About the Competition

Calling All Young Creatives!

Are you aged 19 and under and love telling stories through your lens?

Whether it's a snapshot of everyday magic or a powerful portrait of your world, we want to see your perspective.

Enter the Young Photographer Competition 2025 and show us your vision of Ilkley.

 

Ilkley was recently named the Best Place to Live in the North and Northeast of England and we couldn’t agree more!

Now, we want to hear your perspective.​

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Whether you live here, go to school in Ilkley, visit your grandparents here, walk your dog by the river, spot otters, or just love spending time in your favourite Ilkley spot — we invite you to share what makes this place special to you.

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Maybe it’s the moors, your best friend who lives nearby, or a little-known corner of town that brings you joy.

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Whatever your Ilkley story is, we want to see it.

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And if your view of Ilkley isn’t all rose-tinted — that’s okay too. Maybe there’s a side of town that’s overlooked, a place that tells a different story, or a detail most people miss. We welcome honest, thoughtful submissions that reflect all sides of life here — the cherished, the quirky, and even the less glamorous.

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This is your moment to share your view, your voice, your story. We're not just looking for technical perfection—we’re celebrating creativity, emotion, and individuality. So don’t worry if you’ve never entered a competition before. This is for you.

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You can submit up to three photographs — each one can be in a different category, or all in the same, it’s entirely up to you.

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You can submit your photos under one of the following categories:

• Portrait – show us a person, or a moment, that matters.

• Wildlife – from garden birds to riverside otters, capture Ilkley’s living world.

• Architecture – buildings, bridges, bus stops — the shapes that make Ilkley.

• Landscape – wide open skies, misty moors, or hidden corners.

• Other – for anything that doesn’t fit the box — experimental, abstract, or totally unexpected.

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Important things to know:

• Deadline: Monday 16 June 2025

• Recognition: Winning images will be featured in photoILKLEY and celebrated for what they are — unique expressions of voice and vision.

• How to enter: Download the Entry Form HERE, and if you're under 16, have a parent or guardian sign it. Then send us the Entry Form and your photos via email at contact@photoilkley.com

• Please read: the Rules and Regulations HERE before submitting.

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Let your photograph speak. Let it hold what words cannot.
Let it be yours.

We can’t wait to see what only you can show.

 

Exhibition and Recognition

The best photographs, as selected by our panel of judges, will be exhibited during photoILKLEY at Ilkley Manor House from 12 July to 3 August 2025.

This is a fantastic chance to have your work seen by a wide audience and be celebrated as part of Ilkley’s growing creative community.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the competition, feel free to reach out to us at:
📧 contact@photoilkley.com

We can't wait to see your world through your lens!