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A financial services provider is aiding the career progress of a number of young photographers.

Scottish Widows is offering talented young photographers the chance to win a commission to create the Scottish Widows 2008 Calendar.

Scottish Widows has compiled a shortlist of six up-and-coming photographers, many of them recent graduates and all of them under 26.

The winning photographer will be commissioned to shoot 12 portraits featuring the widow, which will be produced as a limited edition calendars to be distributed to celebrities, VIPs and industry experts.

Mike Hoban, customer and brand marketing director at Scottish Widows, said: "This is a really exciting opportunity for an up-and-coming photographer to make a mark on the photographic industry by interpreting the traditional icon of the widow in an imaginative and creative way."

The finalists include graduates from the Glasgow School of Art, Fylde College, Surrey Institute of Art and Design and Telford College.

A career as a photographer can often be highly insecure. According to learning advice specialists Learndirect, the key to becoming a successful working photographer is building a good portfolio, making contacts and gaining relevant experience.

Many aspiring photographers choose to complete periods of unpaid work experience, ideally with successful professional photographers already working in their chosen field.