The '˜perfect shot' that went round the world

Lancashire photographer Melvin Nicholson knows just what that feels like.

He was at the centre of a worldwide media frenzy in November after capturing a stunning image in the Scottish highlands.

And today the Post can showcase more of his work.

Preston-based Melvin captured a wonderful image of a white “fog bow” over Rannoch Moor in the west of Scotland.

After a mention on Chris Evans’ Radio 2 breakfast show his image went viral on social media and Melvin suddenly found himself and his picture in demand from all over the world.

And the frenzy has barely eased since.

Melvin, 44, of Ashton, is a landscape photographer who was in Scotland running a photographic workshop.

He said the stunning image came about surprisingly easily.

In his profession he is used to spending hours waiting for perfect conditons and the perfect picture, only to give up and go home.

He said: “Sometimes you can spend hours setting up a shot and it doesn’t work. This one happened fairly quickly.

“You’ve got to have the sun behind you to see the fog bow .

“It isn’t going to make me a millionaire, I am just thrilled that so many people have got to see it.”

Melvin is a full-time professional landscape photographer based in Preston.

He runs photography workshops in the UK and in Iceland ranging from one day to eight.

He also offers personalised one-to-one tuition days for those who prefer to receive assistance on their own.

Melvin obtained his Licentiateship distinction with the Royal Photographic Society in 2012 and has had his work published in national and international magazines.

His stunning photos are also permanently exhibited in various establishments in the Lake District and Scotland.

Melvin says: “Running workshops and 1-2-1 tuition days is not a job to me, it is a way of life. I live, breathe, eat and sleep landscape photography.”

He is now selling calendars and prints of his famous fog bow picture through his website.

A “fog bow” is a similar phenomenon to a rainbow but it appears in fog rather than rain.

Reflecting on his famous fog bow shot, he was out on the moor south of Glencoe in November when the very unusual white rainbow appeared.

Melvin was with another photographer, Scott Robertson, on an early-morning shoot.

He decided to use the lone tree as the focal point of his image and Scott moved to another spot.

Then the “magical” rainbow appeared – and Melvin had the perfect shot of the tree framed by the “fog bow”.

He altered position so the sun was behind him and snapped the perfect image you can see above.

He believes his colleague may also have one - but it has yet to be published!

Melvin messaged Radio 2 early the following morning and sent them the photo.

After the Radio 2 mention, suddenly Melvin, his picture and the phenomenon of the “fog bow” was being discussed on the airwaves .

His phone started ringing non-stop.

He said recently : “Who would have thought a single image could have such a huge impact on a person’s life? Not me that’s for sure.

“I like to think that all the planets aligned that day. If you only knew just how close you come time after time after time over the years with rising out of bed at 3am, travelling a hundred miles sometimes just to be in with a shout of a great sunrise, you learn to appreciate moments like these because as in this case, it is a ‘once in a lifetime’ moment.

“I still encounter on a daily basis, some very kind people messaging me videos and links to the story that is being broadcast and published on the various TV networks and national press from all over the world and I love how people write to me saying that they never knew fogbows existed.

“It really pleases me that people are discovering something new, something that captures their imagination.

I cannot tell you how proud that makes me feel.

“A photograph with real weight behind it and more than an air of mystery to boot.

Visit Melvin’s website at www.melvinnicholsonphotography.co.uk.