Essex Wildlife Trust’s annual photography competition is now open for public submissions until midnight, 7 December. The competition has grown each year, with over 700 submissions received in 2024.  

Last year, Leah Bloom, age 14, was named the overall competition winner after a public vote with her submission of two roe deer peeking from behind trees photographed in Epping Forest, titled ‘Peekaboo’.  

This was the first time that the ‘Young Blood’ category, a designated category for under 16s, has won the overall public vote since the competition launched in 2017.  

Entrants can submit a maximum of three images across the six available categories. Images must be taken within Essex in 2025.  

The public can enter the following six categories: 

• A Wildlife Motion Picture – Images that capture movement within the natural world.
• Captivating Colours– Images that portray Essex in all its technicoloured glory.
• Gardener’s World – Images taken in your Essex garden.
• Young Blood – Images taken by participants aged 6-16 only.
• Coastal Captures – Images that celebrate Essex’s coast, above and below the water.
• New category for 2025 - Places of Wonder – Images taken at an Essex Wildlife Trust nature reserve or Nature Discovery Park.   

The overall winner will be decided by public vote and will be announced in January. The category winners will be decided by a panel of judges.  

The Photography Competition is sponsored by High Chelmer Shopping Centre, who will be displaying the winning images and runners-up in an exhibition in February 2026. 

Becky Stone, Digital Communications Officer for Essex Wildlife Trust, said:  

“Our annual photography competition is one of the best ways to celebrate the beauty of Essex’s wild side. From sweeping landscapes to tiny creatures, we want to see how Essex residents capture the wonder of nature in 2025. This is a competition for everyone – whether you’re a seasoned photographer, or a young person discovering the joy of wildlife in our under 16s category.”