Competition

The Photographic Angle regularly runs photographic competitions which are open and accessible to everyone, regardless of their location, ability, experience, equipment or age.

Each competition has a theme, chosen by our Head of Design, and we welcome submissions that illustrate this theme showcasing originality and a unique viewpoint. The competitions are free to enter and TPA enlists the help of an independent judge who is given the responsibility of selecting the winning entries. One photographer whose entry is deemed the best representation of the competition theme will be awarded a prize.

Throughout the year, our Head of Design will also choose a selection of the best entries submitted to various competition themes for inclusion in one of our future photographic exhibitions. The chosen images will then be printed by the charity and exhibited at no expense to the photographers. If your work is chosen for inclusion you will be contacted via email and asked to send us high resolution versions of your work.

 

 

BEAUTY FROM ASHES

 

‘From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success!’ These are the lyrics from one of the songs that features in the well-loved children’s film, ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ starring Dick Van Dyke as inventor Caractacus Potts and I thought it was appropriate for this competition!

For this competition we are asking you to think creatively about the sort of images that will fit this criteria. The image I have chosen above shows a scene of two people smoking outside a cafe in Venice. The walls of the cafe have seen better days .. however a closer look will show that there is beauty in the patterns created by a lack of render, the brickwork is old and has beautiful ‘agedness’ to it (is that a word?!) The brickwork arch above the window and the light at the far end, illuminating the world outside and the tops of tables all add to the ‘beauty’ in the image.

Despite destruction, whether by natural causes or man-made, nature has a way of breaking through and bringing beauty to what began as a scene of devastation. Trees that have been cut down, start to sprout from the trunk that is left behind. These are just a couple of ideas, there are many more and as always, the theme is open to your own interpretation.

Huge thanks go to Alan Tow, who responded to our email asking for judges and is our judge for this competition! Check out his bio below.

Please make sure the images you submit are less than 1MB and please name them, so that Alan can see the thought behind the image when he is judging. We choose images from competition entries to curate our family-friendly catalogues for our touring exhibitions, please bear this in mind.

We have made an addition to our Terms and Conditions. Number 17 now says that we do not allow the use of AI in any of the images you submit for our competitions, thank you for keeping to this ruling too.

We look forward to receiving your ‘Beauty from Ashes’ images.

This competition will close at midnight (GMT) on 30th November 2026

Image (C) Susanne Radke

Enter Competition

Prize

The first prize winner will receive a £50 Amazon Gift Voucher or equivalent in their own currency.

There is no alternative prize and the judge’s decision is final.

Competition Judge

Alan Tow

Based in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, Alan Tow’s journey into the world of photography began in 1998, sparked by a profound fascination with the emotive power of projected images. Driven by a relentless desire to expand his spiritual horizons and transcend the boundaries of daily life, Alan utilizes photography as a catalyst for exploration. His wanderlust is guided by a singular mission: to seek out and capture the raw, unfiltered truths of our world, weaving deeper meaning and rich narratives into the tapestry of his own life.

Over more than two decades of dedicated practice, Alan has earned widespread international acclaim, securing over a dozen prestigious global photography awards. A master of both traditional perspectives and modern mediums, his technical versatility was highlighted on the global stage when he was named one of the Grand Prize Winners at the 2021 Xiaomi Imagery Awards.

Alan’s critically acclaimed works span humanistic street photography and breathtaking panoramic landscapes, continually pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling.

Selected International Awards & Accolades:
2021 | Winner, Xiaomi Imagery Awards
2020 | Bronze Winner, Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA)
2018 | Top 101, International Landscape Photographer of the Year
2017 | Gold Winner, Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA)
2017 | Bronze Winner, Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA)
2016 | Silver Award, The Epson International Pano Awards
2016 | Honorable Mention (Panoramic Category), International Photography Awards (IPA)
2016 | Honorable Mention (People Category), International Photographer Of The Year (IPOTY)
2015 | Honorable Mention (Amateur People Category), Monochrome Photography Awards (UK)
2015 | Bronze Award, Better Photography Magazine Awards (Australia)

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