The Newcastle Herald has officially launched its search for the Hunter region's most talented amateur photographers, with entries now open for the 2026 Hunter Photography Prize.
Following in Winning Footsteps
The competition returns after Lake Macquarie photographer David Whyte claimed the 2025 title with his striking image 'Outstretched Wings'. The winning photograph captured a native waterbird drying its wings at Lake Macquarie, with judges praising Whyte's technical skill and deliberate composition.
"I knew what I wanted," Whyte recalled about capturing his award-winning shot. "I stood there for a while. He was perched on the branch and was moving his wings around. I was just watching and observing it, and when his wings were out, I took a few. I just patiently waited."
Competition Details and Eligibility
The annual competition is specifically designed for amateur photographers who call the Hunter Region home. To maintain its focus on backyard talent, the prize excludes professional photographers whose main income comes from photography.
Entries must either be taken within the Hunter region or feature Hunter people, and photographers can use any equipment from classic Box Brownie cameras to modern smartphones.
The competition timeline is clearly defined: entries close at midnight on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, with winners announced in the Newcastle Herald and online at newcastleherald.com.au on January 31, 2026.
Prizes and Publication Opportunities
Two major awards are up for grabs in the 2026 competition. The judges' selection will receive an $1100 Harvey Norman voucher for photography equipment, while the people's choice award winner will collect a $900 voucher.
A selection of entries may be published across Australian Community Media mastheads, including the Maitland Mercury, Port Stephens Examiner, and Singleton Argus, giving photographers valuable exposure.
The judging panel comprises Newcastle Herald photography experts Peter Lorimer and Jonathan Carroll, alongside Herald editor Lisa Allan, senior deputy editor Matt Carr, and Sunday and opinion editor Deborah Richards.
How to Enter the Competition
Photographers can submit up to five images as JPEG attachments to photoprize@newcastleherald.com.au. Each entry must include the photographer's name, address, email, and phone contacts in the email body, with "Hunter Photography Prize" and the entrant's name in the subject field.
Technical requirements specify that photos must be between 500KB and 2MB in size. Australian Community Media reserves cropping rights, and photographers retain copyright while granting publication permission across various formats.
Full terms and conditions are available on the Newcastle Herald website for those seeking complete competition details.
