A professional photographer from Great Yarmouth has beaten off stiff competition from across the UK to take silver in the annual EEF/Lombard manufacturing photography competition.

Eastern Daily Press: 2015 EEF Photography Competition Awards Evening at the House of Commons on 10th December 2015 - Andrew Perkins, runner-up in the professional photographer category, collecting his prize from Robert Pickles, Director of Public Sector Business Development and Public Affairs, Canon UK & Ireland2015 EEF Photography Competition Awards Evening at the House of Commons on 10th December 2015 - Andrew Perkins, runner-up in the professional photographer category, collecting his prize from Robert Pickles, Director of Public Sector Business Development and Public Affairs, Canon UK & Ireland (Image: Digital-Photo.co.uk 0845 5050911)

Andrew Perkins was narrowly pipped to the post for the best professional photographer award, sponsored by Canon, after wowing judges with his image entitled 'Testing a Cryogenic Liquid Nitrogen Pump'. It shows a cryogenic liquid nitrogen pump being tested at the NOV HydraRig in Great Yarmouth.

Andrew's photograph was one of 43 eye-catching images shortlisted in the competition this year. He found out he had taken silver at a special ceremony in the House of Commons last Thursday and will share a prize of £5,000-worth of Canon photography equipment with two other runners-up.

The manufacturing photography competition has been running for six years and aims to raise the profile of British manufacturing by showcasing the industry's creativity, diversity and heritage through inspiring photography.

Mr Perkins, who lives in Fleggburgh, said: 'I'm delighted to have been named runner-up for this award and that my passion for photography has been recognised. Seeing my work on display alongside so many other fantastic images of UK manufacturing in the House of Commons has been extremely rewarding.

'Manufacturing is a great subject to photograph because it is so diverse and provides lots of opportunities for dramatic shots. It's challenging as there are so many different ways of looking at it, whether it's traditional or modern manufacturing, an up-close shot of an engineer, or the intricate manufacturing process itself.'

Mr Perkins and his partner Alvin Burrows are directors of Industrial Motion and Skills, a company based in Broad Row, Yarmouth. He has been involved in photography since leaving school and has worked around the UK and in Italy.

His company specialises in industrial photography but also carried out corporate work.