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).

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.

There are also three special awards: the Eric Hosking, for photographers aged 18-26, where you submit a 10-image portfolio; the Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife, where the subject in your picture needs to be on the 2008 IUCN Red List (critically endangered); and the One Earth Award, which aims to highlight conservation. The winners in the special awards receive 1,000 each.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year winner gets 10,000, presented at a ceremony at the National History Museum in London. Deadline for 2009 is March 27, but if you don’t make it, don’t worry. Remember, it is an annual event, so you always have next year.

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’s 2009 Photo Contest Open to everyone over the age of 17, this annual competition is looking for photos of mammals, birds, people & nature, backyard habitats, landscapes & plant life, other wildlife and global warming & wildlife. Pros, amateurs and youths are judged separately. The winner of each category is awarded $1,000, and two Grand Prize winners receive $5,000 each. You can enter up to 20 images for $15, and that also gives you a year’s subscription to National Wildlife Magazine. The deadline for 2009 is July 20.

The Great Outdoors This contest, open to pros and amateurs, is sponsored by National Geographic and Photo District News, so you know winning won’t be easy. But don’t let that discourage you – this is a great opportunity to get your nature photos seen by the pros. The categories are so broad that anyone should be able to find at least one that fits their favorite subject(s): Parks & Safaris, Plants, Animals, Insects, & Gardens, Beaches, Islands, Underwater, Scenes Of The Natural World, and Outdoor Sports & Activities. The entry fee per image is $12 for amateurs and $35 for pros, and the deadline is April 20 2009 (although you may enter as late as May 4 for an additional $10/image). The grand prize is a five-night stay for two at Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya Hotel in Mexico, and other prizes include gift certificates to B&H, a digital camera, and passes to PDN PhotoPlus International Conference & Expo.

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.

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 Now in its 45th year, this contest brings out the best of the best when it comes to wildlife photography. It’s open to amateurs, professionals, and youths, and there are many different categories: Animals in their Environment, Behavior, Underwater, Animal Portraits, Plants, Urban and Garden wildlife, Nature in Black and White, Creative Visions of Nature, and Wild Places. It’s 20 to enter (for up to 3 photos). For each category, the jury selects one winner and one runner up, who will receive 500 and 250 respectively.

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 Wildlife Photographer of the Year winner gets 10,000, presented at a ceremony at the National History Museum in London. Deadline for 2009 is March 27, but if you don’t make it, don’t worry. Remember, it is an annual event, so you always have next year.

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 The 39th edition of this annual contest is open to amateur, professional and youth photographers, and for a fee of $15, you may enter up to 20 images in the 7 different categories. They are looking for photos of wildlife, of course, but also backyard habitats, people and nature, landscapes, and plants. The category winners receive $1,000 each, and two Grand Prize winners (one amateur and one professional) are awarded $5,000 each. The 2009 deadline is July 20.

The Great Outdoors This contest, open to pros and amateurs, is sponsored by National Geographic and Photo District News, so you know winning won’t be easy. But don’t let that discourage you – this is a great opportunity to get your nature photos seen by the pros. The categories are so broad that anyone should be able to find at least one that fits their favorite subject(s): Parks & Safaris, Plants, Animals, Insects, & Gardens, Beaches, Islands, Underwater, Scenes Of The Natural World, and Outdoor Sports & Activities. The entry fee per image is $12 for amateurs and $35 for pros, and the deadline is April 20 2009 (although you may enter as late as May 4 for an additional $10/image). The grand prize is a five-night stay for two at Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya Hotel in Mexico, and other prizes include gift certificates to B&H, a digital camera, and passes to PDN PhotoPlus International Conference & Expo.

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.