Royal Geographical Society

Earth Photo showcases the very best in geographical and environmental visual media and how it can better connect us with the world by telling stories and encouraging discussion about our planet, its inhabitants and our treatment of both.

Call for submissions

This year’s Earth Photo competition is open for entries.

Developed in partnership with Forestry England, Earth Photo aims to enable a better understanding of the world around us through the complementary disciplines of the environment and geography. Amateur and professional photographers of all ages are invited to submit up to 10 photographs or films that focus on the key themes of People, Place, Nature, Changing Forests and A Climate of Change.

The competition is open to national and international photographers, and shortlisted works will be displayed in our Pavilion from 28 June to 30 August. Three further exhibitions will take place at Forestry England venues later in the year.

Submitted photographs and films will be judged by a panel of experts chaired by award-winning photographer Marissa Roth. The panel will select an overall winner as well as a winner within each category.

The deadline for entries is 5.00pm on Tuesday 4 May.

Find out more and how to enter

2020 competition winners

Overall winner

The winner of the 2020 Earth Photo competition is Jonk for his stunning series Coffee Shop, Abkhazia region of Georgia; Hotel, Portugal; Swimming Pool, Italy and Theater, Abkhazia region of Georgia, which depict abandoned spaces reclaimed by nature. The group of images also won the competition’s Place category. Visit his website for more information.

Jonk is a freelance self-taught photographer whose work focusses on humans and their relationship with nature. His images are taken to raise awareness of the ecological crisis facing humanity. Fascinated by abandoned places reclaimed by nature, in 2018 he published Naturalia: A Chronicle of Contemporary Ruins which asks the fundamental question: What is the place of humans on Earth and their relationship with nature?

Far from being pessimistic, and at a time when human domination of nature has never been so extreme, these images aim to awaken our ecological consciousness. Nature is stronger, so whatever happens to humans, nature will always be there.