A STUNNING photograph deep in the heart of an East Lothian woodland has been selected as one of the best at global photography awards.

Amanda Farnese Heath was highly commended in the Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer category at the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year awards with Wild Wedding For Two.

The picture was shot in woods near Tyninghame and Amanda was delighted with the success.

She said: “It was taken during the summer of the first lockdown, around about July.

“It was basically, with the permission of the Forestry Commission, taken deep in the forest near Tyninghame.

“It was a place that we went and found because of the light and everything else that was good for a photograph.”

Amanda, who lives near Seacliff, has been a photographer for nearly 30 years and also devotes her time to The Mad March Hare, which offers a dining experience with a difference.

The business offers people the chance to enjoy dinner in a number of unusual places, such as deep in the woodland.

The photographer, who has previously worked as a stylist with companies including Dobbies Garden Centres and Edinburgh Preserves, said: “I came up with the idea of offering anyone wishing to get married during lockdown a wild tiny wedding with an exquisite banquet in a remote secret location in Scotland.

“This is one of the images from our first minuscule event.”

The picture was set so that the bride, a model from Glasgow, would be wandering through the forest before coming across the table.

Amanda, 56, spoke to the Courier while she was in the Highlands “on a recce” as she prepares her photograph for next year’s awards.

The winners of this year’s awards were announced by Fred Sirieix, of First Dates, in an awards ceremony that was live streamed on the competition’s YouTube channel at the end of last month, with people tuning in from across the globe.

“On the competition’s 10th anniversary, it is wonderful that a record number of entries were received,” said Phil Turnbull, CEO of APAL, owner of Pink Lady, and headline sponsor of the awards since 2011.

“Almost 10,500 entries were submitted from over 70 countries around the world.

“As the reach of the competition grows further, it continues to be a truly global inspiration and celebration of the art of food photography.”

This year’s global judging panel, chaired by legendary food photographer David Loftus, included Fiona Shields, head of photography, Guardian News & Media; Nik Sharma, cookbook author and photographer; chef Simone Zanoni, Restaurant Le George, Four Seasons Paris; Alison Jacques, founder of Alison Jacques Gallery; and Vitalie Taittinger, president of Champagne Taittinger.