If you spend any time at all outdoors with a camera, you should try your luck in one (or all) of these contests. Even though the competition may be daunting, it’s always worth a try, and there are some really nice prizes up for grabs.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year This year marks the 45th annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition held by the National History Museum in London and BBC Wildlife Magazine. The 12 categories (9 main and 3 special) are open to both amateurs and pros, and there are also 3 youth categories. You may enter up to 3 images for a fee of 20, and the jury selects one winner and one runner-up per category, all of whom receive cash prizes (500 and 250 respectively for the adult main categories).
Those under 18 may submit up to 10 photos, at no cost, in the youth categories (“10 years and younger”, “11-14 years”, and “15-17 years”). Acceptable subjects are wild animals, landscapes and plants, and the winner and runner-up in each category are awarded 250 and 100, respectively. The “Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year” gets to spend a day out with an acclaimed wildlife photographer, and also receives a cash prize of 500.
The three special awards have more specific photo requirements. The Eric Hosking Award is open to photographers 18-26 years of age, and you need to enter a 10-image portfolio of your best work. The One Earth Award puts the spotlight on conservation issues, and for this one, they want thought provoking photos that are memorable and encourage respect for the natural world (don’t think only negative photos here, positive messages are more fun to look at). The Gerald Durrell Award focuses on endangered wildlife, and the species in the photos you submit must be on the 2008 IUCN Red List, listed as critically endangered, vulnerable or near-threatened. One winner per category is selected, and each receives 1,000.
The Grand Prize, “The Wildlife Photographer of the Year”, goes to the image the jury selects as the most memorable and striking. The winning photographer is awarded 10,000 at a special ceremony at the National History Museum in London. The winning and commended photos from all categories will be exhibited at the museum, and then tour internationally. The deadline is March 27, 2009.
Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards Named in memory of photographer and conservation advocate Windland Smith Rice, this annual contest, held by Nature’s Best Magazine and the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History, is open to amateurs, pros and youths (under 18). The 16 categories include some that you don’t see in every competition: People In Nature, Small World Spectaculars, Zoos & Aquariums, Creative Digital, and Camera Club, where your club enter the contest as a group. The Grand Prize winner, category winners, and “Highly Honored Images” receive cash prizes and their photo(s) included in an exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. For an entry fee of $25 you may submit up to 20 photos, and the deadline is May 4, 2009.
National Wildlife Magazine This annual contest welcomes pros, amateurs and youths to enter their photos (up to 20 images) in any or all of the 7 categories: Mammals, Birds, Other Wildlife, Backyard Habitats, People and Nature, Landscapes and Plant Life, and Global Warming and Wildlife. It’s $15 to enter (for all 20 images) and that also includes a year’s subscription to National Wildlife, the deadline is July 20 2009, and prizes include two Grand Prizes of $5,000 each (one for pros and one for amateurs), and 15 category winner prizes (7 pro, 7 amateur, 1 youth) of $1,000 each.
The Great Outdoors by PDN and National Geographic Open to both professionals and amateurs, this contest has a broad range of categories: Insects & Gardens, Outdoor Sports & Activities, Beaches, Underwater, Islands, Parks & Safaris, Animals, Plants, and Scenes of the Natural World. The cost to enter (per photo or photo essay consisting of up to 6 images) is $35 for pros and $12 for amateurs. There is one Grand Prize – a five-night stay for two at Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya Hotel in Mexico – and several other prizes, including a digital camera, gift certificates to B&H, etc. The deadline is April 20 (with an extension to May 4 for an extra $10/image).
EuroNatur In this contest – “Nature Treasures in Europe” – they are looking for photos of European animals, plants or landscapes. It’s free to enter and you may submit up to 5 photos. Prizes include trips and camera equipment, and the winning pictures will be part of an exhibit at Schloss Wolfstein (a castle in Bavaria, Germany) and printed in EuroNatur magazine and in a wall calendar. The deadline is March 31 2009.