rare or exotic subject \u2013 but gnats, tiny flying insects transformed here into something unexpectedly beautiful.<\/p>\n The story behind ‘Dance of the Gnats’ The Nikon D500 was launched back in 2016, in our review we stated: “For the money, this might be the best digital SLR Nikon has ever made. Its 4K video, high-tech autofocus and overall image quality raise the bar for APS-C SLRs” | Credit: Nikon<\/p>\n Overall Winner Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 Gear: Nikon D500<\/a> + 70-200mm<\/a> f\/2.8 (unspecified model) “My winning image was taken at Little Garve in Ross-shire. I had been walking back beside the river in the late afternoon, and there, in patches of dappled sun, the gnats were ‘dancing’,” explains SNPA winner Houlton.<\/p>\n “A moment of inspiration made me realise that taking an image with a slow shutter speed would create the amazing light trails, and the hint of the darker woodland behind would provide the sense of place.<\/p>\n “The speed of these tiny dancers meant that multiple wingbeats were captured in the exposure, creating the patterns.”<\/p>\n For more information and to discover the other winners, visit the Scottish Nature Photography Awards website. <\/a><\/p>\n You might like…<\/p>\n Browse the best cameras for wildlife photography<\/a> and the best lenses for bird and wildlife photography. <\/a><\/p>\n![\"Nikon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/fc04f9c8c1f5b06eddfe24b2b3a351cc.jpeg\"\/)
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Category Winner Scottish Wildlife Behaviour
Dance of the Gnats by Toby Houlton<\/p>\n
Exposure: 1\/6sec, f\/20, ISO 100<\/p>\n