#LoveUCL: A decade in pictures
Explore some of the most memorable moments from the last 10 years of the #LoveUCL Instagram photography competition.
Each month since the 2014/2015 academic year, the #LoveUCL Instagram photography competition has invited students to share their perspectives on life at UCL, capturing the beauty, quirks and atmosphere of our London campuses.
From iconic landmarks to hidden corners, spring's cherry blossoms to a snow-blanketed quad, the competition has become a visual time capsule of life at UCL. Many entrants have since graduated and joined UCL’s global alumni community, but their celebrated images remain, timestamping more than a decade of changing seasons, celebrations and everyday moments.
The Four Seasons
Each season paints UCL with its distinctive colour palette. In spring, pink and white cherry blossoms bloom in the Japanese Garden. Summer brings sun-soaked lazy afternoons and catch-ups on the quad. Autumn sees the ivy adorning the Print Room Cafe turn brilliant shades of red and orange. Winter brings a soft layer of frost to the Portico, the white buildings echoing the white sky.
The Four Seasons
Each season paints UCL with its distinctive colour palette. In spring, pink and white cherry blossoms bloom in the Japanese Garden. Summer brings sun-soaked lazy afternoons and catch-ups on the quad. Autumn sees the ivy adorning the Print Room Cafe turn brilliant shades of red and orange. Winter brings a soft layer of frost to the Portico, the white buildings echoing the white sky.
Campus Creatures
The #LoveUCL competition has revealed that UCL is far from a human-only campus. Iconic buildings like Marshgate make the perfect backdrop for students and staff taking snapshots of beloved pets – but local wildlife are also to be found. Foxes steal a quiet moment on the Portico steps; birds perch atop sculptures; even the occasional food-hoarding squirrel can be spotted! These lighthearted snapshots remind us of the wildlife that exists around campus, adding a charming and unexpected dimension to life at UCL.
Image: @tek_kho
Image: @tek_kho
Image: @claragchaput
Image: @claragchaput
Image: @ruby.tavola
Image: @ruby.tavola
Image: @ghalalia_photography
Image: @ghalalia_photography
Campus Creatures
The #LoveUCL competition has revealed that UCL is far from a human-only campus. Iconic buildings like Marshgate make the perfect backdrop for students and staff taking snapshots of beloved pets – but local wildlife are also to be found.
Hidden Views
It is not always our animal friends that take the spotlight, though. Creativity is what really wins the day. Back in 2015, Ankit Bhatt (UCL Population Health Sciences) wowed the judges with an atmospheric shot snapped inside the iconic Bloomsbury Theatre.
Some of the most memorable entries have come from those who look beyond the obvious. Reflections of the Main Library caught in rain puddles, rooftop vistas over Bloomsbury’s skyline and sunlight streaming through a stairwell: these images encourage us to pause and notice the details. The sights you might miss if you are rushing to your next seminar.
In 2018, Saif Masood (UCL Mechanical Engineering) won with his image of the newly opened Student Centre’s soaring atrium, while Runsu Hu (UCL Bartlett School of Architecture) took first place with an incredibly creative shot of the Main Quad from the Portico in 2019–20.
Hidden Views
It’s not always our animal friends that take the spotlight, though. Creativity is what really wins the day. Back in 2015, Ankit Bhatt (UCL Population Health Sciences) wowed the judges with an atmospheric shot snapped inside the iconic Bloomsbury Theatre.
Some of the most memorable entries have come from those who look beyond the obvious. Reflections of the Main Library caught in rain puddles, rooftop vistas over Bloomsbury’s skyline and sunlight streaming through a stairwell: these images encourage us to pause and notice the details. The sights you might miss if you are rushing to your next seminar.
In 2018, Saif Masood (UCL Mechanical Engineering) won with his image of the newly opened Student Centre’s soaring atrium, while Runsu Hu (UCL Bartlett School of Architecture) took first place with an incredibly creative shot of the Main Quad from the Portico in 2019–20.
Image: @asteria.ssu
Image: @asteria.ssu
Image: @thesaify
Image: @thesaify
Image: @jfm.apri
Image: @jfm.apri
Image: @photos.by.ptt
Image: @photos.by.ptt
Image: @pineleeapple
Image: @pineleeapple
Then and Now
Paired photographs tell the story of a decade’s change. The Portico lit for graduation in 2015, and again in 2024, with the same steps but new faces. The Student Centre’s opening in 2019, contrasted with its current bustling atrium.
Recent winners have documented this evolving story. Yunfei Gao (The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources) won picture of the year with a dramatic long exposure of the Portico at night in 2021.
Image: @meteor_gao
Image: @meteor_gao
In 2022, Faaiz Gilani (UCL Development Planning Unit MSc) won with a picture of a clear blue sky over the same structure.
Image: @ferra_nova
Image: @ferra_nova
In 2023–24, Weixiang Bao (UCL Earth Sciences) wowed voters with magical winter star trails far above the Wilkins Building.
Image: @weixiang_bao
Image: @weixiang_bao
There is an everyday magic to life at UCL. As this decade of images shows, there is always another angle, another story, another moment worth capturing.
Then and Now
Paired photographs tell the story of a decade’s change. The Portico lit for graduation in 2015, and again in 2024, with the same steps but new faces. The Student Centre’s opening in 2019, contrasted with its current bustling atrium.
Recent winners have documented this evolving story. Yunfei Gao (The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources) won picture of the year with a dramatic long exposure of the Portico at night in 2021.
In 2022, Faaiz Gilani (UCL Development Planning Unit MSc) won with a picture of a clear blue sky over the same structure.
In 2023–24, Weixiang Bao (UCL Earth Sciences) wowed voters with magical winter star trails far above the Wilkins Building.
Image: @meteor_gao
Image: @meteor_gao
Image: @ferra_nova
Image: @ferra_nova
Image: @weixiang_bao
Image: @weixiang_bao
There is an everyday magic to life at UCL. As this decade of images shows, there is always another angle, another story, another moment worth capturing.
A decade of winning moments
Relive the standout images that defined each year of the #LoveUCL photography competition. (Hover to see a photo of the photographer; click to see the winning image)
Monthly competition winners
Step into our archive of monthly winners, each photo offering a fresh glimpse of UCL life through the eyes of students and alumni. (Click a year to expand; click a photo to see the winning image)
Portico magazine features stories for and from the UCL community. If you have a story to tell or feedback to share, contact advancement@ucl.ac.uk
Editor: Lauren Cain
Editorial team: Ray Antwi, Rachel Henkels, Harry Latter, Bryony Merritt, Lucy Morrish, Alex Norton
Shorthand presentation: Harpoon Productions
Additional design support: Boyle&Perks
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