The following video presents Judging the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition | Wildlife Photographer of the Year:
Each year an esteemed jury selects the winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year title. The image represents nature photography at its very best and truly encapsulates the competition’s ethos of ethics and excellence. But what happens to your image once its been entered into the competition, and what exactly are the judges looking for? We reveal what goes on behind closed doors in the WPY judging room.
The Natural History Museum in London, UK, invites you to participate in its Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
- There is FREE admission to the museum.
- The competition is open to professional, amateur and young photographers.
- All entries must be received by 11.30 GMT on the morning of Thursday 25 February 2016 (‘the Closing Date’).
- Young photographers are encouraged to enter one of three categories for under-17s, and for them entry is FREE. See the image of the youngest winner (eight years old) of the overall Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year award at http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2016/january/the-hunt-is-on-for-the-2016-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year.html .
Now in its fifty-first year, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition provides a showcase for the world’s very best nature photography….
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year series consists of a major exhibition at the Museum and a worldwide tour. The winning images appear on this website and leading publications worldwide. As a result, the photographs are seen by millions….
Judges are looking for outstanding images that raise awareness of nature’s beauty and fragility, while also championing the highest ethical standards in wildlife photography. From intimate animal portraits to atmospheric landscapes, groundbreaking photojournalism to innovative technique, the 2016 jury wants to see it all….
Benefits
The competition rewards include:
- To gain the title “Wildlife Photographer of the Year or Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
- Take centre stage at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards ceremony held in the museum’s iconic Hintze Hall.
- See your image premiered in the exhibition before it embarks on a world tour, reaching an audience of millions.
- Enjoy extensive coverage in the media and online.
The Competition comprises an Adult Competition open to photographers aged 18 and over, and a Young Competition open to photographers aged 17 and under.
- Any contact with the Owners regarding the Adult Competition or the Young Competition (unless specified otherwise below) should be via the email address: wildlifephotographeroftheyear@nhm.ac.uk.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards and Prizes
For photographers aged 18 or over
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Best Single Image
- £10,000 (14503.00 US Dollar at the current exchange rate), trophy and personalised certificate
Wildlife Photographer Portfolio Award
- £2,500 (3625.75 US Dollar at the current exchange rate) and personalised certificate
- trip to London to attend the awards ceremony
Wildlife Photojournalist: Photo Story Award
- £2,500 (3625.75 US Dollar at the current exchange rate) and personalised certificate
- trip to London to attend the awards ceremony
Rising Star Portfolio Award
- £1,500 (2175.45 US Dollar at the current exchange rate) and personalised certificate
- trip to London to attend the awards ceremony
Adult category winners
- £1,250 (1812.88 US Dollar at the current exchange rate)) and personalised certificate
- trip to London to attend the awards ceremony
Adult category finalists
- personalised certificate
- invitation to the awards ceremony in London
For young photographers aged 17 and under
Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Best Single Image
- £1,000 (1450.30 US Dollar at the current exchange rate), trophy and personalised certificate
- Canon photography equipment
Young category winners
- Canon photography equipment
- personalised certificate
- trip to London for awards ceremony
Young category finalists
- personalised certificate
- invitation to the awards ceremony in London
The prizes are non-transferable
- The Owners reserve the right to substitute the whole or part of any listed prize with an alternative of equal monetary value (but the entrant shall not have any right to demand this).
- Please note that prizes must be claimed within one year of the award ceremony, unless otherwise specified, or the prize will be forfeited.
…Selected entries to the Competition may be displayed in an exhibition at the Natural History Museum (‘the Exhibition’) and/or toured nationally and internationally (‘the Touring Exhibition’), featured online, in publicity materials relating to the Competition, Exhibition and Touring Exhibition, or as merchandising according to the terms hereunder….
….All entrants agree that, if their entry is selected by the Jury, they will participate in related publicity and agree to the use of their name and likeness for the purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity of the Competition and/or the Exhibition and Touring Exhibition without additional compensation…
Ownership of the copyright in any entry submitted to the Competition will remain with the copyright owner(s). The photographer will be credited (eg © photographer’s name). The photographer agrees that the Owners will not be liable to the photographer in the event of inadvertent omission of the credit.
….By entering the Competition, the entrant grants to the Owners a non-exclusive, irrevocable licence to reproduce, publish, exhibit and communicate to the public, by any means and in all media throughout the world any entry . This licence is granted only for use in relation to the Competition, Exhibition and Touring Exhibition, which shall include (with the right to sub-license where necessary) – but will not be limited to – any of the following uses:
(i) the process of judging the Competition (including the public vote);
(ii) display during the awards ceremony, Exhibition, and Touring Exhibition;
(iii) publication in other magazines or print media which the Owners (or their official partners, supporters, or sponsors) may produce;
(iv) publication on relevant parts of the Owners’ website, including within interactive elements available for viewing or download;
(v) in publicity materials (including social media).
…All entries selected for the Exhibition are intended for inclusion in the annual Portfolio Book and possibly the Highlights Book, for which the photographers will be paid the Owners’ standard fee. Images selected for the People’s Choice may also be included in the Highlights Book, for which the photographers will be paid the Owner’s standard fee.
Other commercial opportunities may exist for photographers to benefit from the use of any entry selected by the Jury. Where such a commercial benefit is likely to arise, permission will be sought by the Owners in advance. Examples include:
(i) publication on the cover of the Portfolio Book
(ii) inclusion in merchandising associated with the Competition, Exhibition and/or Touring Exhibition.
(iii) third-party licensing
….Awarded submissions may be used by the Owners for the purposes of promoting the Competition, Exhibition and/or Touring Exhibition from the date of notification of awarded submissions until the end of the Touring Exhibition and thereafter the Owners may keep the awarded submissions within an archive (electronic or otherwise) provided that should the submissions be used in connection with the Competition, Exhibition and/or Touring Exhibition after the period of five (5) years following the notification of awarded submissions, permission will be sought from the entrant and from the entrant’s parent or guardian if the entrant is aged under 18 on the date on which permission is sought….
Adult Competition
For more than 50 years, Wildlife Photographer of the Year has championed honest and ethical wildlife photography, while pushing the boundaries of artistic freedom, narrative excellence and technical skill.
- The Adult Competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over on the Closing Date except individuals (and their partners and family) involved in its organisation or judging or employees of the Owners or any official partners, supporters, or sponsors of the Competition.
- For info about the 16 adult categories and key dates, please visit http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/competition/adult-competition/categories.html
- Entrants are not permitted to submit images that: (i) feature farm animals, family pets, and/or cultivated plants; (ii) portray captive or restrained animals, animal models, and/or any other animal being exploited for profit unless for the purposes of reporting on a specific issue regarding the treatment of animals by a third party; (iii) have been captured using live bait; (iv) have been awarded any prize, recommendation or other award in any international competition at the time of entry.
Entry must be via www.wildlifephotographeroftheyear.com.
- A one-off non-refundable entry fee of £30.00 is required from each entrant.
- Each entrant is allowed a total of twenty-five (25) entries into the Adult Competition, such total to include any entries into the multiple image categories listed at (xiii), (xv), (xvi) and (xvii) below.
….The entrant acknowledges that entry into the Adult Competition does not grant any rights in any intellectual property rights of the Competition and/or the Owners, and agrees not to use any names, logos or other intellectual property rights of any of them or to make any public statement regarding any of them without the prior written consent of the Owners….
Please read the full Rules for the Adult Competition of this contest at http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/competition/adult-competition/rules.html .
Young Competition
Calling all photographers aged 17 and under. We discover, encourage and reward the next generation of aspiring nature photographers and wildlife ambassadors, so show us life through your lens and make your mark on the world of nature photography.
- For info about the three age group categories and key dates for photographers aged 17 and under, please visit http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/competition/young-competition.html .
- Each entrant must gain the permission of a parent or guardian to enter the Young Competition.
- Entrants are not permitted to submit images that:(i) feature farm animals, family pets, and/or cultivated plants; (ii) portray captive or restrained animals, animal models, and/or any other animal being exploited for profit unless for the purposes of reporting on a specific issue regarding the treatment of animals by a third party; (iii) have been captured with the use of live bait; (iv) have been awarded any prize, recommendation or other award in any international competition at the time of entry.
Entry must be via www.wildlifephotographeroftheyear.com.
- Entry is FREE.
- Entrants may submit into the appropriate Age Category a maximum of ten (10) images as follows: (i) 10 Years and Under (ii) 11 to 14 Years (iii) 15 to 17 Years.
….The entrant (and the entrant’s parent or guardian) acknowledges that entry into the Young Competition does not grant any rights in any intellectual property rights of the Competition and/or the Owners, and agrees not to use any names, logos or other intellectual property rights of any of them or to make any public statement regarding any of them without the prior written consent of the Owners.
….Each entrant must gain the permission of a parent or guardian to enter the Young Competition. It is the responsibility of each entrant (and the entrant’s parent or guardian) to ensure that they have read and will abide by these Rules….
Please read the full Rules of the Young Competition of this contest at http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/competition/young-competition/rules.html .
Judging & Online Public Voting
An independent panel of experts comprising a chair and judges (‘the Jury’) will be appointed by the Owners to select and award approximately one hundred (100) submissions for presentation from both the Adult Competition and the Young Competition.
- Only Category Winners will be considered by the Jury for Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Best Single Image.
- Winners of a Special Award will not be considered for Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Best Single Image.
- A further twenty-five (25) images from the Adult Competition and the Young Competition, will be selected and made available to the public for three (3) months for an online vote. These entries will be specially promoted including via social media and through any print or commercial partners of the Owners. The entry with the most votes will receive the People’s Choice Special Award, with the next four (4) most popular entries regarded as Special Award Finalists.
- Award-winning author and creative director Lewis Blackwell is chairing the panel for a second year.
….Editing a photograph or portfolio is a necessary but sometimes painful and solitary process. Many entrants benefit from the cool eye of a family member, friend or colleague when choosing the images that will stand out and show resilience under the jury’s examination….
We will of course be concerned with subject, technique and artistry – be well aware of the strict standards around anything that approaches photo-manipulation. We expect the selection to reflect the themes of biodiversity and sustainability, two of the key topics of our time.
But I also anticipate a discussion and careful scrutiny of the ethics behind the taking of images. This is a growing concern. The boom in photography and its role in describing and discovering wildlife must not come at the expense of the photographs’ subjects.
Every image must meet our ethical expectations, which demand minimal disruption when interacting with nature. And don’t forget to caption the images clearly if there is information that you think the jury should know.
Now good luck with that edit. I can hardly wait to see the wonders you have captured.
Lewis Blackwell (UK), Chair, author and creative director
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/competition/jury.html
The following video presents The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition – behind the images | Natural History Museum:
It showcases the world’s greatest images of nature and hundreds of thousands visit every year. See what makes the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition so special. Enter Wildlife Photographer of the Year and your image could be on display at the next exhibition.
Good Luck! / Bonne chance!
The following video presents Wildlife and underwater photography with Canon Master Darren Jew:
Welcome to the amazing life of #CanonMaster Darren Jew: underwater nature photographer.
Darren Jew has photographed the planet’s landscapes and wildlife from Antarctica to Zambia over his incredible 30-year photography career – on mountain peaks, desert plains and beneath the ocean’s surface.
Darren’s particular passion for photographing whales brings him back to Tonga year after year, where Untitled Filmworks’ Abraham Joffe joined him in 2013 to capture his journey.
Darren shoots on the Canon EOS 1DX, with lenses EF16-35f2.8LII and EF 8-15mm f4L fisheye, plus Nauticam underwater housings.
Video shot on:-
Canon EOS 1DC Cameras in 4K resolution.
Canon lenses 14mm 2.8 L, 16-35mm 2.8 L II, 24mm 1.4 L, 24-70mm 2.8 L II and 70-200mm 2.8 L II.Find out more about Darren:
http://www.canon.com.au/en-AU/Profess…
