FULL GALLERY: Our 2025 community nature photography competition
When we launched our photography competition earlier this year, we didn’t know what to expect. Would there be much interest? Would the entries be any good? It’s safe to say we have been blown away on both fronts!
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE EVERY ENTRY…
Your fabulous nature photographs have rolled in throughout the spring and summer months and each and every one has brought a smile to our faces. With such a high standard of entries, our judges had a tough time deciding on a winner. In fact, they couldn’t agree on second place, so we made the decision to award joint runner-up prizes!
The original plan was to publish the top 10 on our website, but we believe they all deserve to be enjoyed – along with the beautiful captions you provided – which is why we have displayed every single entry right here
As well as celebrating the talents of our PH community and encouraging people to get out into the natural world, this competition also raised hundreds of pounds for our charity. Thank you to everyone who got involved.
The entries were judged by PHA UK Chair Dr Iain Armstrong, emPHAsis designer John Smith, and professional photographer Jules Nelson.
The winners are shown first, but after that, images are displayed in no particular order.
If you are viewing on desktop, please hover over each image to view the caption and the name of the photographer. Double click on the image itself to view it in full.
ADULT ENTRIES
WINNER! Mute swan by Nigel Wilson: A lovely mute swan, and a perfect reflection on a cold winter’s day. It means so much to me to get out in nature; me, my mobility scooter, and my camera. JOINT RUNNER-UP! Adam Drage – Collecting pollen and nectar: Taken in my parents’ garden, this shot took patience and being in the right place at the right time. I love bees and to capture them doing their thing is always a pleasure.JOINT RUNNER-UP! Jo Dunbar – Ducklings: Feeding birds is part of my incentive to exercise when it’s hard, and it’s such a joy to see the baby birds hatch and grow. Anna Bowen – Red kite: A red kite flying over my parents’ garden.Charles Barker-Benfield – Pair of foxes: Two young foxes, likely to be siblings, visiting our garden last July for water, birdseed and whatever else they could find.Clare Ledger – Flower droplets: This picture really feels like me. I love how delicate the flower is, it’s soft and beautiful but it still needs moisture to stay alive. It reminds me that even something gentle needs the right care to thrive, kind of like me.Elayne Coakes – Teasel: This is a photo my husband (who is currently under investigation for PH) took in our garden. We actively plant for bees and butterflies especially with wild plants like this Teasel.Ella Soady – Spring lamb: An inquisitive spring lamb. A sign of hope and new life after a long, cold winter.George Timberley – Bumble bee: A beautiful bumble bee on a flower. Simply buzzing.Jamie Beglin – Memorial: This is the War Memorial in Stornoway. It was a beautiful sunny period of the day with bright blue skies but the photo is deceiving as we had incredibly strong winds that day as well. Kinda poetic in a sense that as PH’ers we can look good on the outside but it doesn’t show what we’re phighting on the inside and that things aren’t always what they seem at first glance. Jo Dunbar – A country lane: Getting out on my e-bike and exploring the area is hugely important to me for my physical and mental health, and nothing beats sunrise rides!Katrina Clarke-Abbott – Barn owl: I noticed this this beautiful barn owl was perched on a tree whilst sitting in traffic. I lost my father 27 years ago and have always said he has come back as a barn owl. Whenever I am feeling troubled I see one. I was having a difficult time when I took this.Johanna Ferguson – Scottish climb: This was the view in Scotland after a climb with my 9-year-old son, it was hard work but worth it and showed that hard work pays off. We felt a great sense of achievement!Nigel Wilson – Jays: The photo shows three jays. Getting out into nature helps me deal with this illness and forget it for a while. I just love to get out on my scooter with my camera.Jamie Beglin – Brook: We took a lot of photos during our Easter trip to Isle of Lewis. Susan Cook – Common Darter: I was walking on a hot sunny August afternoon last year and when I had a break on a seat, I noticed this Common Darter flying around. Then it came to rest on the waymark post. It was a thrill to see the intricate details, colours and fine movements.Tess Jewson – Izzy: Izzy is my companion. She means everything to me. Sarah Timberley – Watermill: This watermill represents peace and tranquillity as I reflect and think about my beautiful mum.Susan Cook – Lupin: I was walking in Northumberland and found these Wild Lupin in full bloom. The clusters of flowers made a lovely scene with the bright blue colour.Jamie Beglin – Calanais Stones: This is a photo of the Calanais Stones. It has been on my bucket list for 35 years to go visit them and in March 2025 I finally got there. Marzena Skoczek – Birds, trees and air: I love birds because they are free and all the colours of the rainbow give me hope. Trees give fresh air to help me breathe. Jo Dunbar – Flower in the park: The park is one of my happy places. Michael Moran – Baker bee: My photo is of a baker bee on lilac flowers on a lilac tree in my garden. I love bees due to their importance in nature and also for their constant hard work supporting their hive and their queen. They are also incredibly beautiful.Nigel Wilson – Butterfly: A lovely peacock butterfly on white flowers of the blackthorn in the warming spring sunshine. It just makes me feel alive out in nature. Louise Colbourne – Nature reserve: This is the landscape at a local nature reserve. I walked 8 miles that day which is an achievement. Tess Jewson – Izzy and Paddy: I wanted to enter both dogs to the competition. Izzy and Paddy are the best of friends. Dogs are amazing and help you through the ups and downs of life. To be honest I couldn’t be without my Izzy and when Paddy (who is my mum’s dog)comes to stay we have the best time together.Lynda Darch – Midnight sun: This was taken on our recent Norwegian Havila coastal journey, a bucket list holiday. It was taken at 6 minutes past midnight, so midnight sun!Jamie Beglin – Waterfall: We always look for waterfalls, rivers etc. There’s something so calming watching water, even when it looks stormy. Jo Dunbar – Lake in the park: The park is one of my happy places. Myra Morrison – Shaded waterfall: Captured on a recent short break to Devon area. A beautiful little waterfall in a shady area… sun filters through, and it feels so calm and peaceful here.Adam Drage – Bleeding heart flower: Taken on a visit to the beautiful Coton Manor Garden, in Northamptonshire, this spring, this picture is of the flowers of a Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Alba’ – white bleeding heart – plant. This being a heart-shaped flower and this being competition being held by the PHA, it seems fitting to for it to be entered.Adam Drage – Lavendar inflorescence: Taken in my parents’ garden – a muse of mine – this image depicts a lavender inflorescence, backlit by the early evening June sun. On the theme of nature, this inflorescence covers all stages of the flowering plant in one; flowers in bloom, flowers yet to bloom and flowers that have already bloomed.Charles Barker-Benfield – Young fox: This young fox was a regular visitor with her sibling and gave us great company during the summer. Shazia Hanif – Pheasant: We kept peasants for few weeks during Easter, on behalf of a friend. I found the colours of this bird amazing. I would have my cup of tea in the sun and just watch these gorgeous birds and it was so pleasing.Jane Barker-Benfield – Thirsty badger: A thirsty badger taking advantage of a bird bath in our garden. A real privilege and joy to see.
UNDER 12s ENTRIES
We reserved two special prizes for photographs taken by someone under the age of 12. Well done to all the youngsters who submitted the wonderful images below!
WINNER! Charlie Farthing – Bunny in a sunbeam: It shows my rabbit in our garden. I was brave enough to carry her out of her hutch, and my mum said she could explore the garden if we kept an eye on her. I was so proud I managed to carry her which I had never done before, that I decided to take some photos to remember the moment. I managed to get this one and it is my favourite one of her caught in the sunbeam that was shining on the garden. We said that it was sent from heaven from her sister who we lost not long ago to illness. Finlay Goodman – Family sunset: This photograph was taken on a walk and we were watching the sunset. The heart shape is made by my little sister.
The photograph means a lot because it shows the sunset but also sharing beautiful moments with family.
My auntie has pulmonary hypertension and entering this competition means a lot. I wanted to show nature and how moments can be captured.
Aika Praest – Jumping squirrel: This is a squirrel jumping on the roof of our garden shed. I had to wait a long time to get the shot.Coco Praest – Resting parakeet: I took this photo when I was walking in my neighbourhood with my family. I saw the parakeet in a tree and it was really hard to spot. Parakeets are amazing to see.Haley Carr – Waterscape: My daughter was diagnosed with PH in July 2024 and has shown the most amazing courage and strength. Since spending over 9 weeks in total in GOSH she has a passion for taking sunrise pictures and pictures of the area we live in. We live in the countryside so getting back from the crazy of London has opened her eyes to the beauty around her. She has opened our eyes too to the take in the world around us, slow down and breathe for a second.
Thank you to everyone who supported this initiative!
