You know you're doing well when your photographs catch the eye of Colin Prior. Prior, one of Britain's foremost landscape photographers, was invited by The Herald Magazine to study the images that make up our 2016 calendar.

The photographs that grace the cover and the 12 months inside were all taken by readers of The Herald. All of them featured during the year in the popular Picture of the Day slot.

The subjects range from the cover shot of Arran, glimpsed from the beach at Seamill (by George Crawford, to a pebble-strewn beach on Lewis (John Dyer), an evocative portrait at sunset of Killantringan Bay, in Dumfries and Galloway (Neil Barr) and a shot of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (David Hodge).

Indeed, this last picture was one of the handful that particularly impressed Prior.

He said this week: "The Herald calendar showcases some of Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage throughout the changing season and I have to say that one or two of the images really caught my eye.

"I particularly liked the March image of the backlit forest at Loch Ard and the way in which the delicate spider’s webs catch the light which gives a real feeling of depth and intimacy.

"September’s image could be mistaken for minarets rising from Istanbul skyline but is in fact Glasgow Museum and Art Galleries, captured towards sunset. In many ways the photograph is a credit to the name attributed to when it opened which was the ‘Palace of Dreams’."

He added: "December’s image of the Buachaille Etive Mor in the grip of winter is certainly on familiar territory and the photograph gloriously captures the grandeur of one of the great icons of Scotland. It’s such a pity that you’ll need to wait until December before you can see it."

The photographs were chosen by Craig Alexander, our group picture editor, who says that the standard was highly impressive.

He marvelled at how Herald readers succeeded in capturing the shades of light that make Scotland such a remarkably photogenic country. "In addition," he says, "we also had some fantastic wildlife photography." May's photograph shows a puffin at the Bullers of Buchan, north of Cruden Bay.

Wildlife and outstanding scenery: it's all here in abundance. And all profits from the sale of the 2016 calendar will go to Barnardo's Scotland.

* To order your copy of the calendar, visit www.heraldandtimes.myshopify.com. The Herald calendar costs £8, inc UK P&P, with £2.50 from each sale going directly to Barnardo’s Scotland. The remainder covers costs. Please allow 21 days for delivery.

* You can buy a copy in person, at the Herald & Times reception at 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, for £6.50.

* Alternatively, you can phone 0141 302 7300 and order the calendar and pay by credit/debit card. Cost: £8.