Hundreds of photographers, both experienced and novice, entered Essex Wildlife Trust’s Photography Competition 2025, which celebrates the diversity and beauty of the wildlife and wild places found throughout the county of Essex. 

In early January, six category winners were decided by Essex Wildlife Trust staff. The public were then asked to crown the overall winner of the competition through an online voting system. 

The overall winner was chosen as Run rabbit run by Vai Meng Chan, from the category A Wildlife Motion Picture.  Vai Meng Chan is a three-time category winner, but this is the first time voted as overall winner of the Photography Competition. 

The photo captures both the beauty of a young rabbit and sunset lighting, taken in Romford. The category A Wildlife Motion Picture celebrates the movement of wildlife within our natural world. This is the first time the category has won the public vote since the competition was launched in 2017.   

Winner of the competition, Vai Meng Chan, says, "It is a great honour for me to receive the Category Winners for 3 years(2023-2025) and finally, receive the overall winner in the Essex Wildlife Trust Photography Competition 2025 voted by the public. I started wildlife photography 10 years ago. As a father of 2 young children and working 9 to 6 in the office, I can only spend early mornings, late evenings and some weekends for my wildlife photography. Most of my photos were taken in the same park, a 10-minute drive from home. Rabbits are one of my favourite subjects to capture, taking a good photo requires a lot of patience and practice because they have super hearing and panoramic vision. My passion for photography drives me to create stunning visuals that tell a unique story. But the most important thing is to respect others and not disturb the wildlife." 

The Essex Wildlife Trust Photography Competition 2025 was kindly sponsored by High Chelmer Shopping Centre. The shopping centre in Chelmsford will be displaying all of the category winners from February half term, for members of the public to come and enjoy. 

Karen Howard, Centre Manager at High Chelmer Shopping Centre, says, “High Chelmer is excited to once again welcome the winners of the Essex Wildlife Trust’s Annual Photography Competition to the Centre, as part of our ongoing partnership with the Trust. Each year, we are inspired by the incredible images captured across Essex - moments that highlight the beauty, diversity, and character of our local wildlife. This exhibition not only celebrates exceptional talent but also invites our visitors to reconnect with nature and discover the wild side of our county.” 

The six category winners were as follows: 

• A Wildlife Motion Picture: Vai Meng Chan with ‘Run rabbit run!’ – taken in Romford
• Places of Wonder: Nikki Collins with ‘Among the daisies’ – taken at Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Park
• Coastal Captures: Brett Andrews with ‘Amongst the waves' – taken in Southend-on-sea
• Captivating Colours: Richard Moss with ‘Small tortoiseshell’ – taken in Braintree
• Gardener’s World: Martin Curtis with ‘Spider and the fly’ – taken in Basildon
• Young Blood (under 16s): Oscar Parry with ‘Sunbathing cormorant’ – taken at Thorndon Mill along the River Colne 

See the category winners, runners up, and highly commended images below: