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Tuesday 6 May 2014

Could you be the next 'Lines in the Landscape' photography award winner?

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National

The search is on to find the photography that best captures the spirit of today’s rail network as it relates to the landscape around it. Entries are now open for the Take a view - Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards 2014, which celebrates imagery of the best sights our country has to offer.

For the fifth year, Network Rail is supporting the competition, where amateur and professional photographers can highlight the very best imagery of Britain’s beautiful rural and urban scenery and compete for the top prize of £10,000. An additional prize - the Network Rail ‘Lines in the Landscape’ Special Award - will be given for the best photography of Britain’s rail network.

Last year’s winner of the rail award was a stunning image by David Cation of a steam train caught in a web of iron as it crossed the Forth Rail Bridge in Scotland. Mr Cation beat more than 500 entries from across Britain to take the top spot and in June will take up his prize of a flight in the Network Rail inspection helicopter – a unique photographic opportunity.

Charlie Waite, renowned landscape photographer and competition founder is keen to encourage more people to enter the railway award. He said: “Judging this award is a great pleasure for me as Britain’s railways have always been close to my heart. Network Rail looks after an amazing 20,000 miles of track and owns over 2,500 stations and so the photographic opportunities are endless. I will be looking for an image that captures the spirit of today’s railways, be they in the busiest cities or most remote countryside. Details, urban views and sweeping tracks are all eligible and I am hoping to see many photographs that inspire.”

On winning last year's award David Cation said: "I was drawn to the finesse of the details within the massive structure and chose the gap in the bracing to frame the locomotive. The rail network presents the photographer with a vast array of photographic opportunities throughout the country as is demonstrated by quality of images entered in previous competitions. The Take a view competition is one that I have followed since its launch and has been a huge source of inspiration for my landscape work, so to win this award has given me a huge sense of achievement."

This year’s winner of the Lines in the Landscape award will also be able to board a flight in Network Rail’s inspection helicopter which has onboard infrared technology to monitor thousands of miles of track. The prize offers a unique photography opportunity not open to the public and £300 will be added, so that the winner can make a weekend break of it.

An exhibition of winning entries will premiere in Central London in November 2014 and more than 150 of the best photographs from the competition will appear in a stunning book by AA Publishing. The 2014 Awards are held in association with VisitBritain and Countryside is GREAT.