PICTURES showing the ‘beauty, diversity and fragility of Wiltshire’s natural world’ are being accepted in an annual competition.

The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust will open entries for its popular annual Photography Prize on Wednesday, August 1, including a new award category, an elite judging panel, and its own public exhibition this winter.

With entries open from August 1 to 31, 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.

As well as Under 18 and 18 and Over categories, this year’s contest also includes a new Sponsor’s Choice Award.

Sponsored by Wild View Cameras, the award features an additional £100 top prize.

Each photograph submitted to the main competition will be automatically entered and once category winners and runners-up are chosen, the sponsors will handpick their favourite 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,” a Trust spokesperson said.

And, this year, the public will also get the chance to see a showcase of the competition’s top images in person at an exhibition set to run throughout November at the Brockbank Centre, in the Trust’s 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 should email comms@wiltshirewildlife.org by July 15 for more details on how to apply.

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

• 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 – wiltshirewildlife.org/wildlife-photography-prize – while last year’s winners can be seen at wiltshirewildlife.org/photo-prize-winners.

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