A YOUNG photographer with ambitions to work for National Geographic is in the frame for a top award at the age of 16.

James Sloane has been shortlisted for the 2014 Young Photographer of the Year competition for his picture of a lone cyclist taken during this year's Ironman UK race in Bolton.

The teenager, from Sharples, waited patiently in Belmont for more than two hours to capture the shot — and he is hoping the picture will win over the public, whose vote he needs to win the prestigious competition.

He said: "I knew what type of picture I wanted — and I waited for about three hours.

“I had seen similar shots in magazines and although there were a lot of cyclists they were coming in twos and threes and I managed to capture this cyclist. I thought the shot looked better in black and white."

"I had seen Ironman contestants go past for the last four years and this time I went out with my camera."

James, who is a student at Canon Slade sixth form, developed his love of photography in April 2011 after receiving a camera for his thirteenth birthday.

In the summer of 2013 he won the Venture Abroad 2013 annual photo competition.

He said: “The picture was taken in Switzerland on a adventure holiday.

“I was happy with the photograph but I knew that people who would go on these holidays would have a keen photographer among them so I was ecstatic to have won.”

Currently he is taking snaps of local band Lantern, capturing them at gigs and also promotional pictures.

James said: “I have always been interested in photography but it was a video I saw for Cannon cameras on Youtube which got me really interested, it was a promotional video but it was inspirational.

“I always have a camera with me. I enjoy being pleased with something I have done, happy to have a taken a good photograph and one which pleases other people. My dream is to take photographs for National Geographic.”

To vote for James’ photograph visit www.photoanswers.co.uk/POTY/potyvote/

Voting closes at the end of this month.