Photojournalist of the Year 2023

See the winning and commended photos from the 2023 Photojournalist of the Year competition, where students captured the theme "Our Environment - Save our World."

Last updated on 27 August 2026

Our photography competition is back for the third year! This is an opportunity for our students to apply photography skills gleaned from our school’s distinctive programme, Young Photographers. The theme for this competition is “Our Environment - Save our World”.

The sub-themes for each level are:

Primary 2: Special Plants
Primary 3 & 4: City in Nature
Primary 5 & 6: Water

Check out our students’ Best Photo Story and Honourable Mention pieces. A hearty congratulations to all winners!

Best Photo Story

Looking straight up through tall bamboo stalks converging toward a blue sky with green leaves at the tops.

ANDREW LEONG EE HARN, 2 Opal

Bamboos are special plants because they can be used to make many things like fences, baskets, huts, musical instruments, and brooms. Bamboos can also be used as mugs, cups, or for cooking meals. This makes the bamboo plant a very special plant! I used the leading lines technique for the photograph.

Honourable Mention

A green and purple-speckled pitcher plant with an open cup-shaped trap surrounded by narrow green leaves.

ENG WEI XUAN SOREN, 2 Opal

I used the rules of third to take this picture. The pitcher plant is positioned at column two between row two and three and not at the centre of the picture. Using the shadow of the leaves, a darker background makes the pitcher plant stands out, which contrast with the plant’s yellowish green colour. I took this picture in a way that it looks like a pitcher plant is attacking the humans and defending itself and other plants from danger caused by us. Human’s actions such as littering, cutting down many trees, causing pollution are harming the environment. Nature is slowly destroyed and if we do not do something to reduce the pain caused to it, many special plants will also be gone one day. There are many special plants around us, one of them is the pitcher plant. A pitcher plant is special not only by the appearance, it is also a carnivorous plant that eats insects. It hunts by attracting insects with nectar found on the wall of the pitcher. This nectar creates a slippery surface that cause insects to slip and fall into the pitcher that is filled with digestive liquid. I have read that pitcher plants contain chemicals that may be able to treat pain. They might also protect against certain viruses and also reduce blood sugar. If we continue to hurt the environment, there will soon be nothing left for us even gifts from Mother Nature such as special plants. Please help to do your part to save the environment by keeping it clean and healthy.

Best Photo Story

Leafy trees frame blue sky; a curving road at right leads toward distant tall white buildings.

TEO KAI TING, 3 Sapphire

City in nature, each and every individual may have different opinions, be it different angles or different spots.

As one short little girl, this photo shows what I saw as I looked up high at the sky when I was strolling around in nature and apart from the city.

This scene always reminds me of peacefulness and joy. I really enjoyed the fresh air and greenery. It was a quiet walk but I felt safe as I knew a city was just steps away.

I'm grateful that I live in a city in nature, surrounded by trees and greens.

Nature nourishes and nurtures us. We should do our best to protect our environment and mother nature.

Honourable Mention

Aerial view of a large green park with a lake, dense trees, and a city skyline of white buildings in the background.

G. AARYA, 3 Topaz

Did you know that Jurong Lake Gardens was once Jurong River, a famous landmark for early settlers? Three man-made islands were formed when a dam was built on the river. Previously known as Chinese and Japanese Gardens, the Jurong Lake Gardens is now a communal green habitat in the west. It is a great recreational place for families to come together, have a picnic and play all types of sports. I took this photograph from the highest floor of a nearby HDB flat in the heartland city of Jurong, where people from all walks of life can enjoy nature’s beauty. Hope you like the view as much as I did!

A calm urban waterway lined with lush greenery and a walkway, with tall glass skyscrapers under a cloudy sky.

LEIA LAY YI XUAN, 3 Opal

For the project ‘City in the Nature’ I went to Garden by the Bay. I took the photo at Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes because the scenery is nice. The green plants give us oxygen and make our eyes healthier. The methods I use for this photograph are leading line, layering and framing. The leading line can be seen from the edge of the lake connecting to the sky. The layering is from the buildings and plants. Leaves in the foreground from the framing of the photograph.

Best Photo Story

City skyline with tall buildings surrounded by dense green trees, a road below, and a blue sky with scattered clouds.

TEO KAI XIANG, 4 Topaz

I took the photograph using the rule of thirds.

This picture reminds me that Singapore is truly a city in nature.Buildings are everywhere, and so are the greens.

I always have a chance to stroll around in nature, which is not far from home. I love the fresh air, and it makes me relaxed.

I'm thankful to live in a big city which has a great and accessible nature!

Honourable Mention

Dense green treetops in the foreground with a sprawling cityscape of tall white residential towers behind.

VELMURUGAN SAATHVIKA, 4 Topaz

Singapore is a country known for its abundance of natural beauty. It is surrounded by hills, parks, and playgrounds, making it a heaven for nature enthusiasts. Singapore manages to maintain its reputation as a "city in nature." The cityscape is seamlessly integrated with greenery, with buildings surrounded by lush trees and pathways adorned with beautiful flowers and bushes. The fragrance of these flowers transports one to a heavenly realm. This image captured from the Henderson Waves bridge. It shows roads, pathways, various modes of transportation, boats on the sea, and an abundance of trees. I used the rules of third, composition technique.

Aerial view of a tree-lined road beside tall white residential blocks with a city skyline in the background.

ESHER LEONG KEAN SHOEN, 4 Opal

I took this photograph facing the Henderson Waves bridge and I used the rule of thirds technique for this photograph to draw attention to it. In the past, there were no buildings and roads. The government decided to clear some of the trees so that we can build HDB flats for homes to live in and roads to bring us from one place to another, to raise a city in nature.

Best Photo Story

A still pond reflects a white building, framed by dense green trees, ferns, and shrubs under a bright sky.

PHUA SER YEN, 5 Topaz

Water. A beauty of its own. A precious natural resource, that all humans need. When we see water, we think about how it is used in our daily lives. However, have you looked at it in another way, looking at the beauty of it, and not only how useful it is? In the first photo, it shows that water, can be used for many things, and even to beautify the surroundings. Every day, it is there, showing us a different view of ourselves, through the reflections. In the second photo, it shows that it is there, waiting for us to admire its beauty, waiting for the flora and fauna to talk and play with it. Every day, it is there, waiting for the buildings to see its reflection in it, letting water tell it how unique it is. It is also there, always showing us a different view of ourselves, through the reflections. Water not only is calming, something everyone needs in our lives, beautiful, but a motivation too. Water is important and beautiful in many ways, and I hope that we will all learn to precious this important resource, and not waste it, letting it show its beauty and importance in all its ways!

Honourable Mention

Raindrops on a glass panel with grid lines, reflecting a building and a hand holding a phone.

LIEW XIN TUNG DANIELLE, 5 Topaz

Water holds the power to refresh and revitalize.A simple sip of cool water on a hot day quenches our thirst and rejuvenate our bodies.It reminds us of the essential nourishment water provides,sustaining all life on Earth.Water becomes a remainder of vital role it plays in our existence.

A small green seedling sprouting through a hole in a rusty, moss-covered metal manhole cover.

KHUSH PAREEK, 5 Sapphire

I used rule of thirds and contrast in my photos. I have named my photograph as "Water - Nature's best gift for life." The theme is “water source of life.” The picture shows a plant growing on an iron manhole cover. It is an impossible place for a plant to grow and survive. But as there is some water collected in the iron cavity, the plant displays a beautiful wonder of nature. It shows life is possible in such condition because of water. Water is so precious that even a drop of water can make life as I have shown in my photograph. In it, there is a manhole and in the center of it is a drop of water which has grown into a plant. This photo tells us every drop count . With one drop on iron metal iron manhole cover if a plant can grow , what can we done when we conserve water . It can help to create numerous opportunities of life. As an island that lacks natural water resources and land for water storage facilities, Singapore is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world , lets play our part and make Singapore a water abundant country .

Best Photo Story

Outdoor water fountain spraying jets near a modern glass building with a rainbow visible in the mist.

LIM GHIM SUAN, 6 Sapphire

Life is full of ups and downs, sometimes we get wet and drenched but just remember to stay cool. Take heart and a rainbow can shine anywhere most of us least expected.

Honourable Mention

Raindrops on glass with reflections of nearby apartment buildings and a hand holding a phone.

GAIL LIEN ZHAO XIN, 6 Sapphire

This photograph uses several composition techniques as I showcase the theme of Water. The first is symmetry. The two sides of the river are lined with nature and greenery. This creates more visual engagement to the end of the river, where we can see the iconic skyline of Singapore. Second, I incorporate negative space to help the skyline of the city stand out as the main subject. Third, I use the reflection photography technique to further emphasise and duplicate Singapore’s impressive skyline. In Singapore, our city is surrounded by nature and importantly, water, as we can see in this photo. There are residential apartments lining the river, and the business district can also be seen forming the skyline.

Sunset over calm water with orange and yellow sky reflected on the surface, treeline on the horizon.

THAM XUAN YI NATHAN SILVA, 6 Topaz

The shimmering reflections of the sun's rays on the water bring a gentle warmth to the atmosphere, and makes me realise how precious water is for us . How would the rivers and the ocean look like if it was polluted with trash and fishing lines? How could this affect us and marine life? We would not be able to swim in the beach or have beautiful sceneries! Turtles,fish and other marine life would be eating trash. Polluting the ocean would destroy their habitats and ecosystem. The ocean plays a vital role in regulating the Earth's climate by absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) and acting as a carbon sink. Pollution, such as plastic waste and oil spills, interferes with this process and can have long-term consequences for climate change. Furthermore, the warming of the ocean due to climate change affects marine ecosystems and contributes to the bleaching of coral reefs, causing them to lose their beautiful colours and die. We also need clean water for bathing and drinking. If we don’t play our part, not only us but also the next generations will suffer and the earth will become hotter. We can all contribute to keep the oceans and rivers clean.