History Hit’s historic Photographer of the Year competition returns for the second year in a row inviting photographers with a keen interest in things of the past. The prestigious award founded by TV historian Dan Snow is split into two categories: ‘Historic England’ and ‘World History” and seeks to recognize stunning photographs of famous historical sites and significant treasures all over the world.
To judge this year's competition Snow has enlisted the help of Marissa Roth, an internationally published and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, and The Times picture editor, Andrew Hepburn. They join Snow, Claudia Kenyatta from Historic England, and Philip Mowbray from Picfair, to whittle down the 2023 submissions. The competition is open until 6pm BST on October 15.
• Check out the best cameras for landscape photography so you can get out exploring some historically rich sites
Photographers are encouraged to submit images of instantly recognizable historical sites as well as less well-known spots, natural landscapes, and personal favorite places may that be a pub, a park, or even a palace. No location is off limits - so long as it is steeped in history and has a fascinating past.
Dan Snow, the founder and creative director of the popular podcast and content platform History Hit recognizes the power of stills photography as a way of educating people through the eye of a photographer. He says “I love that our competition is open to all levels. The passion, skill, and art in all submissions mean that the right shot at the right time could be the winning entry regardless of experience."
The overall winner will have their work showcased on the official competition website and will receive a cash prize of £250. Additionally, category winners will each receive a cash prize of £50. Furthermore, the Historic England category winner will also be awarded up to £100 worth of books selected from the Historic England imprint. Winners will be announced on November 14 2023 and all images will be judged on a mixture of technical ability, originality, and composition as well as the story behind the image and its historical impact.
Last year's Historic Photographer of the Year winners includes Sam Binding for the Historic England category with his ethereal image of Glastonbury Tor (above) shot early in the morning with the mist, while Luke Stackpoole was awarded first place in the World History category with his captivating image of UNESCO World Heritage site Fenghuang Ancient Town in China.
For more information about the Historic Photographer of the Year competition and the terms and conditions, interested participants can visit the History Hit website. Get your cameras ready, and let the historic exploration begin!
Also check out the best lenses for landscape photography so you can capture beautiful wide-angle shots of ancient ruins, castles or stone circles
