LOCAL photographer Paul McLoughlin is delighted that his shortlisted photographic image has been commended and will be published in the Landscape Photographer Of The Year 2018 Collection.

His photograph will also be exhibited at Waterloo Station from November 19 to February 3, 2019.

After which the exhibition will go on tour to other major railway stations in the UK.

Paul said: "It is both surprising and rewarding to be selected and published amongst such an accomplished body of photographers.

"The photograph was taken as part of a long term photo-documentary of the thatching straw fields around Winkleigh.

"Most of the images were taken either in the fields south west of Coldridge or in the premises of Hills of Devon at Winkleigh.

"I am very grateful for the help and co-operation of Roger Hills, his son Nick and their work force.

"Many of the workers were the badly needed seasonal workers from the EU.

"I started by wanting to capture some of the stunning landscape images of the fields especially the shapes, forms and structures that change during the harvest process. "The stook (a stack of nine sheaths) were particularly appealing to the eye but also were so evocative of a time gone by.

"However, my interest soon changed to wanting to make a record of the harvest. "Many readers may know of the amazing photographic work of James Ravillious who recorded rural life in Mid and North Devon an era between the 1960’s and 1970’s before his untimely death. His work was a great inspiration to me."

Paul will be showing a selection of photographs from the project at the Photographic Exhibition that takes place in the Boniface Centre which runs throughout the Holy Cross Christmas Tree Festival, from Thursday, December 6 to Sunday 9.