That the Parliament congratulates Callum McKenzie, aged 21, from Clarkston, and a student at Glasgow Kelvin College, on being named Scottish student photographer of the year; notes that Callum’s award-winning portfolio, Avian Pairs, captures remarkable moments of bird-to-bird interaction in the wild, including his striking image of two puffins mid-squabble on Lunga, off the coast of Mull; further notes that his portfolio also features a pair of fulmars in quiet companionship and two red kites in synchronised flight, demonstrating his exceptional talent, dedication, and love for Scotland’s wildlife; recognises the valuable support of his mentors at Kelvin College, in particular his lecturer Simon Murphy, who encouraged him to pursue his passion; appreciates the importance of encouraging young people to develop their skills and creativity, and of celebrating Scotland’s natural environment through the arts; recognises the vital role that colleges and creative courses play in equipping students with the confidence and experience to build careers in the creative industries; highlights that there is a need to ensure that opportunities to study photography, the arts and related subjects remain accessible to all who wish to pursue them, and wishes Callum every success in his future studies and career in nature photography.
Supported by:
Jackie Baillie, Jeremy Balfour, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Annabelle Ewing, Dr Pam Gosal MBE, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, Bill Kidd, Ruth Maguire, Stuart McMillan, Carol Mochan, Alexander Stewart, Kevin Stewart, Paul Sweeney