And the winner is…

Votes were cast throughout December and January for the SWNS Picture of the Year 2015. One hundred of the most compelling images on the SWNS wire this year as chosen by our picture editors.

Over 4,000 votes were cast and although the votes were evenly spread among the photos, there was one standout winner.  It’s now time to reveal the winning photograph (drum roll please).

SWNS Picture of the Year 2015

THIRD PLACE

In third place with 173 votes was a Teddy bear pictured at Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, Iceland. An amateur photographer took a string of stunning pictures of his teddy bear on holiday – after his wife refused to pose for the camera. Christian Kneidinger, 51, has captured the cuddly toy in exotic locations including Dubai and Mauritius. The father-of-two decided to put together an album last summer after he and his wife Ranati, 51, went on holiday to Iceland. This picture was chosen as the best by the SWNS picture editors and was entered into the competition.

SECOND PLACE

With 252 votes, one of our own (SWNS staff photographers Tom Maddick) scoops second place.  Tom captured this magical image of a fallow deer roaming woodland at Wentworth Castle. The shot is taken from deep in the undergrowth at Wentworth Castle, Dodworth, Barnsley, where fallow deer roam free.

FIRST PLACE – SWNS Picture of the Year 2015

The sleeping labrador Dilly. This beautifully composed picture shot Villager Jim to fame after it “broke” the internet. Jim put together an incredible collection of heartwarming countryside images which showcase the rags to riches story of a photographer who shot to fame and has now released a book. The book features the best of the Derbyshire Peak District including landscapes, wildlife and country lanes.

Not only did Dilly break the internet, but the image received 1,133 votes in the competition (four times any other image). Villager Jim, who took the fantastic picture is known as the ‘Banksy’ of the photography world as his identity is still unknown (a closely guarded secret). His photographs have also won other awards and have appeared on the BBC’s Springwatch and Autumnwatch programmes. You can see more of Jim’s pictures here: http://www.villagerjim.com/

If you haven’t seen all of the entries to the Picture of the Year 2015 and want to see what The sleeping labrador Dilly was up against, you’ll find more truly breathtaking, captivating and amazing images here: http://images.swns.com/swns-picture-of-the-year-2015-vote-now

Did you know that SWNS provide up to 20% of all daily print news?If you would like to sell a photo or video to the national press, see our Sell My Photo to a Newspaper or Magazine page.

Here’s a little taste of what else we’ve been up to in the last year.