RAF Photographic Competition 2023 | Royal Air Force

RAF Photographic Competition 2023

16 Nov 2023

Winners from the Royal Air Force Photographic Competition have been announced!

This year's competition was fierce, with nearly 1700 images submitted by our talented photographers. Scroll below to see the winning photos and a selection of runners up.

Personnel

RAF Falcon parachutist landing in style — 1st Place - 'The Shot' - Sgt Matthews

RAF Personnel celebrating after the completion of field exercises — 'Completed' - Mr Wheeler

Chinook hovering over snowy ground, landing an underslung load, with 2 RAF personnel running to unclip it. — 'Uber Lifts' - AS1 Murray

Mallet Student Trophy

Weathered Remembrance poppy crosses wedged at angles into a marble memorial — 1st Place - 'Remembrance Memorial' - AS1 Callaway

Inside the A400M cockpit, focus on the sleeve badge of pilot stating 1000 Flight Hours — 'Dedication' - AS1 Austin

3 RAF Armourers working on equipment in a blue lit room — 'Armouring Around' - AS2 Butler

Photographic Sections

RAF Typhoon flying with an upside down Royal Jordanian Forces propeller aircraft flying above — RAF Coningsby 1st Place - 'Better Upside Down - AS1 Edwards

View from inside the cockpit, looking out over a flypast of helicopters in front going over the Mall — RAF Northolt - 'Approaching the Mall'

RAF Personnel on parade, sword salute, looking mournful — RAF Cranwell - 'Tearful Moments' - Mr Wheeler

F-35B silhoetted against a sunset background with 2 people standing at the nose — RAF Marham - 'Lightning Hour' - AS1 Adams

Red Arrows flying with smoke on above the pyramids — RAF Aerobatic Team - 'Colour Me Ancient' - Cpl Knox

People's Choice

Chinook hovering low over a mountain lake with someone standing on the edge of the doorway — 1st Place - 'Action Man' - AS1 Muir

Close up image on a pilot in his helmet looking backwards — 'Eyes on the Horizon' - Cpl Dye

C-17 aircraft on runway at night with backdrop of the Northern Lights — 'Green' - Sgt Matthews

RAf Musician holding his brass instrument, contemplating — 'Pause' - Mr Wheeler

F-35B aircraft flying against a cloudy sky creating a vapor cloud behind it — 'Vapor Cone' - AS1 Adams

RAF Feature

F-35B landing vertically — 1st Place - 'Achillean' - AS1 Adams

RAF Personnel assisting refugees onto the aircraft — 'Happy Goodbyes' - Sgt Oldfield

8 Rad Arrows aircraft splitting off from a central point, creating an impressive smoke trail — 'At the End of a Gun' - Cpl Dye

RAF Sports

RAF runner reaching the finishing line — 1st Place - 'Run and Done' - Miss Waycott

Poolside shot of 1 swimmer reaching the side and the next diving in. — 'Relay' - AS1 Palmer

Mountain biker going round a corner at speed — 'Let it Flow' - AS1 Naughalty

Amateur

Man walking beneath the tails of aircraft, looking tiny in their shadow — 1st Place - My Pylee

A400M aircraft flying against a backdrop of pine trees — Mr Newcombe

RAF Cadets parading outside with drummers in the background — 'Drum Majors' - Mr Marshall

Photographer of the Year

RAF aircraft flying in formation towards the sunset — 1st Place - 'Golden Hour' - AS1 Drewett

Red Arrows flying in formation with Kuwait aircraft over water, casting shadows beneath — 1st Place - 'Be the Light of Your Shadow' - AS1 Drewett

Close up of C-17 aircraft on runway at night, lit up from beneath by red light — 'Seeing Red' - Sgt Holmes

A400M landing on the beach with RAF personnel in foreground kneeling with comms equipment — 'TACATC' - Sgt Matthews

Current RAF Equipment

F-35B ready to take off on aircraft carrier at dusk — 1st Place - 'Let's Go' - AS1 Mayall

Typhoon on runway with the heat trail distorting the background — 'Sunset Phoon' - AS1 Lewis

RAF personnel using virtual reality headset against a blue background of space and aircraft — 'RAF Astra Immersive Innovation' - Miss Ward

View from directly beneath RAF A400M flying against a grey cloudy sky — 'From Below' - AS1 Roberts

Technical Engineering

Close up of a small piece of equipment highlighted in purple light — 1st Place - 'Chemical Oxygen Generator' - Mr Beattie

Engineer at night under the cockpit of an aircraft in the rain — 'Gimme Shelter' - Cpl Dye

RAF cap badge on a back drop of poppies and leaves — 'Cap Badge and Culture' - Mr Beattie

RAF Operations and Exercises

RAF Juno helicopter flying over iconic London landscape — 1st Place - 'Golden Orb' - Forshaw

RAF personnel assisting refugee off the plane, sticking out tongue with the little boy in mother's arms. — 'Unwavering Support' - Sgt Oldfield

F-35B anchored on aircraft carrier in snow — 'Snow and Lightning' - AS1 Adams

RAF pilot walking towards Puma helicopter — 'It's Time To Go' - AS1 Kirwan-Taylor