Check out the winning shots and get the deets on our FREE London showcase!
Check out the winning shots and get the deets on our FREE London showcase!
Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Playtime
Imperial College London
The Bird And The Traveller
“This photo was taken on the second day of our Iceland road trip. I embarked on this journey at a time when months of personal loss and poor health had left me emotionally exhausted. In a moment born of desperation, I packed a few clothes, picked up my camera, and booked a flight.
The following morning, we set out for SkĂłgafoss, one of the most powerful waterfalls we encountered. One of my friends wanted me to pose on a rock beneath it. I was reluctant, but after persistent convincing, I finally gave in and made my way to the rock.
Standing there, drenched from head to toe, the crushing sound of water drowned out the noise in my head for the first time in months. In that roaring chaos, a lone seagull floated against the wind and spray, holding its course. Engulfed by the mist and refusing to yield, it felt strangely familiar. Standing beneath that immense wall of water, the grief and exhaustion quietly flowed out into the wind. I picked up my camera and turned it towards the seagull—after all, we were both trying to make our way through the same storm.”
University College London
Rising Catch
“My photograph was taken in M'Bour, Senegal, at around 5:00 p.m. as the boats were coming in with a full day's worth of catch. As the boats docked, crowds gathered to buy fish or receive their share.
It created a beautiful scene where men came running with 30-kilo baskets on their heads—sometimes carried while still submerged underwater as they waded in from the sea. As they emerged, the baskets overflowed, and children would take the excess fish to sell or bring home.
Portions are set aside for families, while the rest supplies the market or travels inland to landlocked countries like Mali. In Senegal, where the national dish is thieboudienne (fish and rice), the entire country depends on this trade. For me, this photograph serves as a reminder to put a face behind the products we buy, highlighting the hard work behind the food we consume.”
The University of Edinburgh
Rian’s Flip
“In the month of June, my friends and I hired a car and drove around the Balkans. We spent days soaking up the sun on beaches, wandering cobbled roads, and ascending through treelines to reach snowy summits. The variation of activities and landscapes was amazing—and exactly why I find travelling so addictive.
In this moment, you can see my friend Rian as he completes a flip, jumping off a cliff. It was a crazy feat, but one where you can't help but admire his bravery and curse his stupidity.
I shot this image on my Olympus OM10, using Kodak Gold to accentuate the warm coastal sun of Montenegro. My exploration of film has really changed how I see light, and nostalgia is immediately imprinted in the grain of the photos. I hope my photo reflects all these split-second moments as they start to become memories of a summer well spent.”
University of Wolverhampton
Bruce
“This image was taken this past winter while I was walking around my local country park. I spotted this huge stag with plastic fencing caught on his antlers. I knew I had to take a photo because it was so unusual, but also deeply sad—stags should be getting bushes and greenery stuck in their antlers, not plastic, so the photo really speaks for itself.
The park rangers were monitoring him closely, and thankfully it didn’t seem to bother him. He was still eating and drinking normally, and over time, he managed to free himself from the fencing on his own.”
Student Photographer of the Year 2026 is supported by
What Julian says:
“I took this photo in the Cervantes Islands—home to one of Western Australia's few remaining Australian sea lion colonies. They are likely the most endangered sea lion species in the world, which shocked me when I arrived in 2020, as I didn't even know they existed.
This was one of the most personal encounters I’ve ever had with an animal in the water. I was so dizzy and broken from trying to entertain the sea lions for about an hour and a half that I was just taking a rest at the surface. Right then, one of the female sea lions came up to join me. We took a break together, just staring at each other in this really special, shared moment.
I chose this photo because that connection stayed with me, and I feel it captures the true personality and nature of these remarkably friendly animals.”