PhD Student and Postdoc Photo Competition

PhD research

The Faculty PhD Student and Postdoc Photo Competition celebrates the work of our fantastic young researchers through imagery and stories that invite us into the world of natural sciences.

Call for submissions


FoNS PhD Student and Postdoc Photo Competition 2024

The Faculty of Natural Sciences (FoNS)  photo competition for PhD students and postdocs is now open. We invite our Faculty's early-career researchers to communicate their research to a non-specialist audience using images and narratives.

There will be two categories, one for PhD students and one for postdocs. In each category, two prizes of up to £200 will be awarded by a panel of judges, as well as a People’s Choice Award (worth £150) decided by a vote of Imperial staff and students.

The deadline for submissions to be 17.00 on Wednesday, 7  February 2024, and the shortlisted entries will be announced by 16 February. 

All shortlisted entries will be announced and exhibited on the Faculty website. The winners will be announced in an awards ceremony on 7 March, 16.00-18.00 in the College Main Entrance on Exhibition road (note all shortlisted images will be exhibited to the public on both 6 and 7 March in the College Main Entrance!).

If you are a PhD student, fill out this form to submit your entry.

If you are a postdoctoral researcher, fill out this form to submit your entry.

Selection criteria

The panel of judges will sift submissions against eligibility criteria (see below) and the following themes:

  • Technical skill: What are the technical qualities of the image, including clarity, lighting and framing?
  • Impact: Does the image captured the imagination of the viewer? Is it likely to inspire?
  • Communication: Is the narrative accessible to the layperson and does it describe the image and its message accurately? Does it complement the image and enhance its impact?

Eligibility criteria

Applicant requirements

To apply, you must be a PhD student or postdoctoral researcher currently registered in the Faculty of Natural Sciences (Departments of Chemistry, Physics, Life Sciences, Mathematics and Centre for Environmental Policy). Entrants are limited to one submission.

Image requirements

The submitted image may be portrait or landscape (shortlisted images will be printed in A2). You may also submit a second version of the same image with labels and/or annotations. This may allow the audience to better understand the structure or components of your image. Note that the judges will not view or score any labelled images.

Submit your entries as JPEG/JPG files, maximum 100Mb in size. The shortlisted entries will be print in A2 (4961 x 7016 pixels) at 300dpi.

Please include your name in the title of the file.

Images may be black and white or in colour, taken with any kind of camera. Minor adjustments are allowed, such as minor changes in cropping, sharpening, contrast, etc. Significantly altered or artistically enhanced photos are not accepted. The judges may request the original file/RAW/negative of your photo to verify this.

Images taken by someone other than the applicant are not allowed.

Image caption requirements

  • Your image title should ideally be two to five words with a strict maximum of 10 words.
  • Your accompanying narrative/caption should ideally be 80-100 words with a strict maximum of 110 words.
  • Your image narrative must give a description of your image and place it in the context of your research.
  • Your narrative must be accessible to a non-specialist audience. Do not use acronyms.

Ethics requirements

  • You must not do anything to injure or distress an animal or damage its habitat in an attempt to secure an image.
  • You must ensure that the personal safety of everyone involved is appropriately handled. Avoid taking unnecessary risks that can result in dangerous situations.
  • You are responsible for ensuring full compliance with any applicable national or international legislation.
  • Respect the work of other photographers and do not plagiarize.
  • If the panel suspects that an entry has been achieved through cruel or unethical practices, the entry will be disqualified.

Terms and conditions

It is the responsibility of participants to ensure that the images they are submitting are their own work, that they own the copyright for them and that they do not infringe on the copyright or other rights of any third party.

It is the responsibility of participants to ensure that the images do not infringe on any laws. Copyright for the submitted images remains with their authors. However, by entering the competition, participants are granting the Faculty of Natural Sciences irrevocable, perpetual permission for non-commercial use of the images online and in print, in any promotional materials related to the competition, and in an exhibition on campus.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr Ester Buchaca-Domingo (e.buchaca-domingo@imperial.ac.uk).