2026 Wildlife Photography Competition

Small-spotted catshark swimming past a bed of kelp

Small-spotted catshark, Falmouth by Martin Stevens

Finalists announced

The finalists of the 2026 Wildlife Photography Competition have now been revealed.

This year's competition attracted an incredible collection of images celebrating Cornwall's wildlife, wild places, and the people helping nature thrive. From dramatic coastal scenes and underwater encounters to intimate wildlife moments, our judges had the difficult task of selecting the photographs that stood out from a highly competitive field.

Join us for the exhibition launch and awards night on Wednesday 28 October at Truro cathedral. Winners announced on the night!

Book your place now

Can't join us on the night? The exhibition is open to the public from 29 October to 22 November at the cathedral, see cathedral for opening hours.

Got a favourite image? Time to cast your vote in the People's Choice Award and help pick Cornwall's favourite wildlife photograph.

Vote in the People's Choice Award

This year's categories

Nature in Your Pocket - a smartphone-only category celebrating those everyday moments of wild Cornwall that anyone can capture. Sponsored by St Eval.

Garden spider suspended in its web, wrapping prey in silk, with buildings blurred in the background.

Garden spider, Ian Lewis.
2026 Photography Competition

Porcelain fungus viewed from below, showing delicate white gills against a green woodland canopy.

Porcelain fungus, Jade Hopcroft
2026 Photography Competition

Southern hawker dragonfly resting among moss and pond vegetation beside lily pads.

Southern hawker, Patricia Farrell
2026 Photography Competition

Close-up portrait of a shanny fish resting on a rocky seabed.

Shanny, Malcolm Nimmo
2026 Photography Competition

Newly hatched grass snake emerging from a cracked egg among other eggs.

Grass snake hatching, Jenefer Fuge
2026 Photography Competition

Coasts & Tides - showcasing the life, wildlife and people that make Cornwall's coastline so special. Sponsored by Koru Kayaking.

Two juvenile shags standing in shallow coastal water, photographed above and below the surface.

Juvenile shags, Lewis Jefferies
2026 Photography Competition

Aerial view of flowing tidal channels creating abstract patterns in sand at Porth Joke Beach.

Porth Joke Beach, Joe Pearce
2026 Photography Competition

Turquoise wave breaking on a sandy shore with rocky cliffs and dramatic clouds beyond.

Turquoise wave breaking, Georgie Ball
2026 Photography Competition

Shag, Andy Maher
2026 Photography Competition

Small wading bird, a dunlin, foraging among pebbles on a quiet beach shoreline.

Dunlin. Shore dweller, Rosie Atilla
2026 Photography Competition

Beneath the Surface - celebrating Cornwall's incredible marine environment, from kelp forests and reefs to whales, fish, and the people exploring beneath the waves. Sponsored by One Atlantek.

Common octopus swimming underwater through kelp and coastal seaweed habitat.

Common octopus, David Hamilton
2026 Photography Competition

Two tompot blennies peering from a rocky crevice on the seabed.

Two tompot blennies, John Yarrow
2026 Photography Competition

Blue shark swimming through clear open ocean beneath the water's surface.

Blue shark. Open ocean traveller, Samuel Matthews
2026 Photography Competition

White-ruffed sea slug crawling across a colourful rocky reef surface.

White-ruffed sea slug, Karenza-Chloe Summerfield
2026 Photography Competition

Extreme close-up of a bull huss shark's eye and spotted skin pattern.

Bull huss, Robin Fisher
2026 Photography Competition

Nature on the Edge - capturing the challenges facing Cornwall's wildlife and habitats, from climate change and pollution to the impact of people on the natural world. Sponsored by Verdant Brewing.

A dead tawny owl holding a mouse beside a roadside verge at night, illuminated by nearby street and vehicle lights.

Tawny owl by road, Richard Lawrence
2026 Photography Competition

Twisted roots and exposed structure of a fallen beech tree creating a natural arch within woodland. A person in a yellow raincoat stands in the middle.

Beech tree. Post Storm Goretti, Jasper Abel
2026 Photography Competition

Octopus resting beside fishing netting underwater, photographed in low light against a dark background.

Octopus pot, Benjamin Harris
2026 Photography Competition

Sand martins flying around nesting burrows in a sandy cliff face.

Sand martins, Pamela Robertson
2026 Photography Competition

Barn owl perched on a roadside fence at dusk, with vehicle headlights glowing in the background.

Barn owl, Richard Lawrence
2026 Photography Competition

A Cornwall Where Nature Thrives - highlighting stories of hope, nature recovery and the people making a positive difference for wildlife. Sponsored by Classic Cottages.

Two comma butterflies feeding on a yellow flower, their orange patterned wings spread open.

Commas, Peter Crumpler
2026 Photography Competition

Pair of choughs standing on a lichen-covered rock, showing distinctive red bills and legs.

Chough, Ross Wheeler
2026 Photography Competition

Northern wheatear in flight above rocky coastal ground.

Wheatear, Jo Noon
2026 Photography Competition

Kestrel hovering in mid-air with wings fully spread and tail fanned.

Kestrel, Adam Dawe
2026 Photography Competition

Brown hare sitting among coastal vegetation, framed by soft-focus greenery.

Hare and butterfly, Rosie Atilla
2026 Photography Competition

Young Photographer - for young people with a passion for wildlife and photography. Sponsored by Seasalt Cornwall.

Eurasian kestrel perched on a grassy cliff edge overlooking the sea.

Kestrel, Reggie Pascoe
2026 Photography Competition, Young Photographer

Four-spotted chaser dragonfly perched on a grass stem with wings spread against a softly blurred background.

Four spotted chaser, Aiden Fuge
2026 Photography Competition, Young Photographer

Labyrinth spider positioned at the entrance to its funnel-shaped web among grass and vegetation.

Labyrinth spider, Ethan Murphy
2026 Photography Competition, Young Photographer

Red-billed chough walking across dry ground, showing its curved red bill and red legs.

Chough, Joseph Thomas
2026 Photography Competition, Young Photographer

Clouded yellow butterfly feeding on yellow wildflowers in a meadow, surrounded by soft-focus blooms.

Clouded yellow butterfly, Ethan Murphy
2026 Photography Competition, Young Photographer

Thank you

Thank you to our category sponsors: Classic Cottages, Koru Kayaking, Seasalt Cornwall, Verdant Brewing, One Atlantek, and St Eval, and to our event supporters Insite Graphics for helping to make this year’s competition possible.

To learn more about the associated benefits of supporting our work please contact Rowan Hartgroves, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Cornwall Wildlife Trust at rowan.hartgroves@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk