Submissions will open on 1 May 2026. Any submissions before this will not be valid.
The always popular National Historic Ships UK Photography Competition is back for a 17th year. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of NHS-UK in 2026, this year’s theme is ‘Time'.
Cash prizes to be won, as well as the chance to be included in our 2027 Calendar and accompanying exhibition at The Historic Dockyard Chatham. The winning photographs will also be featured in Classic Boat magazine.
Photographers are welcome to interpret the theme in any way they choose, but here are some ideas from us: families and friends spending time together enjoying our maritime heritage, a sailor keeping watch, different generations of vessels or people pictured together, summertime on a classic sailing vessel, someone taking the time to do a good job repairing their boat, the effects of time on the fabric of a historic vessel, a classic motor boat speeding through the waves, boats pictured in different seasons, changing light throughout the day, a race against time, the time of your life, a still moment in time, day time, night time, any time! Remember to provide a suitable title for your image to reflect how it meets the theme.
Visit our Events Page to discover some of the many maritime events taking place this year. In a country threaded with navigable waterways, where one is never more than 70 miles from the coast, there are many opportunities to explore this year’s theme and take a winning photograph!
Categories
- Time reflecting the wide variety of historic craft, big and small, afloat and ashore, in UK waters and beyond.
- The Classic Boat Award is for classic sailing images.
- As part of our Anniversary celebrations, we are bringing back a previous category favourite - ‘Faces of the Sea’. We are looking for images of people engaging with maritime heritage, or the vital workforce which operates, maintains and conserves our wonderful historic vessels.
- The Newcomer of the Year Award is made to the best photograph submitted by someone who has not entered the competition before.
- The People’s Choice Award is the only category voted for by the public. Four monthly winners will be chosen and entered into a final vote in September to decide the overall Winner.
Judging
Our judges will be looking for creativity, composition and best fit for the theme or category. The winning images, alongside some of the judges' other favourites, will be featured in our Annual Review and 2027 Calendar. Images can be captured by camera, mobile device or drone. Winners will be announced in our 2026 Awards film, premiering on Youtube in November.
The information you give us when you submit an image is kept on our electronic records system and is only accessible to authorised staff. This personal data is held alongside the relevant images for copyright and acknowledgment purposes. If you have a question about the way we handle your personal information please contact info@nationalhistoricships.org.uk