Put your coastline in the frame for photography prize

CLARE’S amateur photographers are being urged to put the county’s coastline and waterways in the frame as Clean Coasts’ launches its annual ‘Love Your Coast’ photography competition.

The competition has opened to submissions from Clare photographers for its 13th year. The Love Your Coast competition asks amateur photographers to capture and celebrate the uniqueness of our coastal communities, environments, or waterways such as its stunning coastline, beautiful beaches, epic cliff faces, and raging rivers.

Clare has some of the most spectacular coastlines in the world and Clean Coasts want to encourage people to get out their cameras as they explore the Irish coast and capture its beauty.

2021 saw Clare photographer Mike Orth win second place in the Wildlife and Underwater category for his photo entitled Compass by Cave Light that was taken at the entrance to Donegal Point Cave in Kilkee, County Clare.

Moreover, Gavin Sheehan with the picture titled Finavarra Under the Night Sky and Piotr Machowczyk with the photograph Mighty Cliffs of Moher were shortlisted in the top ten images for the Coastal Heritage and Coastal Landscape, respectively.

Photographers have until 9 am on Monday, August 29, 2022 to submit their best images in one of five categories to be in with the chance to win a prize fund of €5,000 across all categories.

The categories for this year include: Wildlife and Underwater;  Coastal Landscape;  People and the Coast; Coastal Heritage; Creativity and the Coast.

Each year Love Your Coast draws in a large amount of interest from Ireland’s amateur photographers, coastal enthusiasts, and conservation and biodiversity-minded. Clean Coasts have ensured there is a diverse range of categories so there truly is something for everyone.

Photographers are encouraged to explore new and different methods and angles in capturing the coastal regions and wildlife and would discourage photographing of locations and species that have been heavily submitted in previous years.

Working with communities on the ground, Clean Coasts’ mission is to help foster pride in our coastline, supporting Clean Coasts communities, groups, and volunteers to tackle issues affecting their local area. 

This competition provides an opportunity to view the coast and our waterways that the Clean Coasts programme works to protect from a completely different perspective and see the beauty captured therein.

Clean Coast manager Sinead McCoy stated, “The Clean Coasts programme works with communities and supports them in their efforts to protect our coastline. What the Love Your Coast Photography competition does is augment this work by showcasing our breathtaking coastline which helps foster and inspire both the public and communities to protect it into the future.”

Visit cleancoasts.org to find out more about the competition and how to enter.