A huge thank you to everyone who entered this year's Photography Competition.
This year, we had even more exciting categories for you to enter under:
- Plants - Leaf the competition behind
- Animals - Capture the wild side
- Birds - Take flight and capture avian wonders!
- Insects - Bug out and show off your macro skills
- Fungi [NEW] - Spore a moment to share your appreciation for fungi
- Marine and coastal wildlife- Make waves
- Landscapes and seascapes - Frame the perfect scenic snapshot
- People in nature - Celebrate human connections to nature
- Kids category - Calling all young wildlife enthusiasts under the age of 18!
- Phone camera category [NEW] - What stunning photos can you capture with a snap?
- Unedited photo category [NEW] - Highlight the raw beauty of nature
Conservation is often not an inclusive environment for women, people of colour, young people and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We encourage participants from all backgrounds and communities to take part in this challenge. We understand that not everyone has the income available to spend on often expensive photography equipment and software, therefore we look forward to seeing all entries, from beginners with smartphone cameras to experienced and keen photographers, both in rural and urban areas. The beauty of nature is in it's diversity, and we want to capture that.
The prizes
Each Category Winner received an Adopt a Species pack of their choice and featured across our website and social media channels. In addition to this, the overall winner – Kent Wildlife Trust’s Photographer of the Year 2024 - will be honoured in the winter issue of the Wilder Kent magazine with a double page spread featuring their work as well as two tickets to a Wilder Kent Safari of their choice.
Overall 2024 winner
2024 winners
Phone category winner - Kris Rathbone, 'At Ease'
Kids category winner - Russel Gomes, 'Ribbit'
Animals category winner - Darren Hammond, 'Hanging in There'
Insects category winner - Jonathan Guthrie, 'The Agony of Choice'
Fungi category winner - Lou Slack, 'After the Rain'
Birds category winner - Steve Wood, 'Dinner time'. Please note the photographer checked with Natural England whether a license was needed for this species. The photo was taken using a long lense from a public footpath, ensuring no disturbance
Unedited photo category winner - Leura Musselwhite-Dale, 'Dungeness Fox'
Plants category winner - David Watson, 'Nature Finds a Way'
2024 commendation
Plants commendation - Brian Tabor, 'Man Orchid Up Close'
Phone category commendation - Lucy Choughlan, 'High and Dry'
Kids category commendation - Catherine Warman, 'Blue Tit'
Animals category commendation - Sam Maddison, 'A Rustle in the Leaves'
2023 winners
Kids category winner - Riley Shickle, 'A Drop in the Ocean'
People in nature category winner - Luke Pembroke, 'A Newt on my Boot'
Marine category winner - Mike Hardy, 'Still Waters at Samphire Hoe'
Landscapes category winner - Lynne Overett, 'Magic Moment'
Bird category winner - Corinne Pardey, 'Sting Operation'
Insect category winner - Louise Spratt, 'Contemplating a Life of Dustbins'
Plant category winner - Laura Page, 'Life on the Wall'
Overall competition winner - Matt Smith, 'Snakes and Adders'
2023 Commendation
Animal category commendation - Greg Bessant, 'Sunset Bathing'
Plants category commendation - Hannah Austen, 'Dandelion Macro'
Kids category commendation - Evie Goodfellow, 'Solitary Sparrow'
Marine category commendation - Robert Standen, 'Life Renewed'
Landscape category commendation - Danielle Butler, 'Riverside Sunset'
Bird category commendation - Tracey Mantle, 'On the Hunt'
Bird category commendation - Lynne Overett, 'Little Owl Brothers'
Insect category commendation - Darren Hammond, 'Longhorn Beetle Looks for Nectar'
2022 Winners
Insect Category Winner: Jason Steel
Bird Category Winner: Hunter Herbert
Animal Category Winner: Jim Higham
Plant Category Winner: Bob Price-Adams
Landscape Category Winner: Taylor Williams
Overall Competition Winner: Chris Moncrieff
2019 Winners
Even Wilder - WINNER - Chris Moncrieff
Wilder Coasts and Seas - WINNER - Shalley Lewis
Wilder Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands - WINNER and OVERALL WINNER- Anthony Hurren
Wilder Towns and Cities - WINNER - Andrew Beck
Wilder Woodlands and Grasslands - WINNER - David Featherbe
Wilder Juniors - WINNER - Charlie Groves