A DUNFERMLINE photographer is in the frame for a top wedding accolade.

Mark Quinn took the step to go full-time and focus on his photography business in 2017 after working for around 16 years with the NHS.

He has now been shortlisted for the Photographer of the Year title at the Scottish Wedding Awards 2022 which are being held in Glasgow later this month.

"I was with the NHS for about 16 years and worked for e-health which is the NHS' IT – I worked with NHS Fife for most of that," he explained.

"It was a job with a lot of job satisfaction. Even though you weren't a clinician, you still felt you were doing something important.

"Photography had always been my passion but, like most creative people, there's that internal voice, an imposter syndrome, that is louder than the confident voice.

"I am in my late-40s so it is not like it was a snap decision. I started to get more bookings and the response to images was really good and that gets you more bookings. It was a case of I cannot do both jobs so I ended up leaving the NHS in 2017."

The talented Duloch photographer specialises in weddings but is able to do all kinds of photos.

"If you can shoot weddings, well you can do any type of photography," he added. "You can't say I will meet you here again tomorrow and try again. When I first went full-time, I did a bit of commercial stuff but I just got so busy with weddings I haven't been able to do a lot of the other stuff."

Mark has managed to get through lockdown which saw weddings cancelled because of coronavirus restrictions.

"It was incredibly difficult – basically I rescheduled 40-odd weddings so I was really lucky. I only lost two bookings because people had booked dates I was already booked in for. So it was really nice. I even had a few change their dates because I was not available which was a hell of an ego boost.

"2020 was a nightmare. Last year was great, this year I am fully booked."

After coming through the pandemic, he was delighted to be nominated for the award.

"Your couples nominate you but I don't know who or how many," he added. "It is really nice for people to have taken the time to vote for me."

Also in the running for honours at the awards ceremony, which is being held at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow on February 23, is the Garvock House Hotel in Dunfermline, which has been shortlisted for two titles, Wedding Venue of the Year and Wedding Co-ordinator of the Year.