5 Amazing Nature & Wildlife Photo Contests You Simply Can’t Miss

If you have a camera and enjoy any aspect of the great outdoors, be it animals, oceans, deserts, gnarled tree branches, mushrooms, whatever, you should seriously consider entering some of your photos in one (or all) of these photo contests. Most are annual, so if you don’t get to it this year, keep it in mind for next. Not only does that give you a great goal to work towards – you’ll have a chance to see what the pros think about your work, and maybe win one of the many nice prizes.

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).

The youth group (for those under 18) is divided into three categories: 10 years and younger, 11-14 years, and 15-17 years. Here they are looking for photos of any wild animals, plants, or landscapes. It’s free to enter, and you may submit up to 10 photos. The winners and runners up in each category receive 250 and 100, and the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year gets 500 and a day out with a renowned wildlife photographer.

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 prize of all prizes, The Wildlife Photographer of the Year, is awarded to the single image the jury finds most striking and memorable of all category winners. The award is presented at a special ceremony at the National History Museum in London, where the winner is presented with a check for 10,000. All winning and commended images will also be part of an exhibit at the museum, which then tours all over the world. The 2009 deadline is March 27.

Windland Smith Rice International Awards Held by Nature’s Best Magazine and the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History, this contest is named in memory of conservation advocate and photographer Windland Smith Rice. The 16 categories are open to professional, amateur and youth photographers, and include Animal Antics, Creative Digital, Indigenous Cultures, Oceans, and more. One in particular caught my attention: the Camera Club category, where a group of photographers submit up to 20 photos (no more than 3 each, though). The entry fee is $25/20 images, and prizes include cash, your photo(s) printed in the Awards 2009 Collector’s Edition of Nature’s Best Photography, and possible inclusion in the annual exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. The 2009 deadline is May 4.

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 Photo Contest Sponsored by Photo District News and National Geographic, this contest is open to everyone (except residents of Arizona, New Jersey, and Vermont) and the categories are: “Scenes of the Natural World”, “Parks & Safaris”, “Beaches”, “Underwater”, “Islands”, “Plants”, “Animals”, “Insects & Gardens”, and “Outdoor Sports & Activities”. With so much to choose from, you’re bound to find at least one category that fits your style. For amateurs, it’s $12/image or photo essay to enter (a photo essay consists of up to six images that convey a story around a particular theme, and you can submit as many photos and photo essays as you like. Prizes include gift certificates, a five-night stay at the Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya Hotel in Mexico, camera equipment, and more. The deadline is April 20, 2009, but for an extra $10/image, you can enter until May 4.

he EuroNatur-Foundation’s “Nature Treasures in Europe” This contest is all about European landscapes, plants and animals. There is no cost to enter, and you may submit up to 5 photos before the March 31st deadline. Among the prizes are trips for 2 to Spain and Germany, and the winning photos will be exhibited at Schloss Wolfstein in Freyung (Bavaria) as well as printed in several online and offline publications.