The Brighton and Hove Calendar published by North Laine Photography is celebrating its 15th anniversary with the pick of the best local images.

It is also the final year that Nigel Swallow, the calendar’s original creator will be involved.

The first calendar was sold from a fly pitch outside an empty funeral parlour on Kensington Gardens in 2001 and sold out in six weeks.

Nigel continued to take all the images and put the calendar together till a competition edition in 2005 which featured entries to open competitions held by North Laine Photography.

On the cover of the 2015 calendar is Max Langran’s dramatic shot of lightning over Brighton’s West Pier last July, which made the local and national news.

“Of course we approached Max for that image,” says Nigel. “It was instantly voted by everyone who viewed possible layouts as being the main image of the year. We were chuffed he said ‘yes’ to us using it. But we have never been turned down for an image use as far as I remember. People are chuffed to get their photo into something so many of their friends buy.

“Of course the photographer keeps copyright and we pay for the one off use.”

Other shots include one from the Pride parade, a deer in Stanmer Park, a shot of the Royal Pavilion Music Room, and the Santa Dash, with the aim being to capture the diversity of the city.

The 2016 calendar will be put together by regular contributor Finn Hopson, who recently opened Brighton Photography Gallery in the new Creative Quarter by the West Pier.

“Finn has taken some of the city’s most popular photos over the last few years, first featuring in our calendar in the 2012 edition,” says Nigel. “He has since worked with us on several big exhibition projects, learnt how we design the calendar, been in charge of selling it last year in Churchill Square – but most importantly – he loves this city – he’s definitely the right person to take things forward.”

  • The calendar is available to buy at £6.99 from North Laine Photography, Outside Snoopers Paradise, 7-8 Kensington Gardens, North Laine Photography, Opposite Nat West Bank, Inside Churchill Square, Brighton Photography – Creative Quarter, by the West Pier, brightonphotography.com, or City Books, 23 Western Rd, Hove.