About
Welcome to my website. I’m Andy Gray, published award winning photographer based in the Peak District
I was artistic from a young age. This and a love of the outdoors led me to paint landscapes at school. Following art collage I decided on a career in manufacturing and engineering. Years later I reignited my creative self and became interested in the digital boom of the early noughties. I was able to merge my technical background with my artistic side.
Together with a passion for the landscape, my photographic journey began in 2004. Following a move to the Peak District in 2006 I taught myself the craft of digital photography and during an 8 year period did not take a huge amount of images. It was mainly theory and inspiration derived from looking at the work of others. Then in 2011 a trip to Lapland to see and photograph the northern lights got me taking more images although still mainly on holiday. Opportunities for regular photography outings remained infrequent until after 2018 when I quit my job in manufacturing
A turning point came in 2020/21 during the height of lockdown when travel was virtually extinct. I became focused on the beauty of what was on my doorstep. Being surrounded by woodland was my inspiration. A series of repeated trips to photograph trees throughout the seasons meant I had built up a decent portfolio of work. It was at that point I entered my first photography competition, the prestigious ‘Landscape Photographer Of The Year’ contest 2021. I was shocked to learn I was a major prize winner for my image ‘Winter Pathway’ which was subsequently published and included in a UK wide touring exhibition.
My goal is to capture the atmosphere of the locations I visit and transport the audience to the same place
Accolades / Exhibitions 2024
Runner-up ‘Weather Photographer Of The Year’ WPOTY
Prize Winner Natural Landscape Photography Awards NLPA
One Eyeland Best Of The best Photo Yearbook Published
Commended Scottish Landscape Photographer of The Year SLPOTY
Shortlisted Wildlife Photography Awards BWPA
Artist Gallery Awards Honourable Mention
Shortlisted Scottish Nature Photography Awards SNPOTY
Millyard Studio Gallery Exhibition, Derbyshire
Aqueduct Solo Exhibition, Cromford Canal, Derbyshire
2023
Award winner. International Garden Photographer Of The Year IGPOTY
Finalist Travel Photographer Of The Year TPOTY
Prize winner. CEWE annual photo award. Exhibited in Hamburg
Shortlisted (Pre-Finals) Natural Landscape Photography Awards NLPA
Published 'In Converstion' article. Outdoor Photography Magazine
Derwent Valley Mills Exhibition. Published in book
Open exhibition. The Old Lock-Up Gallery, Derbyshire
Dara Tree Of Life Exhibition. The Old Lock-Up Gallery, Derbyshire
Published in Derbyshire Life Magazine
Featured in Amateur Photography Magazine
Brick Lane Gallery. Landscape Exhibition Invitation
2022
Shortlisted in Landscape Photographer of the Year LPOTY
Monochrome Awards competition commended
Shortlisted in Scottish Nature Photographer of the year SNPOTY
Commended in Scottish Landscape Photographer of the year SLPOTY
Bronze Mention. Black and White photography Awards Landscape BWPA
Published in Landscape Photography Magazine LPM
Published in Derbyshire Life Magazine
2021
Runner -Up 'Your View' Landscape Photographer of the Year LPOTY
Published in LPOTY awards book and exhibited at UK tour
Finalist -The British Photography Awards BPA
Published in Landscape Photography Magazine LPM
2020
Shortlisted in Landscape Photographer of the Year LPOTY
Published in Landscape Photography Magazine LPM
2019
Photopiller of the day. Published in the annual awards book
Assignment winner. Landscape Photography Magazine LPM
Photocrowd -'Moments' winner. Work exhibited in Shanghai Art Gallery