Photo Competitions
Great photos deserve great prizes!
2024 Photography Competition and results
Huge congratulations to our 2024 photography competition winner and runner-up!
Below you can see the winners from the Plymouth Urban Tree Festival 2024.
A big thank you to our expert judge Adrian Fisk who has been judge for both events and given his feedback.
The winner received a £100 voucher and there was also a prize for the runner-up.
Thank you so much to everyone who entered the competition, the standard is always very high.
Winner: Sian Crayford
First place goes to Sian Crayford. A tree is often used as a symbol of life for the simple reason that it helps sustain so much life. This photograph reminds us of the different plant species a tree, in this case a Sycamore tree, can help sustain and give life too. We can see ferns, moss and lichen all growing on the tree and being at one with the surrounding leaves and branches of the Sycamore. The image is well composed with a good distribution of space within the frame which helps present the zesty green which brings the photograph to life.
Runner-up: Elizabeth Richmond
My choice of runner up is Elizabeth Richmond’s photograph of a Yew tree. The image is made in a way that helps present the majesty of the Yew tree. The tree is clearly defined helping to eccentricate its ancient limbs. Its awe and presence in the shot helps reminds us that Yew trees are some of the oldest livings species on the planet. This idea is further developed by making the image in the style of a 19th Century monotype, a type of photography we associate with age and being old.
2023 Competition and Results
Huge congratulations to our 2023 photography competition winners and runners-up!
A big thank you so our expert judge Adrian Fisk who has given all four his feedback.
The winners will both receive a £100 voucher and a framed print by local artist Kevin Tole.
The runners-up will both receive a copy of the wonderful book The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben.
Thank you so much to everyone who entered the competition, the standard was really high. We will be sharing more of them on our Instagram and Facebook pages so make sure you follow us if you'd like to see more (links at the bottom of the page)!
Adult winner: John Robson
The Trees chopped down on Armada Way mark a clear divide between the top of the City Centre and the bottom. Despite becoming much less busy in recent years, it is still thriving in the Pannier Market and has a renewed community spirit. The blossom on this tree is only fleeting, once a year and then it's gone, much like some of the retailers on the Highstreet in the last few decades. The background is some of the colourful paint added to the area in recent years.
Tree Location
Judge's Comments
This photograph is like a painting. I love how the angular blocks of background enhance the non-conformist lines of the tree helping make all elements of the tree stand out. There is great use of colour with the tree flowers reflecting the grey of the blocks. The image is well-paced and spaced and has room to breathe with good composition. This photograph also reflects how trees and urban environments can work well together rather than being in confrontation.
Under 18 Winner: Martha Beard
An ongoing path covered by lush overgrown trees.
Tree Location
Plymbridge Woods
Judge's Comments
I love the zesty vibrance in this photograph. It's very alive and reflects nature's waking after six months of hibernation. The trees draw you in, making the viewer want to walk the path and wonder at the beauty of the trees above. The composition is strong leading the eye nicely into the frame with the blue sky playing against the green leaves. It's like a walk into the Garden of Eden.
Adult Runner-Up: Paul Harvey
This was taken at Saltram House during one of their Christmas light displays. The majestic oak was uplit and I just took a quick snap on my phone. I loved how the trunk and branches stood out against the inky black sky. It reminds me of a sleeping giant, with the energy and life potential dormant within.
Tree Location
Judge's Comments
The ghost-like nature of this image reminds us that trees are not here forever and we must do all we can to protect them. There is a visceral sense of each branch and twig which in many ways reminds me of a scientific picture of a lung turned upside down, which of course is exactly what trees are, the lungs of the planet. The choice to illuminate the tree in yellow is not obvious and therefore creates something new and different. When I see the photo I know it's about a tree and nothing else. It’s clear in its communication.
Under 18 Runner-Up: Emily Pearce
The tall tree. I have chosen this image because it shows the radiant emerald green leaves. The sky was lucent in the background which created a better chance for a high-quality photo.
Tree Location
Judge's Comments
I like the simplicity of this photograph. Though there are different trees in the frame it’s the Connifer which is possibly a Cedar or Scotts Pine that stands out. The bark has texture which helps to bring out the magic and deep richness of the green pine needles as well as other leaves. The composition works with how the sky allows the tree to breathe within the frame.
