A KEEN photographer has been named a winner in the autumn heat of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust’s national photography competition.

Retired local government officer Albert Horton, of March, impressed judges with his photography skills to become the WWT Welney Wetland Centre’s autumn winner of the Wetland Landscape category.

Mr Horton, 71, said: “I am a keen photographer and have been a member of March’s camera club for many years.

“I was really happy with my winning photo as soon as I took it. The conditions and the lighting were ideal, so it was just a case of getting the composition and exposure right.”

Mr Horton was one of four autumn winners for the WWT Welney Wetlands Centre, winning a place on an acclaimed photography course held by nature photography experts Wild Arena.

He will also now go through to the national finals to be held in autumn 2012, where �50,000 worth of prizes are up for grabs including wildlife photography and activity holidays.

Julie Ward, manager at WWT Welney, said: “Albert’s winning photo entitled ‘Welney at Sunset’ really caught the judges’ eye as it truly bought our local WWT wetland centre to life.”

The competition is run in association with Canon.

The winter heat is now open and photographers can enter their prize pictures taken at the centres by visiting www.wwt.org.uk/photo - closing date for entries is February 29 2012.

Entrants are encouraged to enter more than two of the seasonal heats to automatically go into the Portfolio Photographer of the Year category to be in with a chance of winning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Antarctica, courtesy of Exodus in partnership with Quark Expeditions.