An Islander has combined his passion for photography and high-powered racing bikes to stunning pictorial effect.

Steve McDonald’s action snap of rider Taz Taylor has been chosen from thousands of entries to appear in the Motorcycle News calendar.

The souvenir will be handed out at the Motorcycle Live show being held at the Birmingham NEC in November.

It’s an annual gathering which attracts petrol heads from across the UK and Europe.

One of the 12 photographers featured in the calendar will be chosen to win a £1,000 cash prize and a Nikon camera worth more than £1,000.

The victorious image will be decided by an online vote that closed on Monday.

Steve, 52, a builder by trade from Detling Close, Sheerness, now has a wait to discover if his photo has outshined all.

He said: “To be selected for the final 12 from thousands of entrants is a real achievement.

“Ultimately, my goal is to be a full-time photographer.

“Hopefully, this will help achieve that ambition.”

Steve said he had been pursuing his hobby for the past 10 years.

He travels the country watching and photographing his favourite sport, and is a regular at Brand’s Hatch.

He sees himself as a visual all-rounder.

“I photograph all sorts of things, but the thing I enjoy most is motorsports,” he said.

Asked why he thought his snap caught judges’ attention, Steve said: “Taz Taylor is a rising star in Moto3.

“Technically, it’s a good picture. It’s a good action shot and captures his unique riding style with his elbow down on the ground.”