Abstract black and white image of the earth in the centre of a camera lens.

LSE Government Photography Competition 2023


'Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone'

We are excited to announce our 2023 photography competition. The competition is open to all Department of Government students (undergraduate, Masters and PhD).

The theme for this year’s competition is 'Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' - inspired by our work on Green Impact.

Climate change is increasingly at the top of the political and social agenda as science warns that we are rapidly reaching and breaching tipping points for global heating that pose an existential threat to life on earth as we know it. We’re looking for photographs that capture this moment. What is the scale of problem? What damage has already been done? What are we in danger of losing? What are the possible solutions? What can we do about it?

We have a brilliant global community of students and your photographs can be taken anywhere, wherever you are in the world, and you do not need to be in the photograph. See our FAQ section below for full details on how to submit your work.

We’ll be displaying the winning submissions on the LSE Government Instagram and there are also eco-friendly prizes up for grabs, including sustainable LSE merch and lunch for two at The Shaw Café.

Submissions for the 2023 photography competition are now closed, follow us on Instagram to see this year's winners!

FAQs

Am I eligible to take part?

If you are a current undergraduate, Masters of PhD student in the Department of Government, you are eligible to participate in the photography competition.

How do I submit a photo?

All photos must be submitted as high resolution, print quality digital files (minimum 300 dpi) in either .jpeg or .tiff format. If you have any technical queries, please don't hesitate to contact us on gov.comms@lse.ac.uk with a question.

Email your submission to gov.comms@lse.ac.uk. Please include

  • Your full name
  • Your programme title
  • The location of the photograph (i.e. town, city or country)
  • A short caption to go with the photo (maximum of 50 words please)

If your photograph is too large to attach to an email, please contact gov.comms@lse.ac.uk and we can arrange a digital transfer.

How many entries can I submit?

We will accept one submission per person.

Can I submit an entry on behalf of someone else or that someone else has produced?

Any entries submitted to the competition must be your own original work, and we will not accept submissions on behalf of someone else.

When is the deadline for submission?

The deadline will be Monday 27 February 2023 at 5pm. Unfortunately, we will not accept any submissions after this time. 

Who will pick the winners?

A judging panel drawn from across the department.

Will the submissions be displayed anywhere?

Yes, we will post selected competition entries on our website and social media channels, and also may exhibit physical versions in the department.

For any other questions you may have about the competition, please contact gov.comms@lse.ac.uk

Competition Terms and Conditions

  • The competition commences at 5:00pm on Tuesday 6 December 2022, and ends at 5:00pm on Monday 27 February 2023. LSE accepts no responsibility for any entries that are incomplete, ineligible, corrupted or fail to be submitted by the relevant closing date for any reason. Entries via agents or third parties are invalid.
  • This competition is only open to students who are enrolled as a student within the Department of Government at LSE.
  • Submissions by any other person or on behalf of them will not be accepted.
  • To participate, entrants must send a photo of their interpretation of the theme “You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone” to gov.comms@lse.ac.uk, with a brief caption no longer than 50 words in length.
  • There is no entry fee for this competition.
  • The winners will be the entries that the judges feel best represent the theme. Personal details include names will not be disclosed to the judges – only the works and accompanying caption/information will be made available to the judges.
  • Prizes are non-transferrable and no substitute will be offered.
  • By submitting a piece of work, entrants agree to the use of their name and image of their work in any publicity material. Any personal data relating to the winners and any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party.
  • By submitting images of your work for publication in this competition, you are making a contribution to the LSE website. The LSE website's Terms of use therefore apply. You are advised to familiarise yourself with these before submitting any images as submission implies acceptance of these terms.
  • By contributing an image you agree to grant LSE a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use the image (see Contributing to the website). This requires that you own the copyright to the image and ensures that copyright remains with you as the contributor.