Three cheers for 15 years! Win £250 in South Downs National Park’s prestigious photo competition
May 2, 2025
Everyone has their favourite spot (or spots!) in the South Downs!
It might be admiring the dramatic chalk cliffs at Seven Sisters, wandering through the misty autumn woods at Ebernoe, poppy fields amongst the lush verdant hills, or immense views of coast and country from Butser Hill.
The South Downs National Park is full of iconic gems that make for great photographs – from the stunning landscape, to the awe-inspiring wildlife, to the majestic old buildings and street scenes.
As the National Park is celebrating its 15th birthday this year, people are being invited to photograph some of their favourite things about the South Downs – whether that be locations, views, towns and villages, heritage, food and drink, or whatever the imagination can think of!
The prizes for the competition, Three cheers for 15 years: South Downs favourites, will be £250 for first place, £150 for second place, £75 for third place and £50 for fourth place.
As always there will be a separate wildlife category, with a £150 prize for the best shot and £75 for the runner-up image.
The youth competition returns this year for budding young photographers – with categories 10 years and under and 11 to 17. Young photographers are being challenged to snap an amazing shot of their favourite aspect of the South Downs National Park. The prize for 10 years and under will be a family ticket to Marwell Wildlife, while the winner of the 11 to 17 category will win a GoApe adventure for two.
One of the prizewinners, to be picked at random, will also receive a bonus prize of a place on a workshop with the Royal Photographic Society’s Landscape Group.
The judging panel has a line-up of acclaimed photographers, including Howard Klein, who sits on the Royal Photographic Society’s Landscape Committee, Rachael Talibart, Finn Hopson, and Carlotta Luke. Claire Blow, Deputy Editor of Outdoor Photography, returns to the panel, alongside Jan Knowlson, Biodiversity Officer for the National Park, and Vanessa Rowlands, Chair of the National Park Authority.
Howard said: “Many of my fellow members of the Royal Photographic Society’s Landscape Group enjoy the diverse range of photo opportunities offered within The South Downs National Park. The coastal photography is varied: from waves at high tide to exploring the foreshores at low tide, with big vistas and more intimate abstracts, plus the long views from the clifftops – my personal favourite being the view from Hope Gap. Inland sees similar variety, with downland from Lewes to Brighton & onwards, with woods, farmland, some delightful villages, chapels and pubs.”
Carlotta, who is based in Lewes, said: “I am so excited about this year’s theme celebrating 15 years of our amazing South Downs National Park. I can’t wait to see your photos showing us what you love most about the Park. I know we will get gorgeous iconic shots, but surprise us, too! I want to see unexpected aspects of the Park captured in beautiful photographs, so send us what you’ve got!”
Finn, who is based in Brighton, said: “I’m looking forward to seeing photographs taken across the full length and breadth of the National Park, pictures that celebrate everything this amazing landscape has to offer. I want to be surprised by new ways of seeing familiar places, or unique pictures of somewhere off the beaten track. There is so much to discover out there, and I can’t wait to see what this year’s competition brings.”
Claire said: “I’ll be looking for images that speak of a deep connection to the special places and wildlife of the South Downs, whether you’ve trained your lens on a famous view or a favourite hidden corner of the National Park. I can’t wait to see all the wonderful shots celebrating the South Downs National Park’s 15th birthday!”
The deadline for entries will be midnight on Friday, 31 October, 2025.
The winners will be announced in January 2026 and there will be a public vote for the People’s Choice winner with a prize of £100.
Enter the competition and find terms and conditions at www.southdowns.gov.uk/care-for/photo-comp/