Amateur Photographer of the Year

1 Caron Steele UK 30pts

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, 100-400mm at 220mm, 1/1000sec at f/8, ISO 1000

There's so much to enjoy about Caron's outstanding capture. The sheer physicality of the image, with the pelican running towards the camera, its wings outstretched like an angel's, is extremely powerful, and the determined expression on its face is priceless. Timing is spot on, with just the tip of the bird's webbed foot touching the ice, and the pops of orange and yellow against the mostly ice-blue background stand out magnificently. A worthy winner that very much deserves its top billing in both the expert and the crowd votes.

2 Bruce Deacon UK 29pts

Canon EOS 50D, 100-400mm at 285mm, 1/30sec at f/8, ISO 500

Using a slow shutter speed here has created a beautiful