Wildlife Photo Contest Big Four

There are few things that can match the sheer unadulterated thrill of entering a wildlife photo contest and actually winning something.

Having your wildlife photographic efforts recognised by your peers is a great bonus to what is already a very rewarding and enjoyable pastime. And the prizes you can win aren't half bad either.

I've set up a list of the top four wildlife photo contest opportunities that are available presently for you to showcase your best wildlife pictures in.

They are ranked according to reputation and the collective wisdom of wildlife photographers gleaned from forums, magazines, photography websites and word of mouth...

1. Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This is the 'big daddy' of all wildlife photo contests and is now in its forty second year of existence. If you win this one you can justifiably claim that your wildlife photo is the best in the world (at least for a year that is).

Prizes:

If your image is judged to be the most striking of the competition you will receive Ł2,000 and and a whole lot of prestige which you could probably parlance into monetary terms (or you could just enjoy being nr 1) because this competition carries real weight in the wildlife photography industry.

Two portfolio categories (6 and 3 images respectively) carry a Ł1,000 prize and twelve other categories a first prize of Ł500 and a second prize of Ł250.

Duration and number of entrants:

This nature photography contest occurs only once a year and the closing date is normally the end of March.

There are now an average of 20,000 entries each year from more than 50 countries so you can expect stiff competition.

Organisers and Sponsors:

Organised by the Natural History Museum in London, UK and BBC Wildlife Magazine since 1964.

The current title sponsor is Shell and the digital technology sponsor is Microsoft Corp.

Specific Entry Requirements:

Photographers from across the globe can enter online.

Find out more about this prestigious wildlife photo contest...

2. National Wildlife Photography Awards

Winning photos will be printed in a special National Wildlife Photography Awards publication.

Prizes:

The grand (overall) prize is $2,000 cash and a winner's plaque. Winners of each of the 8 categories in both Pro and Amateur divisions as well as one overall Youth winner (i.e. 17 prizes) will each receive a $100 gift certificate to the NWF catalog plus a winner's certificate.

All 18 winners will receive a complimentary copy of the special NWPA publication and benefit from their images being displayed at the NWPA exhibit at Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

There is also 5 honorouble mentions, each photographer of which will receive a complimentary copy of the special NWPA publication.

Duration and number of entrants:

This is an annual animal photo contest and it is now in its 36th year of existence. It attracts an average of 4,000 entrants per year (pro, amateur and youth categories).

Organisers and Sponsors:

National Wildlife and Nature's Best Photography magazines are teaming up from 2006 to organise and sponsor this contest.

Specific Entry Requirements:

In support of National Wildlife Federations mission the contest focuses on North American wildlife and wild places.

Find out more...

Subscribe to National Wildlife Magazine - type "National Wildlife" in the search box below to find out more:

3. Nature's Best Photography Awards

Contests and Prizes:

Picture of the Week Online competition: winning images will be featured on their website for one week and receive a free one-year subscription to Nature's Best Photography magazine.

Backyards Contest: more than $3,000 in cash and prizes is awarded in this wildlife photo contest and the winning images is published in the Nature’s Best Photography magazine.

The annual international competition, now run in conjunction with National Wildlife, as set out above.

Organisers and Sponsors:

Natures Best Photography magazine in alliance with the prestigious Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

More info about these contests

4. The Getaway Gallery Photographer of the Year

Prizes:

An overall winner is chosen from all the monthly submissions that make the grade and will earn that photographer a digital camera from Fujifilm worth R20,000 (approx. $3,300) and a four night safari with a partner in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

Second prize is three nights for two at Pafuri Camp in northern Kruger National Park and third prize is three nights for two at Rocktail Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.

A film hamper plus R500 (approx $70) from Fujifilm is awarded for each picture published monthly.

Duration:

Monthly entries with the award winning photographs chosen and published in January of each year.

Organisers and Sponsors:

The Getaway magazine based in South Africa and Fujifilm.

Specific Entry Requirements:

Only photographs taken in Africa and its islands will be considered because the contest is aimed primarily at promoting amateur photography in Africa.

Find out more...