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Photo by the 11-14 category 1st place winner, Will Miller, from Chipping Campden School with his photo from the Isle of Staffa titled ‘Mother Nature’s Architecture’.
Physical geography student competition
Following the success of previous competitions, we’re happy to announce the Physical Geography Student Photo Competition will be returning for an 11th year in Summer 2026!
With thanks to our sponsor, the British Society for Geomorphology (BSG)!
Judging takes place during the Autumn term and our panel of volunteer judges go through several stages to carefully select the winners. The winners will be announced on the website and social media in mid December 2025.
Due to circumstances beyond our control we will not be running the Physical Geography Student Photo Competition in 2026. We hope to be back in 2027 with a new theme.
We would like to thank everyone who entered the 2025 competition and our sponsor, the British Society for Geomorphology (BSG).
There were lots of amazing photos and descriptions shared. Congratulations to our 2025 winners, please take a look at the winning entries!
2025 Theme
The 2025 theme of the competition was ‘Earthshapes’.
Ever heard of a landform? Of course you have!
If you think about the word – it tells us that the surface of the Earth has shapes, as the ‘form’ part refers to the shape or appearance or type of something. This is also true for the sky, although the equivalent to a skyform is termed a cloud formation. The word formation indicates there are certain atmospheric conditions that create types of clouds with a distinctive shape. So, a landform or a cloud formation is a product of the conditions and process(es) that forms that shape. Putting landforms and skyforms together and by also including different forms of waves, we can collectively group all these physical features under the term Earthshapes.
This year’s physical geography photo competition challenges students to find and capture an image of an interesting Earthshape, and to write an accompanying caption (250 words maximum) that describes and explains how processes, present or past, have worked to form and shape their example.
Physical geography Earthshapes can be found everywhere, in the local area as well as in more distant places, in both urban and rural locations, and across the full range of different scales – from a small pebble shape (or something even smaller) to the grand scale of a thunder cloud.
Examples of Earthshapes might include: 1) waves approaching a coastline; 2) a slope (in a built-up area or the countryside) that might show a concave or convex shape or it could mixed gradient humps and hollows; 3) the blocky pattern created by dried and cracked ground, 4) a sand dune; 5) a valley (they occur in many shapes that indicate its origin); 6) a wave-cut notch; 7) an angular or a smoothed rocky outcrop; 8) a mini-sand delta at the beach; 9) a ‘cotton wool’ cloud; 10) a stream channel. And there are many more shapes to see once you get your ‘eye in’.
Your photograph needs to be accompanied with 1) the (precise) location of your ‘Earthshape’, 2) an interesting and captivating title and 3) a caption of up to 250 words that describes, what it is and what you can say about its form (i.e. shape) and how its formation created the Earthshape.
Anyone can take photos – here are a few tips to help you capture the image you want:
- Photos tend to be better composed in landscape orientation.
- Clean the lens. Over time the lens can collect dust, which can make your photos blurred – just wipe it with a clean (dry) cloth.
- Lighting can ‘make or break’ a photo, so consider the weather and the time of day to make sure your feature can be seen or is highlighted by the conditions.
- Consider the framing of your photo, i.e. everything that is in it. Try to avoid having the focus of your photo in the middle (Google search ‘rule of thirds’).
- Pay attention to a horizon or background line and try to keep your photo level and straight.
- Look high and low, big and small, close and far for your ideas.
- Do a little research on the feature in your photo so you can be reasonably confident in describing its physical geography accurately.
- The judges will not necessarily be expecting a ‘perfect’ entry, but they will be looking for balance of an interesting, well-composed photograph and a description that shows you recognise your subject and outlines how it relates to the power of physical geography.
Past winner announcements
The winners from the last three competitions are available on the website below. If you would like winner information from before 2021 (the competition did not run in 2022) please check the GA Magazine which is available for downloading. Or email info@geography.org.uk with your request.
