The winners of The GAP Festival Children’s Nature Photography Competition were announced during Family Day on Saturday 13th June, celebrating the creativity, curiosity and talent of young photographers from across the local area.
Launched as part of this year’s Family Day, themed “The Wonders of the Natural World,” the competition invited children and young people to capture nature through their own eyes, whether in gardens, parks, riversides or local green spaces. Shortlisted entries were displayed in the Nature Photography Exhibition at St Thomas’ Church alongside the work of professional wildlife photographer Simon Booker.
The judges were impressed by the imagination, storytelling and observational skills shown in the entries, making the final decision a challenging one.
Little Explorers (Ages 5–7)
Winner: Joey Povey, aged 6
Joey’s delightful photograph captured a group of ducklings scrambling out of the water, perfectly freezing a moment full of character and movement. The image charmed the judges with its sense of humour and storytelling, showing how a simple wildlife encounter can become a memorable photographic moment.
Wild Wonders (Ages 8–11)
Winner: Zalika Nsamba, aged 9
Zalika’s winning image offered a beautifully detailed close-up, drawing attention to the delicate textures and subtle colours often overlooked in everyday nature. The photograph impressed the judges with its focus and composition, transforming a simple subject into something striking and full of quiet beauty.
Nature Through My Lens (Ages 12+)
Winner: Gabriel Eapen, aged 12
Gabriel’s striking close-up captured a bee mid-flight as it approached a flower, perfectly freezing a fleeting moment of pollination in action. The image impressed the judges with its sharp focus, timing and sense of movement, highlighting both the beauty and importance of these tiny but vital creatures in the natural world.
Overall Young Photographer of the Year
Winner: Joey, age 6 – “Get Me Out of Here”
In addition to winning the Little Explorers category, Joey was awarded the overall Young Photographer of the Year title. His winning image stood out across all age groups for its charm, timing and storytelling.
Joey receives a family day pass to Beale Park, offering the chance to continue exploring and enjoying wildlife up close. All the category winners will be invited to an exclusive wildlife photography workshop with Simon Booker at Withymead Nature Reserve, giving them the opportunity to further develop their skills under expert guidance.
Simon Booker praised the high standard of entries: “What really stood out to me was how naturally these young photographers observe the world around them. There’s a genuine curiosity and patience in their work that you can’t teach. From playful moments like Joey’s ducklings to the thoughtful storytelling in Zalika and Gabriel’s images, every photograph showed a unique way of seeing nature.”
We would like to thank every young photographer who entered the competition. The quality of submissions was exceptional, and it was wonderful to see so many different interpretations of the natural world.
Congratulations to Joey, Zalika and Gabriel, and thank you to all who took part in making the Children’s Nature Photography Competition such a success.