Two local photographers were celebrating after each scooped a prestigious UK photographic award.

Talented pair Sue Blythe and Keith Burns won individual categories at the annual Societies of Photographers’ annual awards.

Sue claimed the top prize for ’Travel Photographer of the Year’, with an image of a novice monk wreathed in smoke, taken at a temple in Myanmar in 2019.

Keith won the title of ’Documentary Photographer of the Year’ with his striking and dramatic image of prison officers on the Isle of Man enveloped in flames during riot control training.

Sue was also short-listed for Wildlife Photographer of the Year accolade.

Both photographers, who are members of the Isle of Man Photographic Society, were awarded their titles over a Zoom ceremony.

Sue’s image was described by the judges as ’A beautifully atmospheric image that makes you feel like you are there, you can almost smell the dust and feel the light coming through the gaps in the window. A fantastic travel image.’

’I took the picture in a place called Began in Myanmar, a UNESCO World Heritage site where there are hundreds of very old temples there where Buddhist monks receive their training,’ said Sue, a professional photographer.

’The smoke in the image was caused by the incense that they burn. It was actually very hard to breathe there.

’I took the image in November 2019 during a guided photographic trip. That was actually the last time I was able to travel.’

Keith, a guard at the Isle of Man Prison, is a relatively-new photographer, normally specialising in pet portraits, and only joined the Isle of Man Photographic Society two years ago.

’I only really took up photography around five years ago,’ he said.

’As a prison officer, we have to go through regular riot control training, which includes having to face petrol bombs being thrown at you.

’I thought it would make a pretty good photograph.

’I entered my picture in a monthly competition ru byn the Societies of Photographers earlier last year, and the picture won a gold award, which I was very pleased with.

’They then enter all the award winners into an annual competition, with tens of thousands of entrants and they gradually get whittled down.

’I am amazed and a bit shocked to have won.’