2026-27 Young Photographer Competition

Download the Information Pack and Poster and contact your local Rotary club for an entry form.

Aims and Objectives

The competition encourages young people to:

● explore and develop their skills in photography
● use either digital and/or traditional methods of photography
● interpret the competition theme with creativity and insight
● communicate personal ideas and perspectives through photography

The Task  

To produce one photographic entry based upon the theme, ‘Friendship’. The entry may be either a single photograph or a collage of photographs. Any collage must be made up only of photographs taken by the entrant and must be submitted as one entry. Mobile devices or cameras may be used. 

Each entrant MUST provide a brief sentence describing the relationship of the artwork to the theme. This sentence must be added to the appropriate section of the entry form. Entries without this explanation will be disqualified.

Please note:

● A photograph that forms part of a current educational exam portfolio is not eligible for entry due to exam board regulations
● If the photograph includes images of people under 18 or adults at risk, a signed consent form/s must accompany the entry
● For the national final the photograph must be submitted digitally in jpg format and be at least 1500 pixel in size on the longest length and the entry and supporting information sent electronically MUST NOT EXCEED 15Mb per email sent
● Photographs which incorporate images of people under 18 years or adults at risk must be accompanied by consent form/s for their use.

Entries must be entirely the competitor’s own original work and must match the theme of the competition. Plagiarised, copied, traced, close-copied, or AI-generated work is not permitted in any Rotary Youth Competition. 

It is important that we protect the work of creative individuals. While we are all inspired by the work of others, competitors must not use generative artificial intelligence (AI), or any app, tool or platform that creates, rewrites, edits, enhances or generates any part of the submission. The entry must be created solely by the competitor. 

For the purposes of these competitions, “close copying” means that, to a reasonable person, the entry appears remarkably similar in significant respects to work created elsewhere. 

Rotary reserves the right to investigate any entry where plagiarism, close copying or use of AI is suspected, and to disqualify any entry found to be in breach of this rule.

Who can take part?

The competition is open to all young people living within a Rotary Great Britain and Ireland district, including Gibraltar, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, provided they fall within the age groups shown below. They may be an individual choosing to enter directly themselves or amongst the entries submitted by a group or community organisation including schools and colleges, home educated, other young peoples’ community organisations, for example, community RotaKids or Interact, Scout Groups, Girl Guides, etc.

Age groups (based on age as of 31st August 2026):
Junior: Up to and including 10 years old
Intermediate: 11 to 13 years old
Senior: 14 to 17 years old

Note: Because the qualifying age is based on 31st August 2025, some entrants may have birthdays that would otherwise place them in a different age group at the actual date of the competition.

CLOSING DATE - TBA February 2027

Judging Criteria   

Judges will consider:
• technical merit
• content and composition
• imagination and style
• relevance to the theme. 

The judges will not enter any discussion or correspondence regarding their decision; the decision of the judges will be final and not subject to any appeal. Recognition At all stages of the competition, competitors will receive a certificate of participation.  

Please find further details in Information Pack

Entry Form will be available soon