Young Montrosians are being asked to take a fresh look at their home town and record the life of the community.
Celebrate Montrose is a new photography competition being officially launched by Montrose Rotary Club this weekend, with the hope that young entrants will capture images, events and places in the town and surrounding district.
“We want to encourage young people to express their interpretation of the theme,” said competition organiser and co-sponsor local photographer Neil Werninck.
“Montrose has a vibrant town with great community spirit, a fascinating history and promising future. There is plenty for the young photographers to point their cameras at.”
Entrants aged from seven to 18 are being invited to submit a portfolio of up to three different prints, either colour or black and white but no bigger than A4 size, plus a digital copy on disc.
The age categories are seven to 10, 11-13 and 14-17, with entries being judged on both technical merit and imaginative interpretation of the theme.
All entrants will receive a certificate and the winners an engraved trophy, with the competition running from Saturday until March 31 next year.
Mr Werninck added: “When they are thinking about what they would like to photograph they should consider ideas such as location and mood.”
The competition also has special significance for the Van Werninck Studio, which is celebrating 60 years in business and has enjoyed a massive response to a Facebook page charting the changing face of the town as captured through the lens.
The changing local streetscape, motoring down the years with a series of contemporary car launches and the thriving social scene, including music, dance and drama groups, have all drawn an enthusiastic response from townsfolk and the Montrose diaspora across the globe to www.facebook.com/VanWerninckStudio.
There has been particular interest in the Facebook page from across the pond from Angus girls who married personnel based at the former US Navy base at Edzell and are now living in the US.
“I’ve been adding pictures each week and there are probably the best part of 900 photographs on there now,” said Mr Werninck, whose father Bob took over the Murray Street shop from fittingly-named photographer Walter Tooke in the week of the Queen’s coronation in 1953.
He added: “When we celebrated our 50th anniversary we discovered that it had been a photographer’s premises since 1884 and we are the seventh in residence.
“I would imagine it is probably the only building in town still in the same type of business over such a length of time, although in 1884 Montrose had eight or nine professional photographers.”
Turning back to the competition, Mr Wernick said entry forms are available from Van Werninck Studio at 143 Murray Street and should be returned there.
He added: “While we love receiving great images, we don’t want the young entrants putting themselves in danger trying to get that perfect shot. So when you are out and about photographing, please don’t put your safety at risk.”