38th Annual National Wildlife’s 2008 Photo Contest
| Deadline: July 1st, 2008 |
National Wildlife Federation invites you to submit your favorite nature images to the 2008 photography competition—their biggest Photo Contest in 38 years. Cash prizes totaling $18,000 plus camera equipment and other gifts will be awarded to the winners in three separate divisions: professional, amateur and youth. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000. Plus, a portfolio of award-winning entries will be published in the 2008 December/January issue of the magazine.
In return for your $15 entry fee, you will receive a one-year membership in the National Wildlife Federation, including a subscription to National Wildlife, and you can submit as many as 20 images in any combination of the following categories:
The Six Categories
Mammals: Portraits and Behavior
Birds: Portraits and Behavior
Other Wildlife: Portraits and Behavior (includes underwater life, reptiles, amphibians, insects and more)
Backyard Habitats: Wild Creatures, Native Plants and Natural Settings in Your Yard
Connecting People and Nature: People Enjoying the Outdoors
Landscapes and Plant Life: Scenic Views and Native Plants in Wild Settings
The deadline for all submissions: July 1, 2008. For more details about the categories, how to submit your photos and other information, read the official rules below.
How to Enter the National Wildlife Photo Contest
The editors of National Wildlife magazine invite photographers from all levels of expertise to enter National Wildlife’s 2008 Photo Contest, its expanded 38th annual photography competition.
WHO: The National Wildlife Photo Contest (NWPC) is open to ALL photographers who are at least 13 years of age, except employees or directors of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), their immediate families and individuals living in the same household as such employees. Your entry to the contest constitutes your agreement to allow your entered photographs—and your name, occupation, city, state and country of residence—to be published as award winners or finalists in National Wildlife magazine and on the NWF website, and used for promotions of the NWPC including, but not limited to, publications from NWF and other organizations, exhibitions, a photo contest calendar, a compilation book or electronic collection of photographs, online photo features and contests, and web pages and emails providing NWPC information, updates, rules and photography tips. Entrants retain ownership and all other rights to future use of their photographs. The National Wildlife Federation reserves the right to verify, in its sole judgment, winner eligibility.
Divisions: Photographers must enter their images in one of the following divisions.
Pro - Full or part-time professional photographers who receive all or a major part of their income from nature photography.
Amateur - Beginning or amateur photographers at least 18 years of age, and experienced photographers who do not receive a major part of their income from nature photography.
Youth - Young photographers ages 13 to 17. Young photographers 12 and under, please enter our Ranger Rick Photo Contest
WHAT: We are looking for striking images of nature—on land, in the air and beneath the water’s surface—from anywhere in the world. These images may show animal behavior, portraits of wildlife in natural habitat, plant life, natural landscapes, or people interacting with nature. Do not include photographs of pets or domestic animals. Images of captive animals photographed in game farms will be disqualified. Captive animals photographed in zoos, wildlife research facilities or rehabilitation centers are acceptable. Clearly label animals as wild or captive in the caption information. Previously published photos may be entered; however, please include information on when and where the photos appeared. Winning photos from other competitions may also be entered, but include the name of the contests and the years they won.
Entrants must not infringe on the rights of any other photographer or person or submit images that involve the willful harassment of wildlife or damage to the environment by the photographer. All photographs should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared. Photos that have been digitally altered beyond standard optimization (removal of dust, cropping, adjustments to color and contrast, etc.) will be disqualified. This includes the digital addition or deletion of objects in the photos.
Categories: Photographers entering in the Pro and Amateur divisions must enter each image in one of the following categories. Photographers entering the Youth division do not need to specify a category, but images must follow the subject matter of one of the categories. Judges reserve the right to switch images to other categories.
1. Mammals—Portraits and Behavior
2. Birds—Portraits and Behavior
3. Other Wildlife—Portraits and Behavior (includes underwater life, reptiles, amphibians, insects, spiders and more)
4. Backyard Habitats—Wild Creatures, Native Plants and Natural Settings in Your Yard
5. Connecting People and Nature—People Enjoying the Outdoors
6. Landscapes and Plant Life—Scenic Views and Native Plants in Wild Settings
Judging: Images will be judged by NWF on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact and artistic merit.
Judges: From the staff of National Wildlife:
John Nuhn, photo director
Jillian Stanley, associate photo editor
Mark Wexler, editorial director
Thuy Senser, art director
WHEN: Deadline for submitting entries is July 1, 2008. Entries may be uploaded starting January 23, 2008, and must be uploaded no later than 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight Saving Time on July 1, 2008. To avoid uploading delays, please do not wait until the final days of the contest to enter. In past years, the large number of entrants trying to upload their photos just prior to deadline has caused technical problems which left them unable to enter. NWF anticipates notifying winners in early October 2008.
WHY: Cash prizes totaling $18,000 will be awarded, along with other prizes as described below. Cash prizes are made possible by the introduction of an entry fee; no NWF funds are used for these prizes. All winners will appear on NWF’s website, and a selection of winning photos will appear in the December/January 2009 issue of National Wildlife. Various finalists as determined by National Wildlife will also appear on NWF’s website.
Prizes: One Grand Prize, 13 First Place prizes and 13 Second Place prizes will be awarded as listed below. NWF will also award Honorable Mentions as the judges deem appropriate. NWF in its sole discretion will select and publish certain winners from any category in the December 2008/January 2009 issue of National Wildlife. NWF will send two copies of the December 2008/January 2009 issue of National Wildlife to the winners who are published in it.
1. Grand Prize (1):
Total Value: $5,599
Cash Prize of $5,000
Tamron AF 28-300mm XR Di VC
(Vibration Compensation): $599 value
2. First Place, one for each category in both Pro and Amateur divisions, and one in Youth Division (13 total):
Total Value of Each: $1,000
Cash Prize of $1,000
3. Second Place, one for each category in both Pro and Amateur divisions, and one in Youth Division (13 total): Total Value of Each: $239
Manfrotto 728B Digi tripod from Bogen: $139 value
Tiffen Filter Kit or Tiffen Dfs Digital Filter Suite Software (stand-alone version with select filters): $100 value
4. Honorable Mentions (awarded at discretion of judges) Total Value of Each: $19.95
NWF Field Guide to Insects: $19.95 value
