Commonwealth Youth Photography Competition 2026: Meet the judges
- Kate McNab
- 13 minutes ago
- 7 min read
We are proud to announce the panel of judges for the Commonwealth Youth Photography Competition 2026: Waves of Change, run by the Royal Commonwealth Society in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the City of London Corporation's Youth Natural Environment Board.
Waves of Change invites young people aged 18 to 30 from across the Commonwealth's 56 member nations to document the ocean and its relationship to communities, environments, and the future. Free to enter, the competition accepts entries across four categories: Human-Ocean Connection, Hope and Resilience, Threats and Challenges, and Innovative Solutions. The overall winner receives a cash prize of £1,000, with £250 awarded to each of the three remaining category winners. Winning photographs will be celebrated across Commonwealth networks reaching 2.7 billion people across 56 nations.
This year's judging panel brings together eight world-class photographers, filmmakers, marine scientists, and ocean advocates from across the Commonwealth and beyond, each bringing a distinct and powerful perspective to the work of evaluating entries.
Meet the Judges
Dr Enric Sala
Dr Enric Sala is a former university professor who saw himself writing the obituary of ocean life, and quit academia in 2008 to become a full-time conservationist as National Geographic Explorer in Residence. He founded and leads Pristine Seas, a global initiative that combines exploration, research, media, economics and policy, working with local communities, Indigenous Peoples and governments to protect vital places in the ocean. To date, Pristine Seas has helped to create 27 of the largest marine reserves on the planet, covering an area of over 6.5 million square km, the size of the Amazon region.
Enric has published over 250 research papers, 3 books, and produced 30 documentary films. He has received numerous awards including the 2008 World Economic Forum's Young Global Leader, 2013 Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Award, 2018 Heinz Award in Public Policy, 2021 Emmy Award for Nature Documentary, National Geographic Hubbard Medal, and Albert I Grand Medal. He is an Officer of the Order of San Carlos of Colombia and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Aishwarya Sridhar
Aishwarya Sridhar is a National Geographic Explorer and the co-founder and CEO of Bambee Studios, a full-service production company in India specialising in natural history and environmental documentaries for global broadcast. From filming big cats across India to going undercover in the wildlife markets of Bangkok, she has worked on diverse stories. A Canon EOS Maestro and an Associate Fellow at the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP), Aishwarya has contributed photos to several renowned publications including National Geographic magazine, BBC Wildlife, the Guardian, Mongabay, Digital Camera, Times of India, and Sanctuary Asia.
In 2020, she became the first Indian woman to win at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards in London. As a filmmaker and director, her productions have been broadcast on National Geographic WILD, National Geographic Channel, Prime Video, Sky TV, Apple TV, Discovery Plus, Animal Planet, Arte, KBS, NHK, and Love Nature. Her work has received global recognition including the Princess Diana Award for young changemakers, and she was named one of the 50 Explorers changing the world by the Explorer's Club, NYC. Her latest directorial The Fading Star has earned her a Wildscreen Panda Awards nomination for the 2025 Emerging Talent Award.
Lewis Pugh
Lewis Pugh is an endurance swimmer and ocean advocate. For nearly forty years, he has pioneered swims in some of the most fragile and threatened environments, from the North Pole to Antarctica, and from the Himalayas to the great rivers of the world. Each swim is undertaken to draw attention to places that are changing rapidly, and to help secure their future.
To support this work, he founded the Lewis Pugh Foundation to turn awareness into lasting protection. The Foundation works with governments, scientists and local communities, and has helped protect more than 3.5 million km² of vulnerable ocean. In 2009, Lewis was awarded South Africa's highest honour, the Order of Ikhamanga (Gold Class), and in 2013 he was appointed UNEP Patron of the Oceans. Lewis grew up in the United Kingdom, Malta, and South Africa, all Commonwealth nations, and has long believed in the power of young people to lead change.
Marcus Bleasdale CMG
Marcus Bleasdale CMG has been a contributing photographer for National Geographic Magazine for over 20 years, using his work to influence policymakers and decision-makers worldwide. His work documenting human rights and conflict has been exhibited in the US Senate, the US House of Representatives, the United Nations, the UK Houses of Parliament, and the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Marcus is also a long-standing human rights activist and has partnered with Human Rights Watch for more than 20 years, documenting human rights abuses in conflict zones.
Marcus is also an impact and sustainability professional and the Managing Director of Wilstar Impact Investing AS, which invests in solving climate challenges and building innovative solutions needed to create a more sustainable and equitable world. In recognition of his contributions, he was appointed to the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) by King Charles III in the 2023 Birthday Honours.
Marcus serves as Guest Faculty at the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School, teaching on the Impact Measurement and Management Programme. He has also served on the Advisory Board of the multi-generational leadership programme at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). He is the author of three books: One Hundred Years of Darkness (2002), The Rape of a Nation (2009), and The Unravelling (2015). Marcus holds a Bachelor's degree in Business and Finance and a master's degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge.
Johnny Miller
Johnny Miller is a photographer, filmmaker, artist and drone journalist based in South Africa and the USA. His work moves between photography, urbanism, inequality, health and the built environment, using visual tools from aerial photography to satellite data to AI-built platforms to make large structural forces legible. His work has been published and exhibited internationally, including in National Geographic and on the cover of Time, at Photo Art Basel, museums, and numerous solo shows.
Johnny is a Senior Fellow at Code for Africa, an Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity at the London School of Economics, a BMW Responsible Leader, and a UN-Habitat Champion. He is also the co-founder of africanDRONE, a pan-African initiative focused on using drones for public-interest storytelling, mapping, and analysis, and the director of Millefoto, his wider studio for photography, film, and visual storytelling.
Lara Jackson
Lara Jackson is a conservation biologist, award-winning wildlife photographer, Nikon Creator, and Ambassador for Save The Rhino. Her work has taken her around the world and she has conducted numerous cutting-edge research projects with several critically endangered species.
Combining her scientific background with her love for photography and storytelling, Lara's work has received international recognition in competitions including Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Vincent Kneefel
Vincent Kneefel is an award-winning underwater photographer with over twenty years of experience documenting the ocean's most iconic megafauna. Through The Ocean Story (www.theoceanstory.com), his UN Ocean Decade-endorsed photography and storytelling project, he uses imagery to connect audiences with marine life and drive conservation impact. His work sits at the intersection of ocean storytelling, science, and technology. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Vital Ocean, a marine tech company building AI-powered ocean intelligence.
Ibiso Ikiroma-Owiye
Ibiso Ikiroma-Owiye is the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Ocean Youth Working Group, a sustainability consultant, and member of the Professional African Technical Network and Advisory (PATNA) Initiative. With over 8 years of experience in social impact and environmental protection, she has been recognised for her work in the climate space as a 2022 UNDP Climate Competition winner and 2022 Top 20 Young Women in Sustainable Development.
Ibiso holds a BSc in Fisheries from the University of Port Harcourt and has received certifications from the University of Copenhagen, University of Cambridge, and Lagos Business School, among others. Her work encompasses marine research, climate action, renewable energy, community development, monitoring and evaluation, youth development, leadership and emotional intelligence training, and nonprofit management.
As a marine researcher and mangrove conservationist, Ibiso has mobilised youths in planting over 10,000 mangrove seedlings in the deforested coastal communities of Niger Delta Nigeria. Her work also involves telling the stories of degrading coastal communities affected by oil spills, while actively engaging communities on climate awareness and action.
The Commonwealth Youth Photography Competition 2026: Waves of Change is free to enter and open to all Commonwealth nationals and residents aged 18 to 30.
Entries close on 22 June 2026.
Enter at www.royalcwsociety.org/environment/cypc.
The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) is a network of individuals and organisations committed to improving the lives and prospects of Commonwealth citizens across the world. Through youth empowerment, education, and high-level advocacy, the Society champions education, equality and the environment across the Commonwealth’s 56 member nations.
Our unique position within the Commonwealth family allows us to play a pivotal role in convening and connecting the Commonwealth’s political and diplomatic representatives, civil society, business and youth leaders, on a wide range of issues, as well as to deliver highlights of the Commonwealth calendar such as the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey and the High Commissioners’ Banquet at Guildhall or Mansion House.
Founded in 1868, the Society is privileged to have His Majesty The King as Patron and Her Majesty The Queen as Vice-Patron.
The Society is non-partisan, independent of governments and relies on public generosity to achieve its mission. More information at: www.royalcwsociety.org and our social media handle (X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) is @RoyalCWSociety, and for LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/royal-commonwealth-society
About The Commonwealth Secretariat
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal sovereign states, with a combined population of 2.7 billion people, of whom more than 60 per cent are aged 30 or under. Spanning the globe, the Commonwealth includes both advanced economies and developing countries, with 33 member states classified as small states, many of which are island nations.
The Commonwealth Secretariat supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthen governance, and promote justice and human rights. Its work helps to grow economies and boost trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people, and address threats such as climate change, debt, and inequality. Member countries are further supported by a network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society, cultural, and professional organisations.
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About The City of London Corporation Youth Natural Environment Board
The City of London Youth Natural Environment Board, CityYNEB, is a youth-led environmental governance initiative bringing together students from across the City of London family of schools. Established to ensure that young people have a meaningful voice in shaping environmental policy, sustainability education and climate action, CityYNEB provides a platform for students to move beyond awareness-raising and take part in real-world advocacy, collaboration and systems change.
Through projects such as Waves of Change, CityYNEB supports young people to develop the knowledge, confidence and green skills needed to contribute to a more sustainable future. The Board works in partnership with schools, civic institutions and environmental organisations to connect youth leadership with practical action, policy engagement and community impact. Its work reflects a commitment to intergenerational responsibility, environmental stewardship and empowering young people as active participants in decision-making about the natural world.