Children’s Nature Photography Competition

1. Promoter
The competition is organised by The GAP Festival as part of Family Day. The GAP Festival is a registered charity number 1161360.

2. Eligibility

The competition is open to children and young people living in Berkshire and Oxfordshire.
Entrants must be in one of the following age categories at the time of entry:

3. Parental/Guardian consent

All entries must be submitted with the permission of a parent or legal guardian.
A parent/guardian must agree to these Terms and Conditions on behalf of the child.

4. How to enter

Each entrant may submit 1 photograph in the relevant age category.
Photographs must be submitted by 5 pm on Friday 29th May 2026.
Entries must be submitted in digital format (JPEG or PNG) via the method outlined at www.thegapfestival.org.
Late entries will not be considered.
The submitted image file name should be labelled with the name of the entrant and age

5. Image requirements

Photographs must be the original work of the entrant.
The winning entry from each age category will be printed as part of the exhibition. If using a phone, it is recommended to take photographs in HD with 24/48MP.
Images must not be heavily edited, AI-generated, or digitally manipulated beyond basic adjustments (cropping, brightness, contrast).
The photograph must focus on nature and reflect the theme “The Wonders of the Natural World.”
Images must not include identifiable individuals without their permission.
Any entry deemed inappropriate or not in keeping with the theme may be disqualified.

6. Judging and Prizes

Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
Entries will be judged by a panel including representatives from The GAP Festival and local photographer Simon Booker.
Three entries per category will be shortlisted.
One winner will be selected from each category shortlist.
The shortlisted entries from each age category will be printed and displayed at St Thomas’ Church as part of the Nature Photography Exhibition during Family Day on Saturday 13th June 2026.
One overall “Young Nature Photographer of the Year” will be chosen from the three category winners and announced on Saturday 13th June.
The shortlisted winners will be invited to an exclusive photography workshop with Simon Booker at a date and time to be determined by Simon Booker.
The overall “Young Nature Photographer of the Year” winner will receive a family day pass for 2 adults and 2 children to Beale Park subject to Beale Park’s terms.
The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
There is no alternative or cash prize.
You may request in writing to withdraw your work before the deadline. Once the final selection is published, withdrawal may not be possible.

7. Exhibition and use of images

By entering, entrants and their parents/guardians grant The GAP Festival permission to use submitted images for:

Photographers will always be credited by first name and age (unless otherwise requested).
Copyright remains with the photographer.

8. Data protection

Personal information will be used solely for the administration of the competition and related festival communications and promotional marketing.
Details will not be shared with third parties without consent.
The GAP Festival’s privacy policy can be found at www.thegapfestival.org.

9. Liability

The promoter accepts no responsibility for entries that are lost, corrupted, incomplete, or not successfully submitted.
The promoter reserves the right to amend or cancel the competition if necessary due to circumstances beyond its control.

10. Acceptance of terms