While some Swanage Carnival events were blown off course by the weather, the announcement of the winners of the carnival’s photomarathon went ahead undeterred by the high winds.
With the whole of the huge Sandpit Field marquee available for the award ceremony on Wednesday 3rd August 2023 due to the postponement of other events, medals were presented for producing the best photos in just 48 hours.

Some of the winners. Left to right: Joanne Winter, Heidi on behalf of Eloise Woodward, Graeme Neale, Amber on behalf of Hayley Woodward, Jessica F and Jo Fowler
Photo challenge over 48 hours
For the Swanage Carnival photomarathon, sponsored by Swanage.News, there were 105 high quality images submitted, making the job of choosing the winners an extremely difficult task for the judges.
The challenge was to take photos in Swanage over a 48 hour period on a variety of set topics and then submit the best pictures with a limit of one photo per category.
Registration was between 10 am and 12 noon on Saturday 29th July 2023, with the competition starting on the same day at 12 noon, with a deadline for the return of the entries by 12 noon on Monday 31st July 2023.

Photo entries displayed at the entrance to the Carnival Arms bar in the marquee on Sandpit Field
“Lovely to see the creativity”
Organiser of the photomarathon and carnival team member, Nadine Hudson-Featherstone said:
“This year it was made even more difficult with the weather but that’s part of the challenge. I hope everyone enjoyed taking part as much as we enjoyed running the event.
“It was lovely to see the creativity of everyone who entered and the photos were of an extremely high standard. Hopefully everyone will be back again next year to enter the competition and bring the sunshine with them!”
Winners of each category
- Red – Jo Fowler
- Under the Sea – Graeme Neale
- Together – Johnny Powell
- Unusual – Joanne Winter
- Vision – Elizabeth Guichard
- Journey – Roydon Woodford
- Strength – Roydon Woodford
- Joy – Eloise Woodward
- Highly Commended – Hayley Woodward
- Highly Commended – Jessica F
All the photographs are now displayed for everyone to view in the entrance to the Carnival Arms bar in the marquee on Sandpit Field.
Winners gallery

Red by Jo Fowler

Under the Sea by Graeme Neale

Together by Johnny Powell

Unusual by Joanne Winter

Vision by Elizabeth Guichard

Journey by Roydon Woodford

Strength by Roydon Woodford

Joy by Eloise Woodward

Highly Commended photo by Hayley Woodward. Picked by Nadine partly because it’s a rare photo of her mother!

Highly Commended photo by Jessica F