Wiltshire Wildlife Trust photography prize returns for 2026

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has announced that its popular annual photography prize will officially open for entries on Wednesday 1 August 2026.

This year’s competition brings exciting updates, including a brand new award category, an elite judging panel, and its own public exhibition this winter.

Running from 1 – 31 August, the competition invites photographers of all ages and experiences to submit their most compelling images capturing the beauty, diversity, and fragility of Wiltshire’s natural world. Winners will be announced in mid-September across the Trust’s social media channels and featured in its member magazine. 

In addition to the 'Under 18’ and ‘18 and Over’ categories, this year introduces a new Sponsor’s Choice Award. Sponsored by Wild View Cameras, the award features an additional £100 top prize. Every photograph submitted to the main competition will be automatically entered. Once the category winners and runners-up are chosen, the sponsors will handpick their favorite image from the entire pool of entries, regardless of age group.

Last year, the images submitted were used on two magazine front covers and to create a special edition set of postcards for our new members. This year, for the first time the public will have the opportunity to view a showcase of the competition's top images in person. The exhibition will run throughout November 2026 at the Brockbank Centre, located at the Trust’s beautiful Langford Lakes Nature Reserve.

The Trust has secured acclaimed experts for its judging panel and is currently searching for a special Judge from its membership to help select this year's winning photographs. Interested members are encouraged to contact [email protected] by Wednesday 15 July for more details on how to apply.

The 2026 panel brings together expertise in both conservation photography and visual storytelling:

• Nick Upton: An award-winning, Wiltshire-based wildlife photographer, filmmaker, and PhD biologist. Formerly a BBC wildlife television producer who worked alongside Sir David Attenborough, Nick’s documentary images have appeared in National Geographic and BBC Wildlife Magazine. He has won top honours at the British Wildlife Photography Awards and documented major UK conservation initiatives, from beaver and crane reintroductions to local Wiltshire wildlife protection. 
• Daniel Laverick: Representing the national movement, Daniel is the Communications Manager at The Wildlife Trusts, where he leads the creative design team and drives impactful internal campaigns. With a strong background leading creative marketing teams in higher education, Daniel brings a deep appreciation for how images connect people to the natural world and inspire action for its protection.
• Emily Weatherburn: Emily is a content creator and environmental communicator based in the South West. Known online as Wildlife Emily, she uses social media to inspire thousands of people around the world to connect with and care for nature. Through engaging wildlife stories, practical conservation tips and a passion for often-overlooked species, she encourages people to take meaningful action for wildlife and the climate wherever they live.

Becki Mckinlay, Director of Fundraising and Engagement at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: "We were absolutely delighted with the incredible standard of last year's entries, which really showcased the passion the people of Wiltshire and Swindon have for its local nature and wildlife. The quality was so exceptional that two of the submitted images made it onto the front covers of our magazines. With the addition of the new Wild View Cameras Sponsor's Choice Award and our upcoming exhibition at Langford Lakes this November, we cannot wait to see how our community captures the spirit of Wiltshire’s wildlife this August."

The 2026 prizes, sponsored by Wild View Cameras, include:

• 2 x Overall Category Winners (18 and Over & Under 18): £100 Wild View Cameras vouchers
• 4 x Category Runners-Up: £50 Wild View Cameras vouchers
• Wild View Cameras Sponsor’s Choice Winner: £100 Wild View Camera voucher

Full entry guidelines, terms, and the submission portal will go live on the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust website https://www.wiltshirewildlife.org/wildlife-photography-prize and last year’s winners can be seen here https://www.wiltshirewildlife.org/photo-prize-winners.