Pupils from five Kilmarnock primary schools have proved they’re a snap-happy lot by picking up plaudits from the Scottish Civic Trust in their national ‘My Place’ photo contest.
Their achievement is all the more remarkable as the Trust receives over 300 entries from primary schools across Scotland in the annual event.

From this huge entry, Scott McFadzean (11) from Gargieston Primary was chosen as the national winner, with another Gargieston pupil Paul McIntyre (11) snapping up a Highly Commended Award.
The talented photographers from Annanhill, Crosshouse, Gargieston, Park and Shortlees Primary Schools have had their work exhibited by the Trust at the prestigious Lighthouse Building, Scotland’s Centre for Design and Architecture, in Glasgow.
The winning pupils attended an awards ceremony at the Lighthouse, where David Middleton, Chief Executive, Historic Environment Scotland said: “This year’s competition had an amazing variety of scenes of Scotland, shot with great skill and imagination. The standard of photography was very high”.
The ‘My Place’ Photography Competition is a Scotland-wide heritage photographic project for schools. It encourages children to look at their heritage in the places they live and, through photography, develop an understanding of the things around them.
The pupils developed this theme exploring various areas of Kilmarnock Town Trail to capture their images and were encouraged to produce quirky and imaginative shots, especially from forgotten areas of the town, developing a greater sense and appreciation of place.
But there’s more good news for the fledgling snappers!
Recognising their national success, the Council has arranged for their work to be exhibited at the Young People’s Gallery at the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock until Saturday 11 June 2016.
Park School’s photographs are also on display at Alzheimer Scotland’s base in College Wynd, Kilmarnock, acting as a visual stimulus for their service users.
Attending the exhibition launch, Councillor Eoghann MacColl said: Scott’s winning photograph ‘The Path Beyond’ was taken in Low Church Lane in the town’s historic centre.
“It features a streetscape of cobbles in the foreground, which gradually sweeps away to a softly lit building in the background. It’s a really lovely piece of work and it’s easy to see why the Civic Trust was impressed.”
Scott said: “I knew what I wanted to achieve and thought hard about how I could frame the shot I was visualising. “By lying on the ground I got the detail of the moss and the individual cobbles and by centering the building in the background, the whole concept just came together.
“I never thought I’d actually win the competition. The attention and the interest in the picture have been overwhelming!”
Paul McIntyre’s Highly Commended photograph ‘The Zig Zag Stairs’ captures vivid graffiti art on the Sand-bed framed by geometrical angles of the metalwork and concrete structure in a fire escape.
Councillor MacColl concluded: “It’s a great exhibition and I’d encourage everyone to go along to the Dick Institute and see the work for themselves.”
Entry to the exhibition is free and it runs until Saturday 11 June.