Cavendish Photography Competition 2026

From the vastness of the universe to the smallest building blocks of matter, physics operates across an extraordinary range of scales. At the Cavendish Laboratory, our research spans this full spectrum – from probing the origins and structure of the cosmos to uncovering the behaviour of atoms, materials, and quantum systems, and everything in between.

2026 theme: Big and Small

The theme for this year’s competition is Big and Small: exploring the breadth of Physics at the Cavendish.

Physics is defined by connections between ‘big and small.’ Discoveries at the smallest scales can transform our understanding of the largest systems, while insights from the universe can reshape how we think about fundamental particles and forces. Across our disciplines – from astrophysics and cosmology to nanoscience, biological physics, high energy physics and energy materials research – our work reveals a continuous and interconnected picture of the physical world.

This year’s Photography Competition invites you to explore these ideas through your own lens and share what “Big and Small” mean to you. You might capture grandeur of the large-scale phenomena, the beauty of the microscopic world, or the relationship between the micro and the macro.

Entry details and prizes

Entry details 

Entries can take the form of photographs, moving images, or videos. Each submission must be accompanied by a title and a brief description or story that conveys its relevance to this year’s theme. The emphasis is on thematic relevance, uniqueness, visual appeal and artistry.

Winning entries will be showcased throughout the year across the Department and University’s channels, including websites, newsletters, digital screens, and social media. They may also receive media coverage.

Additionally, Winning and commended entries will also be showcased in print as part of exhibitions and physical displays.

We therefore encourage the submission of photographs of sufficient quality for printing at A0 size (300 DPI) and moving images of a quality suitable for display on large LED screens. However, if your entry is only available as a web-quality image, you are still welcome to submit it but please make this clear at the time of submission and note that it might not be selected as exhibition material.

All participants will be duly credited for their contributions.

Prizes

• The competition is open to all Department staff (including professional staff), researchers and students. Below are the details of the prizes:
  • Head of Department prize of £300 Amazon Voucher
  • 1st prize – One winner will get £100 Amazon Voucher
  • 2nd prize – One winner will get £50 Amazon Voucher each
  • 3rd prize – One winner will get £25 Amazon Voucher each

Entry rules

1. The entries will be judged on the following criteria: 1) Thematic and/or scientific relevance 2) Uniqueness 3) Visual appeal 4) Artistry.
2. All entries will be judged anonymously.
3. The deadline for submission is 15 July 2026.
4. Photographs must be submitted by email to photo-competition@phy.cam.ac.uk
5. Videos can be sent using a free, large file transfer service such as Dropbox or Wetransfer.
6. In applicable (in case of entries related to current research or any other sensitive material), the entrant must include the following statement in the body of the email: I have checked with my manager/supervisor/DoS __________________ that I have permission to enter the attached photograph(s)/video(s) in the competition and give the Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics the right to publish the photograph(s)/videos(s) on its website and elsewhere.
7. If the photographs/videos include any individuals, then due consent will need to be taken in writing. Please email photo-competition@phy.cam.ac.uk to request a consent form.
8. AI generated images will not be permitted in this year’s  competition. Any use of AI tools to partly edit an image entered in the general category should be disclosed by the participant (i.e. to remove or extend background, to change colour, etc.)
9. The participant must also provide:
   1. A title for their entries
   2. Description of the overall story as well as description for each individual photograph/moving image/video (if more than one is being submitted), noting whether the photograph is a composite of several images or has been enhanced in any way.
   3. Any due acknowledgements.
10. More guidelines on the entries:
    1. Ideally, photographs should be of good print quality (ideally printable in A0 size 300 DPI), but if it is available only as a web quality image then please still enter.
    2. There is no limit to the number of entries.
11.  Please note that reconstructing images/ moving images from data will also be eligible for the photography competition.
12. The photography competition will be judged by a panel of physicists and professional staff from the Department and across the University. The competition is open between 20 April 2026 and 15 July 2026. The winners will be announced in September 2026.
13. Each entry may be submitted individually or as a group of up to two people.