Illuminated River Sponsors New Video Category in Thames Lens 2026
This year's competition recognises the growing power of story telling through video
Illuminated River is sponsoring a brand-new video category in the Thames Festival Trust’s Thames Lens 2026 photography competition.
Now in its 20th year, Thames Lens invites photographers of all levels to capture the River Thames in creative and inspiring ways.
Recognising the growing power of video as a storytelling medium, this new category opens up fresh opportunities for participants to explore the river through motion. Whether you're a seasoned filmmaker or just starting out, this is your chance to bring the Thames to life on screen.
Illuminated River will sponsor two prizes in the video category:
- One for third-year photography students at Ravensbourne University London
- One open to the general public
Entrants are encouraged to film the Thames’ iconic bridges using any device - from smartphones to professional cameras.
In addition to the new video category with the Illuminated River Foundation, the competition has five categories for photographers to respond to: ‘River City’, ‘River of Life’, ‘River People’, ‘Working River’ and Photojournalism.
Thames Lens 2026 is now open for submissions. Find full details of how to enter and submission guidelines here:
The competition closes to entries on Friday 9 January 2026 and the winning entries will be showcased during the Totally Thames festival in September 2026.
Thames Lens is supported by the Port of London Authority.