Winner
Taliesin Coombes - Severn Bridge
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ICE Wales Cymru is pleased to announce that the 2026 Photo Competition is now open for entries.
Can you capture the engineering that shapes Wales?
The ICE Wales Cymru Photo Competition 2026 is now open, inviting photographers of all abilities to showcase the vital role civil engineering plays in our everyday lives.
Whether you're a keen amateur, a professional photographer or simply enjoy exploring Wales with a camera, we want to see your best images celebrating the people, projects and places that define our built environment.
The competition is free to enter and is open to anyone living or working in Wales.
Theme: civil engineering
Where engineering meets creativity. Capture an image that reflects the innovation, resilience and ambition behind the projects and infrastructure that shape Wales and show us civil engineering from your unique perspective.
Prizes
Prizes will be awarded in each category:
- Winner: £250
- Runner-up: £50
Winning photographs may also be featured across the ICE website, social media channels and promotional materials, showcasing the outstanding civil engineering achievements found throughout Wales.
Terms and conditions
- By entering the competition, you confirm that you own the copyright to your photograph(s) and have permission from any identifiable individuals featured, where required.
- By submitting your entry, you grant ICE Wales Cymru a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use your photographs in connection with the competition and for future promotional, marketing and publicity purposes. This includes use across the ICE Wales Cymru website, social media channels, printed publications, presentations, exhibitions and other advertising or promotional materials.
- ICE Wales Cymru reserves the right to reproduce, resize or crop images for publication while preserving the integrity of the original photograph.
- Please read the full competition terms and conditions before entering.
We look forward to seeing your photographs and celebrating the civil engineering that is shaping Wales.
2025 photo competition results
A record number of votes raised awareness of the industry as competition promotes the celebration of civil engineering in Wales.
The ICE Wales Cymru annual photo competition has grown again this year.
The competition challenges photographers across the nation to find and showcase Welsh civil engineering projects through the lens of a camera.
The result is a stunning showcase of civil engineering photographs from across the length and breadth of Wales.
A huge thank you to everyone who submitted an entry.
Infrastructure category
The photo competition offers a unique opportunity to capture and celebrate the very best of infrastructure across Wales. Open to both members and non-members, all submitted photographs must feature infrastructure located within Wales.
We are grateful to Arup, AECOM and Mott MacDonald for sponsoring this prize.
Winner
Taliesin Coombes - Severn Bridge
Congratulations to Taliesin Coombes who won the infrastructure category of our ICE Wales Cymru Photo Competition. We are mightily impressed by his dramatic photo of the iconic Severn Bridge.
For many, the Severn Bridge has represented the gateway to Wales since 1961 — and the comforting knowledge that they are nearly home. Few pieces of civil infrastructure evoke such strong emotion for so many people. This image was captured late at night as the tide was coming in and the moon had just set.
Runner up
John Mather – Fishing Pier, Old Colwyn
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John Mather – Fishing Pier, Old Colwyn
Our second prize was won by John Mather for his photo of Old Colwyn.
This pier provides access to the sea, adding social and recreational value to the recently installed coastal defence works at Old Colwyn.
3rd prize
Rachel Lily - Pontsticill Reservoir
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Rachel Lily - Pontsticill Reservoir
Our third prize was won by Rachel Lily for her photo of the Pontsticill Reservoir.
Caption: I couldn’t resist peering down the giant plug hole — there’s something mesmerising about the power and symmetry of it all.
Sustainability category
The photo competition offers a unique opportunity to capture and celebrate the very best of sustainability across Wales. Open to both members and non-members, all submitted photographs must feature sustainability located within Wales.
We are grateful to Arup, AECOM and Mott MacDonald for sponsoring this prize.
Winner
Shannon Lee – Pillar of progress
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Shannon Lee – Pillar of progress
Congratulations to Shannon Lee who won the sustainability category of our ICE Wales Cymru Photo Competition. Her photo is titled “Pillar of progress”.
A wind turbine rises above the Rhondda Valley, symbolising the ambition for a sustainable future. While sustainability should be celebrated as a driving force towards resilience, it is not always given the prominence it deserves. Too often, its value is underestimated or overlooked. This image serves as a reminder that, with the right perspective, there is both purpose and beauty in building a more sustainable future.
Railway category
The photo competition offers a unique opportunity to capture and celebrate the very best of railway across Wales. Open to both members and non-members, all submitted photographs must feature railway located within Wales.
We are grateful to Transport for Wales for sponsoring this prize.
Winner
Lauren Morgan – Conwy Castle
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Lauren Morgan – Conwy Castle
Congratulations to Lauren Morgan who won the Timeless Travel category of our ICE Wales Cymru Photo Competition!
Conwy Castle is a place where modern rail runs through medieval history. There are few places in the world that can boast infrastructure quite like this.
Our 2025 competition sponsors
With thanks to our sponsors of this years competition and to Mark Lewis Photography for his expertise and support. Find out more about becoming a competition sponsor.
AECOM
AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges.
Arup
Arup is a world class firm of designers, planners, engineers, architects, consultants and technical specialists.
Mott MacDonald
We’re a global engineering, management and development consultancy focused on guiding our clients through many of the planet’s most intricate challenges.
Transport for Wales
We're driving forward the Welsh Government’s vision of a high-quality, safe, integrated, affordable, and accessible transport network that the people of Wales are proud of.
Could you be our next sponsor?
Do you want to help make this competition possible? Get in touch with the team today if you would like to join us as a sponsor.