National maritime charity, The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, has today announced the latest winners of its tenth annual photography competition, dedicated to showcasing images that relate to and capture the essence of all aspects of the UK’s historic relationship with the sea, while providing financial aid to retired fishermen.
Beautiful beach and coastal images have been selected this year among the sea of entries (get it?) that have elegantly captured and celebrate the UK’s relationship with the seas – including its merchant ships, fishermen, coasts, boats, harbors, and ports.
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The UK has an extremely proud maritime heritage, and The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society is a charity that offers financial aid and grants to coastal workers in need. The National maritime charity has been running this honorable photo competition (now in its tenth year!), in celebration of how brits do love to be beside the seaside.
Photographer Justin Minns has been awarded as the 2022 Overall Winner with his stunning aerial shot, The Old Oyster Beds, that was captured in Brightlingsea, Essex. The image has won Minns a £500 prize voucher for photographic equipment!
The judging panel for this year was comprised of photography and media experts, including none other than Online Picture Editor for The Telegraph, Neil Stevenson, former Sunday Times Picture Editor, Ray Wells, Picture Editor of the i (owned by Daily Mail), Sophie Batterbury, and the Chief Executive of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, Captain Justin Osmond RN.
“As we are now in the tenth year of the photography competition it is amazing to see the nation still enjoying our coastlines and supporting our maritime industry with a passion. To receive the same fantastic standard of images as when we first launched the competition a decade ago is brilliant to see." shared Captain Osmond.
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He continues, "We thought that Justin Minns’ winning image, ‘The Old Oyster Beds’, really encapsulated the beauty in Britain’s coastlines, an area of the fishing industry which can often feel neglected, but was particularly striking with the shipwreck’s presence alongside the oyster beds."
This year, the esteemed competition encouraged photographers of all abilities to submit their images that best captured the essence of the UK’s enduring and historic connection with the sea, including for example merchant ships, fishermen, coastlines, harbors, and ports. Judges received over 1,000 entries from amateur and professional photographers alike, across four separate categories.
Winning the Coastal Views category was photographer Andrew Hocking, with his image titled Unicorn captured in Godrevy, Cornwall, that beautifully frames a white lighthouse, with sea gushing over the large rocks, and even a rainbow!
Another fantastic image comes from category winner Jason Thompson, who's image of a very happy woofer on Skegness Beach titled, My Playground, won him the People and Recreation competition category.
The beautiful Wind Turbines, captured by Jonathan Killick in Lincolnshire, won the Industry photo category. This elegant sunset shot immersively depicts the sea and its role in supplementing the tall turbines.
While Justin Minns managed to score another win with a different image titled Scattered, which was taken at Thames Estuary, in Essex. This image won Minns the Ships and Wrecks category portion of the competition.
With both of his images captured in and around Essex, it's safe to assume that this area is one of the most magnificent and ultimate seascapes in the UK!
The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society provides financial support to fishermen, merchant mariners, former seafarers, and their dependants, who are suffering hardships, whether as a result of an accident, ill health, unemployment, or those who are in retirement after a lifetime dedicated to working at sea.
“Our seafaring community continues to face significant challenges every year despite the outstanding contribution it makes to our lives, so it is important that we are able to use the competition as a platform to acknowledge and celebrate our maritime industry and ensure that those working within it have access to vital support." Stated Captain Osmond.
It is said that a total of £1.3 million ($1,385,481/ AU$2,145,273 approximately) has been paid out by the charity in grants during the course of the past year to over 1,700 individual cases of those in need. If you would like to support the charity or make a donation, please head to The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society official website to discover the ways you can help.
• You may want to take a look at our guides to the best marine binoculars designed for use by sailors at sea, as well as the best underwater fishing cameras, and don't forget the best underwater drones, and the best drones for fishing.
