Winter is an exciting time for photographers who love a crisp frost on the ground and that extra beautiful light of the season.

The angle of the sun on the horizon is smaller during wintertime, creating numerous pleasing effects for photographers, such as a prolonged period of the magic hour - the time around sunrise or sunset.

In winter, a photographer's subject can be illuminated from beautiful and pleasing angles too.

As we welcomed in the winter season we asked you to take part in our monthly photo challenge, launched earlier this year in partnership with our long standing friends, the Scotland from the Roadside Facebook group.

Each month, a new theme is issued, the only request - that photographers have fun exploring this amazing and beautiful country we get to call home.

For December, the challenge was Winter Light and we encouraged everyone to get out of doors and capture some fantastic shots of the season.

Over the last few weeks, hundreds of striking images have been sent in from keen outdoor adventurers all over the country and it has been an incredibly difficult job to choose which ones to include in our final roundup.

We are devastated we cannot include them all, but please do check out all the spectacular submissions on the group page under the hashtag #stvwinterlight.

And if you would like to take part in the next photo challenge, please watch out for announcements here on the Scotland from the Roadside page.

First Light by Scottish Views

Corgarff castle by Ally Deans

The Lairig Ghru by David Baird

Winter sunbow by Gary Paul

Invermoriston by Gordon Doc Doherty

Mountain hare by Darren Chisholm‎

Road to Glencoe by Myra Watson

Corpach boat by Diane Maxwell and Graham Kirkham

Buachaille Etive Mor by John McSporran‎

Rattray Head Lighthouse by Liam McBride