22 / PNPOTY 2025 IN ASSOCIATION WITH
ISSUE 123
Wanderlust Wes wins with the wow factor
When you live near some of the most picturesque parts of the UK, you don’t have to travel far to stunning locations. But it’s still a challenge to take images of a standard so high that it beats out international photographers to win a prestigious award. Yet that’s what Wesley Kristopher has done with this breathtaking colour shot from the Salt Cellar gritstone tor at Derwent Edge in the Peak District. His image – called After The Rain – was the clear winner in the hotly contested landscape category. The judges were so impressed that they made 38-year-old Kristopher the overall champion too. He scoops £500 to spend on equipment at competition sponsor MPB. It boasts a massive range of options to add to his existing collection of high-end kit. The winning image was taken on Kristopher’s Nikon Z 8, fitted with the Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 lens at the widest setting – f/11 – to retain sharpness from front to back. Like all landscape work, it’s all about nailing the composition and light, and our champion has done that. The stunning, sun-raked heather in the foreground leads your eye along the A stunning landscape image from his beloved Peak District sees outdoor lover Wesley Kristopher named our champion photographer
path to the rocks, then on to the distant hills and stunning sunset, all under foreboding skies. Gaze at it for longer and you’ll discover incredible details, such as the distant rushing water of Ladybower Reservoir. “This is fantastic news! I always pick up Photography News and it’s a fab read. I’m really thrilled to have won!” he says. “I got the email through about winning while I was out photographing a fair at Chatsworth House. At first I just thought it was a spam message!” Juggling a busy career as a semi- professional photographer and full- time baker at M&S for around eight years, Kristopher started exploring the Peak District in his late twenties to deal with social anxiety issues. “In the early Instagram days, I began posting content and blogging about my adventures. People would comment that I had an eye for photography,” Kristopher shares. “I soon bought my first Nikon DSLR and started learning – it all fascinated me and awakened something inside. It’s also emptied my bank account, as I’m on about my tenth Nikon now! A combination of tech and gadgets, plus getting outside in nature and meeting other like-minded people, really helped me. The Peak District has become my classroom, from which I’m still learning to this day.” The location of the winning image is very popular around heather season, as it becomes surrounded by colour and looks its best. “This particular evening was dramatic, with dark storm clouds ahead and plenty of rain to freshen the scene. We got soaked, but our patience paid off when the sun burst out for a few precious moments,” he says. “It was all hands on deck, rushing around to get as many shots as possible while the light bathed the scene. It was magical and chaotic, up there with my favourite landscape moments. I had to use a high shutter speed as the wind was causing a lot of movement in
OUT AND ABOUT Wesley Kristopher loves to get into nature to take epic shots
the scene. I also ditched my tripod to quickly adapt to what was unfolding. “Mirrorless cameras with their IBIS and fold-out screens have been game changers with their adaptability, enabling quality shots in challenging conditions that I would have struggled with in the past,” says Kristopher, who admits he’s on a mission to visit the whole of the UK’s first-ever national park and inspire others to visit too. His website peopleofthepeak.com features many more stunning images he’s taken of the area and further beyond. “I switched my focus to landscapes after a few years concentrating on farm animals and wildlife. I felt I was becoming known for that and it was
my niche, but I’ve always enjoyed landscapes, and it’s what propelled my photography journey,” he adds. “It feels incredible to have this recognition. Keep getting out there and doing what you enjoy. Share your experiences and enter competitions – you never know what opportunities they might bring. There are many rules in photography, but you can put your own spin on it to stand out from the crowd.” PN Photographer of the Year was hugely popular, filled with exceptional images in ten distinct categories: b&w, lighting, wildlife, portrait, landscape, photo editing, street, events, macro and weddings. We look at the winning shots across the next three pages.
He scoops £500 to spend
on equipment at Photographer of the Year sponsor MPB
Trading kit is made easy with contest sponsor MPB
If you’re refreshing your kitbag for a new season, or are finally ready to part with gear you no longer use, Photographer of the Year sponsor MPB makes the whole process of selling or trading your equipment remarkably easy. From DSLRs to mirrorless bodies, lenses to accessories, MPB’s pricing database covers more than 10,000 different items. Simply enter the model, select the condition and you’ll get an instant quote – no haggling, no hidden extras, just a fair valuation.
Once you’re happy with the price, MPB offers fully insured, free collection from your doorstep or a convenient local drop-off. Everything is tracked and covered so you can send your kit off with confidence. When your gear arrives at MPB’s specialist facility, it’s always carefully checked. If this matches your quote, payment goes directly into your bank account. If there’s any difference, you’re informed straight away and can accept the new price or have your kit returned – again at no cost.
MPB makes trading in seamless too. The site automatically calculates your old gear’s value against the cost of your chosen replacement, so you know exactly what you’ll pay. New kit is shipped securely, packaged in plastic-free, sustainable materials. By buying, selling and trading with MPB, you’ll not only save money but will also give gear a new life. Recirculating more than 500,000 items every year, this service is as smart for your wallet as the planet. mpb.com
Powered by FlippingBook