Winners of the ‘Capture Kirkstall’ 2026 Photography Competition
The annual ‘Capture Kirkstall’ showcases the area and its people as seen through the eyes of the public. Winners were selected from three categories by photography experts Hannah Platt, Jonathan Turner, Rosie Dutton and Stephen Cole. Click on the links below to jump directly to each gallery.
Exhibition and online gallery
Visit Butlers at Kirkstall Forge to see the winners’ exhibition and will run from Monday, 20 July until Friday, 14 August 2026.
Butlers is open between 7.30 am and 4.00 pm on Monday to Friday.
The ‘Capture Kirkstall’ exhibiton will be on show during the Art Trail at Kirkstall Leisure Centre, Venue 21.
You can also find an online gallery showcasing a selection of the photographs entered into this year’s competition. (Launching on 17 July 2026).
Wild Kirkstall
Winner
Greg Dawson
‘Cygnet’ – Broad Lane Canal Bridge (Bridge 222)
“Captured only a day or so after they left their nest on the Leeds Liverpool Canal, the group of nine cygnets came close to the edge of the canal side guarded by their parents. Swans seem to thrive on the nearby stretch of the canal; each year my friends and neighbors watch adult swans raise their young, often six to seven cygnets reaching adulthood.”
Runner-up
Robin Stones
‘Untitled’ – 61 Kirkstall Lane
“When we talk about British wildlife, we often leave out the humble city seagull and street pigeon from the picture. Often compared to rats, these highly adaptive birds are one of our closest cross-species companions in Leeds. To notice them, I find, is to acknowledge large communities of individuals making the best of a situation which we are responsible for. I think we owe these birds a huge apology. Captured using Fujifilm FinePix 4900 Zoom.”
Runner-up
Danielle Burgess
‘Eyes on the prize’ – River Aire down from the Abbey
“An evening walk along the river sees a regal, stealthy heron waiting patiently in silence for a last meal of the day before roosting. The evening light is just enough to make its feathers glow during the golden hour as he stands in the shady safety of the overhanging trees and shrubbery.”
Unexpected Kirkstall
Winner
Harry Poyzer-Callaghan
‘Kirkstall by Moonlight’ – Queenswood
“A tree backlit by a full moon on a wintery night”
Runner-up
Robin Stones
‘Warm/Worn to the Touch’ – St. Stephen’s Church
“When encountering an old brass doorknob, it is hard for me to resist reaching out and touching it – to feel its smoothness, to notice its fine polish, and to imagine how many hands have moulded to its shape. For me, magnifying this detail through my lens allows this silent object to speak, communicating the everyday collective actions of a community often unseen. Captured using Fujifilm FinePix 4900 Zoom.”
Runner-up
Christine Firn
‘Burley Park Bandstand’ – Burley Park
“This photograph was taken a few years ago during an early evening walk through Burley Park. I liked the shadows from the bandstand that mirror the shapes of the trees surrounding it.”
People of Kirkstall
Winner
Jill Setterington
‘Eve, Volunteer at Cafe 21’ – Hollybush
“I met Eve when I visited Café 21 at Hollybush Conservation Centre, where she is a volunteer. The café is run for and by people with Down’s syndrome to offer training and work experience.”
Runner-up
Danielle Burgess
‘Walk with me’ – Kirkstall Road opposite the Vue complex
“I really enjoy street photography and enjoy capturing everyday moments in the streets of Leeds. I took this photo on the high street opposite the Vue complex after a downpour, the puddles on the ground reflected busy life passing by as this mother and her child negotiate them while walking and shop for everyday items in the local stores they know and love.”
Runner-up
Kellyann Martin
‘A Saunter Down the River Aire’ – Kirkstall Abbey Park
“Keen kayakers take in the lush surroundings as they paddle past Kirkstall Abbey, a leisurely saunter down the River Aire.”
Access Guide
Butlers, Forge Number One, Great Exhibition Way, Kirkstall, Leeds LS5 3BF
By bus
5 minutes by bus
- Take the bus outside Kirkstall Abbey park on Abbey Road.
- Alight at the ‘New Rd Side Hawksworth Road’ bus stop.
6 minutes walk
- Start from Abbey Road.
- Turn right onto Butlers Wharf.
- Turn right onto Great Exhibition Way.
Walking or cycling
If you choose to walk it is approximately 30 minutes from Kirkstall Abbey. It will take approximately 10 minutes if you cycle.
- Walk/cycle along Abbey Road towards Horsforth.
- Turn right onto Butlers Wharf.
- Turn right onto Great Exhibition Way.
By car
If you are not able to walk that far, there are plenty of parking spaces next to the building, including disabled parking bays.
Venue type
Business – café/bar
Entrance
- Butlers is on the ground floor of Number One, Kirkstall Forge.
- There are rotating doors at the entrance.
- There are also side doors that are wide enough for a wheelchair.
Interior
- The venue is step-free.
Both assistance dogs and pets dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead.
The facilities include:
- Separate male and female toilets.
- Gender inclusive accessible toilet.
- Baby changing.
- Hot and cold drinks.
- Hot and cold food.
<< Go to the 2026 Venue Directory
Go to the 2026 Artist Directory >>