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Te Whakataetae Kaiwhakaahua Rangatahi

Young Photographers Competition

Congratulations Callum, Ari and Kaesha!

In our Young Photographers Competition, tamariki and rangatahi aged 8-18 from across the Wellington region were asked to take a photo that represents the theme ‘Ako Kori Hanga, Learn Play Create’.

They could interpret the theme in any way they chose, choosing to focus on one, two or all three aspects of the theme.

From hundreds of amazing entries, our judging panel had a difficult job choosing just one winner from each age category.

Age 14-18 winner
Callum (age 16) with his photo ‘Tears of the Weaver’

Judges’ comment
“We like to imagine the photographer was on a walk through the back yard or through the bush exploring, stumbled upon this amazing display of physics working at its finest with water tension and the artistry of the overlapping webbing.  

They’ve then taken time and care to stop, admire, line up the lighting, and focus on it perfectly to show the beauty of something that most others wouldn’t even second glance at” 

Age 11-13 winner
Ari (age 12) with his photo ‘Underwater Imagination’

Judges’ comment
“We love the symbolisation of the competition theme ‘Ako Kori Hanga, Learn Play Create’ through a ball, a book and a paintbrush energetically suspended in water. This photographer wasn’t afraid to take risks and make a mess. In doing so they have captured a unique and impactful winning photo.”

Age 8-10 winner
Kaesha (age 9) with her photo ‘The fairy’s afternoon’

Judges’ comment
“This photo beautifully demonstrates imagination, creativity and play. A small scene has been made from green plants and leaves on top of concrete and metal. At its centre is a delightful pop of colour: a doll wearing a pink jacket and a smile, and a tiny daisy is tied around its hair. This scene perfectly encapsulates ‘Play’ illustrating how ordinary objects can transform into a world of their own through imagination.’

Thanks to all tamariki, rangatahi and whānau that got involved in our competition, we loved seeing all the creative entries.

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Photographers aged 8-18 from across the Wellington region are invited to take part in the Nōku te Ao Capital E Young Photographers Competition.

EXTENDED DEADLINE: Entries close at 11.59pm, Wednesday 17 December 2025.

The theme:

Ako Kori Hanga,
Learn Play Create

Your challenge is to capture one, two, or all three of these ideas in a single image. We want to see how you’ll bring this theme to life in your own unique way.

Win an EPIC prize pack!

Each Category Winner will win a prize pack including:

A Canon EOS R50 Mirrorless camera with 18-45mm Lens ($1,469)
A Canon backpack
A Lexar 64GB SD Card
A $100 Rubber Monkey gift card
Wellington Museum Retail Experience
Artist fees for the use of your photo

Wellington Museum Retail Experience

Each winner will meet with the Wheako Pōneke Experience Wellington Retail and Design team to transform their winning photo into a retail product that will be produced and sold in the Wellington Museum shop, learning how a creative passion can make a viable career. Winners will be required to travel to Wellington CBD for this experience.

Canon EOS R50 Mirrorless Camera with 18-45mm Lens

$100 Rubber Monkey Gift Card

Wellington Museum Retail Experience

Who can enter?

You can enter if you’re aged 8 to 18 and live in the Greater Wellington region (includes Wellington City, Hutt City (Lower Hutt), Upper Hutt City, Porirua City, Kāpiti Coast District, South Wairarapa District, Carterton District, and Masterton District).

You must be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.

Categories
Photos will be judged in three age categories:

8–10 years
11–13 years
14–18 years

Terms and Conditions

There are a few rules you need to understand before entering, such as:

What device can I take my photo on?

You can take your photo on any device! That includes a DSLR camera, point-and-shoot camera, GoPro, or even a smartphone!

Do I need permission from my photo models?

Yes! If we can clearly see someone’s face in your photo, you need to make sure they are okay with the photo being submitted. And if you win, we will confirm evidence of your model/s informed consent/s with you/your model/s

AI Generated images

AI Generated images are not allowed.

Right to withdraw

If you change your mind and want to withdraw your entry for any reason, make sure you know how to get in touch with us.

There are also important rules about technical specifications for your photo, guardian permissions, and more.

Make sure you read the full Terms and Conditions before entering.

Ready to submit your photo?

If you’re aged 8-15, you’ll need to have a guardian nearby to fill in part of the form.

Thanks Rubber Monkey!

None of this would be possible without the incredible support of Rubber Monkey. Their generosity has taken our Photography Competition from cool to INCREDIBLE, with amazing prizes donated for each of our winners. We can’t wait to see how these prizes will kick-start a lifetime journey in photography for our winners.

From Nōku te Ao Capital E and every Young Photographer taking part: thank you!