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Art & Design

  • A dead green sea turtle baring a human handprint, revealed by fluorescent powder. Photographer Britta Jaschinski won the Earth Photo 2026 Award for her series documenting the illegal wildlife trade and the forensic experts fighting back. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
    A dead green sea turtle baring a human handprint, revealed by fluorescent powder. Photographer Britta Jaschinski won the Earth Photo 2026 Award for her series documenting the illegal wildlife trade and the forensic experts fighting back. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
  • Ivory is dusted for fingerprints by a forensic expert at Heathrow Airport, London. Jaschinski’s photography project followed activities in mainland Europe and the UK, including new innovations in the field at the Wildlife Crime Lab at the Institute of Zoology, the research division of the Zoological Society of London. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
    Ivory is dusted for fingerprints by a forensic expert at Heathrow Airport, London. Jaschinski’s photography project followed activities in mainland Europe and the UK, including new innovations in the field at the Wildlife Crime Lab at the Institute of Zoology, the research division of the Zoological Society of London. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
  • Two lion’s paws, turned into bottle openers. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
    Two lion’s paws, turned into bottle openers. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
  • A heap of trafficked reptile skins, destined for use as luxury exotic leather before it was intercepted. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
    A heap of trafficked reptile skins, destined for use as luxury exotic leather before it was intercepted. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
  • A lion’s head, stuffed and turned into a trophy, is carried by a member of the Border Force, in charge of immigration and customs in the UK. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
    A lion’s head, stuffed and turned into a trophy, is carried by a member of the Border Force, in charge of immigration and customs in the UK. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
  • A minibar made from an elephant’s foot, confiscated from traffickers. Photo: Britta Jaschinski
    A minibar made from an elephant’s foot, confiscated from traffickers. Photo: Britta Jaschinski

Royal Geographical Society's Summit Photo returns to London with talks on conflict, climate and ethics

Photographers, filmmakers and campaigners will examine the role of visual storytelling in tackling environmental crises, documenting war and inspiring action during the three-day gathering

Hayley Kadrou
Hayley Kadrou

July 16, 2026

The Royal Geographical Society's second Summit Photo begins in London on Friday, with a series of talks and exhibition programmes across three days.

Running until Sunday, the event aims to explore how photography and filmmaking can address global challenges and drive change.

Listed speakers include Greenpeace co-leader Areeba Hamid, American photographer James Balog, New Zealand photojournalist Simon Townsley and Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam.

Talks will tackle subjects such as ethics in photography, capturing pictures in conflict zones and resistance through photography. Many of the discussions, taking place within the Royal Geographical Society building in London, will be live-streamed.

The event comes after the winners of the Earth Photo 2026 competition – also run by the RGS – were announced in early July. The international contest has been running since 2018, celebrating short films and photography focusing on the environment, climate change, and how humans connect with nature.

On July 2, German photojournalist Britta Jaschinski was announced as the overall winner for 2026. Her work documents the illegal wildlife trade and the forensic science being developed to fight it.

The winning and shortlisted Earth Photo images will be on display at the three-day event, and many of the shortlisted pictures will be the subjects of discussion.

Updated: July 16, 2026, 8:46 AM
Photography