Picture credit: Björn Olsson

Björn Olsson, who lives in Edinburgh, scooped £500 in a contest judged by picture editors from newspapers and news agencies that formed part of the UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards.

The Sweden-born amateur said this is the first time he has won a competition in his 15 years as a photo enthusiast.

But it nearly didn’t happen.

‘I was pushed into it by my wife,’ Björn told Amateur Photographer.

‘Be proud of your pictures. Don’t be shy – just send them in,’ she had urged him.

Björn, who works for a bank, used a Canon EOS 550D to take the winning picture at the Ruaha National Park in Tanzania.

He plans to use the winnings to help him upgrade his camera kit to a full-frame model.

Asked what difference the win has made he said: ‘It’s motivated me to enter more competitions.’

Meanwhile, Stefan Wermuth from news agency Reuters beat more than 400 press photographers to take the overall title.

A free exhibition of the UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards winning entries is on show at the Museum of London until 16 March 2104.