Alien-esque close-ups, furry frames and serene scenes were just some of the amazing shots Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) received from amateur photographers across Surrey who took part in its wildlife photography competition.
Rob Ault from Woking won the adult category for his damselfly 'Smothered in Jewels' taken on Boldermere Lake at Ockham Common.
Rob enthused: “As a supporter of the trust, I was keen to contribute to the competition and I was thrilled and surprised to receive a phone call notifying me that I had won! I have a keen interest in damselflies and I hope my photograph will help to highlight the existence of this fascinating insect, which can be found on several of SWT's reserves."
Heather Angel, who judged the entries, said: "This is a great macro shot – well exposed and composed. Greater impact has been gained by avoiding a bright sunny day and by getting in really close. You can see how some of the water drops have enlarged the facets of the compound eye by functioning as mini close-up lenses."
Max Brown, age 17 from Upper Halliford, won the junior category for his 'Cranefly at Sunset'.
Rob’s picture will adorn the front cover of the spring issue of SWT’s members’ magazine Surrey Nature and both he and Max have won a day out with a SWT ranger, for a personalised tour of one of the trust’s reserves (not normally open to the public) and insider-information and access to otherwise difficult-to-spot wildlife.
To view a selection of the competition entries visit: www.surreywildlifetrust.org