Cowes sailor and photographer Clive Blount is once again making waves on the national maritime photography scene after 3 of his images were shortlisted in the National Historic Ships UK annual photography competition.
The Isle of Wight photographer is among those in contention in the 2026 competition, which attracts hundreds of entries from across the UK and beyond each year.
It comes after Clive previously enjoyed national recognition when 3 photographs he captured in Cowes during the Richard Mille Cup were selected for the National Historic Ships Photography Exhibition at the Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent.
Those photographs captured the classic sailing yachts competing in the prestigious regatta as they passed through the Solent.
The annual National Historic Ships UK competition celebrates maritime photography, with winning and judges’ favourite images potentially going on to feature in its calendar and accompanying exhibition at the Historic Dockyard Chatham.
This year’s competition has a number of awards up for grabs, with the overall National Historic Ships UK Photographer of the Year 2026 set to receive a £500 cash prize, a copy of The Chart Book by John Blake and a specially commissioned trophy.
The competition’s theme for 2026 is ‘Time’, marking the 20th anniversary of National Historic Ships UK. The winner of that category will also receive £500 and a trophy.
Other categories include the Classic Boat Award, People’s Choice Award, Newcomer of the Year and Faces of the Sea.
The overall Photographer of the Year will be selected by judges from the winners of the other 5 categories.
Clive’s latest success continues his growing profile in maritime photography and once again puts a Cowes photographer in the national spotlight.
His previous selection also highlighted the Isle of Wight’s connection with classic sailing, with Cowes and the Solent providing the setting for his photographs of some of the world’s most striking historic yachts.
Winners of the 2026 Photography Competition are due to be announced in November as part of National Historic Ships UK’s annual Awards film.
Winning photographs and a selection of the best entries may also feature in the organisation’s 2027 calendar and Photography Exhibition at the Historic Dockyard Chatham.
More information about the competition can be found at www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/photocomp.
