A love of the sea and a eye for a great shot have landed local photographer Alison Taylor a top award. Alison, a retired teacher and university administrator who lives in Woodthorpe, has been made an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society - the oldest photographic organisation in the world.

It's a rare honour - she is one of only seven landscape photographers in the world to be named an associate of the society.

It is actually her seascapes which won her the accolade. She had to submit 15 prints on the theme of 'The Lonely Sky and the Sea' to judges. Key among them were images of massive storm waves which she took off the North East coast. They may be still photographs - but somehow they seem to bulge and surge with the full power of an angry sea.

Alison, until recently the president of the York Photographic Society, only took up photography in 2013. Initially, she was keen to capture the scenery of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District. " However, I discovered that my real passion is for the sea - and the North East coast in particular," she said. "This is galling for a staunch Boltonian but I have lived in York over 40 years and I consider myself fortunate to have such a spectacular coastline within driving distance."

Visitors to York Hospital may be familiar with her work - she has recently had prints of her huge storm waves exhibited there.

Photography has really helped her get through lockdown, she says. But she admits that she's now desperate to get back to the sea. When she can, she says, she likes to 'spend most of my time wading in the sea and exploring in Yorkshire around the coast'.

You can see more of Alison's images at alisontaylorphotography.org/blog/alison-taylor-arps