Stunning aerial shot of Essex oyster beds wins maritime photography competition

The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society has announced the winner of its 10th annual photography competition, showcasing images relating to all aspects of the UK’s historic relationship with the sea.

This year, the maritime charity’s annual Ultimate Sea Views competition received more than 1,000 entries from amateur and professional photographers, with the judging panel awarding the overall prize to Justin Minns for his entry, The Old Oyster Beds, a stunning aerial shot taken in Brightlingsea, Essex. The image won the photographer a £500 prize voucher for photographic equipment.

Winner of the coastal views category: Andrew Hocking – ‘Unicorn’. Taken in Godrevy, Cornwall

In addition to the overall prize, winners were also named in four categories: coastal views; people and recreation; industry; and ships and wrecks.

The competition was judged at Trinity House earlier this month by a panel of photography experts, with online picture editor at The Telegraph, Neil Stevenson; former Sunday Times picture editor, Ray Wells; and picture editor of the i, Sophie Batterbury; joining chief executive of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, Capt. Justin Osmond RN.

Winner of the people and recreation category: Jason Thompson – My Playground. Taken on Skegness Beach

The society, which provides financial support to former seafarers and their dependants, encouraged photographers of all abilities to submit pictures that captured the essence of the UK’s enduring connection with the sea, including merchant ships, fishermen, coastline, harbours and ports.

Winner of the industry category: Jonathan Killick – Wind Turbines, taken in Lincolnshire

Captain Justin Osmond says: “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.

“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.

“We thought that Justin Minns’ winning image 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.”

Winner of the ships and wrecks category: Justin Minns – Scattered. Taken at Thames Estuary, Essex

The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society supports fishermen, merchant mariners and their dependants who are suffering financial hardship, whether due to accident, ill health, unemployment or in retirement after a life spent working at sea. The society reports that a total of £1.3m was paid in grants during the past year in over 1,700 cases of need.