A postman is buzzing after winning a photography competition.
For the past 28 years Jason Steel, 46, has been delivering letters and packages around Dartford, but he can now boast the accolade of Kent Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Photographer of The Year for his close-up snap of a European hornet.
Mr Steel – who has been taking pictures of wildlife, landscapes and cars for 10 years – found out his picture of a European hornet resting on his wife’s potted cape daisies had won him the award a few weeks ago.
He said: “I’m absolutely delighted. It is very flattering – there are a lot of good photographers.
“I photograph quite a lot of insects. I was looking around my wife’s flowers. We planted quite a lot of flowers last year to attract insects and I saw the hornet in the flowers so I jumped on the floor to get a snap.
“I think what makes that picture is the colour of the plant matches the hornet and the sun was setting as well, so it has a nice glow.”
Mr Steel, who used his Cannon DSLR 7D camera with a macro lens to capture his award-winning shot, also submitted three other entries for the competition, including pictures of great spotted woodpeckers, a shore crab and a speckled bush-cricket.
Jason Steel Kent Wildlife Trust's Wildlife Photographer Of The Year with his picture of a European hornet on a potted Cape Daisy
He added: “I’m very grateful to the support and patience of my family.
“Every time we go out somewhere, I’m always trying to photograph something I have seen.
“I have had a lot of people congratulate me. A lot of people think I should pursue it as a career rather than be a postman.
“I love doing my wildlife photography but I wouldn’t want it to become my job. It would take the joy out of it.
“I try not to get big-headed about it but a lot of people have complimented my photos. I know a lot of photographers that I aspire to be like.”
Jason, from Bexleyheath, is due to pick up his award at a presentation today (Thursday).
