Winner of Norfolk Wildlife Trust's 2026 Nature Photography Competition announced!

Winner of Norfolk Wildlife Trust's 2026 Nature Photography Competition announced!

Hobby chasing a dragonfly (credit: Maksym Breus)

Norfolk Wildlife Trust is excited to announce the stunning winners of our 2026 Nature Photography Competition, with the Overall Winner showcasing young talent in the county.

We are excited to announce the stunning winners of our 2026 Nature Photography Competition!

This year’s competition saw over 1,200 photos submitted during June and July of Norfolk’s wildlife, landscapes and plants, from residents and visitors of all ages! Of these, 12 stunning images were chosen for the 2027 calendar, with the Overall Winner being open to a public vote at the end of August. Thank you to all who entered the competition and/or cast their vote!

This year’s Overall Winner was 17-year-old Maksym Breus, for his once-in-a-lifetime shot of a hobby chasing a dragonfly over water, taken at Redgrave and Lopham Fen on the Norfolk border. This incredible shot required a great amount of patience from the talented young wildlife photographer, as Maksym explained, ‘For three years I've attempted to capture a legendary shot of a hobby chasing a dragonfly. After more than 200 hours spent observing, the delight of achieving my dream shot was absolutely indescribable! For me, wildlife photography was never just about showing an animal, I want to show people the behaviour, story and fleeting moments that make each encounter special.’

A hobby swooping low of water, hunting a dragonfly. There are golden reeds in the background.

Hobby chasing a dragonfly (credit: Maksym Breus)

Judges also selected a Young Person and Mobile Phone photography winner, with a brilliant array of photographers to choose from this year. 16-year-old Tia Pardon won the Young Person prize, with her beautiful photograph of a little egret backlit by the sun at NWT Hickling Broad. Winning the Mobile Phone prize was Clifford Wicker, with his wonderfully shot photograph of a banded demoiselle damselfly at Ingoldisthorpe Water Recycling Centre.

The Overall Winner will be awarded a prize generously donated by competition sponsors ZEISS, with the Young Person and Mobile Photography winners receiving gift vouchers kindly donated by John Lewis Norwich. 

A free exhibition of the winners and highly commended images will be held at NWT Cley Marshes throughout October. 

The calendar will be available to purchase online, or at Norfolk Wildlife Trust visitor centres at Hickling Broad, Holme Dunes and Cley Marshes.

Photographs chosen for the 2027 calendar