Photo Competition – winner chosen

This summer, we invited amateur photographers to take part in our exciting photography competition for a chance to win a fantastic prize!

We asked you to take a photograph that captures the essence of Nottinghamshire’s natural environment, within our City, towns and villages and the surrounding countryside. The photo could be of a general landscape or focus on a particular animal or plant species native to Nottinghamshire. We asked you to explain where the photo was taken and why it represents nature in our county.

Over 230 photographs were submitted to the competition. Thank you to all the talented photographers who submitted entries!

Winning Photograph taken by Kevin Clarke

An Emerald Damselfly on hare’s-foot clover taken at Intake Wood in Clipstone.

Kevin, of Clipstone, explained why he took the photo, saying:

“Damselflies are probably more overlooked than the bigger Dragonflies, but are just as striking when observed. This image was taken on the edge of a large housing estate that has sprung up over the last 10 plus years. A small pond was introduced where there wasn’t a pond before which gave a habitat for these creatures to thrive in. Not only does it show nature can thrive close to where people live, it also showcases if you give nature the space to live in, nature can find a way to use it.”

Kevin’s photo impressed the judges because it captured an insect and a plant that can be found in Nottinghamshire, while it also highlighted the aims of the LNRS to encourage developers and landowners to prioritise nature and ensure it can co-exist alongside other land uses.

Kevin, who is a committee member with the Nottinghamshire Amphibian and Reptile Group and travels across the East Midlands to survey the vertebrates, wins a night’s stay for up to three people in a luxury pod at Holme Pierrepont Country Park.

His winning photograph will also feature on the front cover of the published LNRS Statement of Biodiversity Priorities document.

The panel of three judges comprised: the County Council’s Madam Chairman, Councillor Jan Goold; Helen Wildman, Nottingham City Council’s Landscape Architect in the Green Space & Natural Environment team; and, Janice Bradley, Head of Nature Recovery North at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

Highly Commended Photographs

The judges also selected a further nine highly commended photographs to feature elsewhere in the Statement of Biodiversity Priorities.

Click on the images to read more about each photograph.

Everyone who entered the competition has been contacted, including those whose submissions were not successful. If you have not received an email, it may be due to an issue reaching you at the address provided in your entry form, so please contact us at LNRSNN@nottscc.gov.uk.