AN Isle of Man photographer has been short-listed for a major award with his images of musicians in the NME Music Photography awards.

Phil Kneen, from Peel, is competing against 60 other photographers in the professional category for the Nikon-sponsored award.

If he wins he will go forward for the chance to shoot a major music festival for NME as the magazine’s official photographer next year.

Phil’s image of Justin Young (The Vaccines) currently appears on the NME website. Photographs have been short-listed by a public vote.

The winner in the professional photographer of the year category will win a Nikon D300S camera and 28-300mm lens, with a combined value of £2258.98.

The winner in the professional outstanding contribution category will also win a Nikon P300 camera worth £299.99.

The winners of each category will be invited to NME towers to meet the picture editor and one of NME’s established photographers for a photography masterclass.

NME will then pick two photographers to shoot a gig for the magazine – and one eventual winner will go to a festival as the NME official photographer. Nikon will also throw in a D5100 camera worth £779.99.