Tree photography competition offers fabulous prizes

Published: 2 October 2024

The search is on to find the best photographs of trees in Exeter with some fabulous prizes up for grabs.

Exeter City Council has once again launched its annual tree photography competition in the run up to National Tree Week – 23 November to 1 December.

As autumn colours emerge, people are being encouraged to take a picture of their favourite tree in Exeter and enter the competition.

It’s the fifth consecutive year that the City Council (ECC) has run the competition, teaming up with its arboriculture contractors Devon Tree Services, who are offering up a series of great prizes.

The person who takes the best image will win a framed photograph of the picture and A Portrait of the Tree: A celebration of favourite trees from around Britain, by Adrian Houston, with the runner-up receiving a framed photograph of their picture. Once again there is also an under-16 category for budding junior photographers, with the same prizes for the winner and runner-up.

Cllr Ruth Williams, Lead Councillor for City Management, said: “For the second year running we received more than 70 entries for the competition last year, with a fabulous range of photographs. The competition is proving a really popular one with locals and once again we can’t wait to see people’s entries to get an idea of the trees people love in Exeter.”

People can upload their pictures here: https://tinyurl.com/TreePhotoComp24, or alternatively email their entry to treesupport@exeter.gov.uk

Alternatively, pictures can be sent to: Public Realm Trees, room 3.32, civic centre, Exeter EX1 1JN. Entries must be clearly marked ‘ECC tree photo competition’ and have a name, age (if under 16 years) of photographer and an accurate location of the tree and the date the picture was taken (images must have been taken after 1 October 2023).

The closing date for entries is Monday 11 November but get snapping before Autumn winds blow all the leaves off the trees!

Pictures can be with or without people but must include a tree from within Exeter. They can be selfies, arty shots, black and white or colour images. They might be fun shots with children, friends or family in or just a simple shot of your favourite tree. If there are people in the shot, please ensure that they have given their permission to be photographed.

Pictures must have been taken recently – after 1 October 2024 – and images submitted for previous competitions will not be allowed. There is a maximum of two entries per person.

The competition is open to everyone – whether living in Exeter or outside – but entrants must be amateur photographers. The City Council reserve the right to reproduce any pictures submitted in future publications, online stories or social media posts.

A judging panel will decide the best pictures and prizes awarded to the best adult and runner-up and best junior entry and runner-up.

National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration, marking the start of the winter tree planting season (November to March each year). This year it will take place from 23 November to 1 December. Further information about national events can be found on the Tree Council website at https://treecouncil.org.uk/seasonal-campaigns/national-tree-week/