‘Sunny Snaps’: A photography competition from the Daily Herald newspaper

With the introduction of roll film, smaller and cheaper cameras, and services to develop your photos in the 20th century, photography moved away from being the preserve of professionals and people with money; more and more people started to document their everyday experiences.

Contestants were encouraged to ‘take the jolliest, happiest and brightest pictures’ and focus on capturing the holiday spirit rather than technical skill. Contestants were warned ‘do not be dull. Do not pose your father in the garden and tell him to look happy.’

Cash prizes were awarded at the end of the competition each year for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place; 1st prize rose from £100 in 1930 to £2,500 in 1935! Smaller prizes were given for photos printed in the newspaper each week; cameras were given as consolation prizes in the early days.

‘Let your “Sunny snapshots” tell a little story if possible. Let them represent a funny or striking incident of your holiday.’ Mr Whitbread from Sussex entered this snap of old world Dunster in Somerset and won £2 2 shillings.

A committee of experts was called upon to judge the snaps. They included the managing director of Kodak, president of the Royal Photographic Society, director of Ilford, editor of the magazine Amateur Photographer and the Herald’s art editor Leonard Spooner, among others.

‘The standard of photographs submitted was exceptionally high and proved conclusively that amateur photographers have never been more enthusiastic and competent. When the time came to make the final selection, the judges spent many hours before arriving at their decision.’

This snap won the first prize of £500 in 1932. It was taken by Mr Vizard from Essex and shows his three children in the evening light. Mr Vizard worked as a cashier at a London bank and took up photography as a hobby.

‘Musical Snaps’ was later shown at the Trocadero cinema, Elephant & Castle, by popular broadcast organist Quentin Mclean. The Metropole and Trocadero were designed by notable cinema architect George Coles and opened in 1929 and 1930 respectively. They have since been demolished.

Mr Done snapped this picture of a friend giving his children a piggyback. ‘He is to be congratulated both on seeing and seizing the opportunity of a snapshot which is an incomparable record of the spirit of happiness.’ The true holiday spirit. 

Judges: ‘The competition has been a nation-wide triumph. It has proved conclusively that the British public is picture-minded and that the camera, progressing in popularity by leaps and bounds, has become firmly established as the artistic medium of the people.’