National Trust photo competition: Young photographers invited to capture UK wildlife for staycation prize

Children’s paper First News has launched its Nature Around Me Competition for 2025, in partnership with the National Trust.

Children aged between seven and 15 can enter their best photographs of UK wildlife and nature - from a beautiful tree in their local park, a petal floating in a puddle or a spider hiding in a bug house. The photo can be black and white or colour, landscape or portrait and can be taken on a phone, camera or tablet.

One winner and their family will get a two-night stay at 4 Cart Lodge Barn in North Norfolk, worth over £350. The trip will include a private chartered boat to Blakeney Point with a National Trust ranger, to see the seals and their pups.

The winner and two runners-up will also get a First News subscription and a wifi bird box.

To find out more details and enter the competition, visit the First News website.

Photographer James’ top tips

James Dobson is one of the National Trust’s top photographers. Travelling all around the country, he often captures images of wildlife and the natural world. He has shared his best tips for taking a great photo.

1. Stay focused

Choosing where you focus, what is sharp and what is not, is important when taking an image. Generally, it is good to have whatever you are photographing as the point of focus, especially if they are big in the frame.

A good rule is: “If it has eyes, make sure they’re in focus.” It gives the viewer an immediate connection with the subject and can add lots of impact. But don’t be afraid to experiment by shooting the same scene with different points of focus to see how it looks.

2. Keeping safe

Whether you live in a city or surrounded by countryside, capturing the beauty of the natural world can be a very special experience, but it’s important you keep yourself and subject safe. Check you’re allowed to photograph it, how close you can get and what you should and shouldn’t do to allow it to behave in a natural and undisturbed way.

You need to look after yourself too, so don’t head off without telling someone where you’ve gone, keep an eye on the weather and make sure you have food, water and the right clothing.

3. Your image

The composition – or how you arrange what’s in your image – is an important part of how you take a good photo. Simply looking at other photographers’ work can be helpful.

Ask yourself, do you like the image? If so, what are the bits you like? Is it the subject, colours, shapes, depth of focus? Think about the angle from which you are taking the image; for example, does a low-down or high-up viewpoint change the story?

Symmetry can be a great thing to play with, like a bird on water, or perhaps an animal looking straight into or out of the frame. Rules or no rules, a great-looking image will always shine through, and the best ones tell a story.

4. Camera equipment

The invention of digital photography has made the process of taking and using photographs so much quicker, easier and cheaper, and most mobile phones these days have good cameras.

Regardless of the kit you own, always carry it with you and have it ready to hand. Who knows when an animal might cross your path, or you might be confronted with a great picture opportunity?