With a total prize fund exceeding £20,000, plus an eight-week exhibition at the National Theatre and the publication of a full colour book of Best Entries, Take a view will continue to be a desirable annual competition for photographers of all ages for years to come. Britain’s heritage is celebrated by people around the world and entries are welcome from everyone, whether resident in Britain or simply visiting.

There will also be an award for the Young Landscape Photographer of the Year and each of the four main categories has both adult and youth sections.

‘The rich diversity of the British landscape is something that is available to all of us and is ours to enjoy. This competition will provide an on-going platform for capturing images that best symbolise our land and our times, and that will stand as a record of our country.’

Categories

Classic view
We are looking for an image that captures the beauty and variety of the UK landscape. A big view, a view down a valley or along a cliff-side path; a view that looks to the distance; maybe showing the drama of our seasons. Recognisable and memorable; a true classic. All entries must have been taken using a camera with a sufficiently high resolution to allow the image to be reproduced at A4 size or above (at 300 ppi) or scanned from film. We recommend that you use a camera of 4 mega pixels or more. See examples

Living the view
This is a category for images of people interacting with the outdoors – working or playing in the UK landscape. Possible subjects include mountain bikers, kite boarders, walkers, shepherds or even your best friend biting into a sandwich – as long as your picture shows people within their outdoor environment. No close-up portraits please.

Your view
What does the UK landscape mean to you? A stream rushing over pebbles, a foggy day in the Peak District, fish & chips on a deserted beach, you and your friends on your first big summit. Pretty much anything goes, as long as it is in the UK and in the outdoors. Use your imagination, as you have the scope for a very conceptual and personal approach.

Phone view
All images submitted to this category must be taken on a camera phone of 1 mega pixel or more. Other than that, the brief is the same as Your view. Be spontaneous when you are out and about. A key advantage of the camera phone is that it is always with you, so there is plenty of chance to capture the unexpected. We are not able to accept entries directly from phones this year, so images should be downloaded to your computer and entered via the web site.

Prizes

Adult class

The single best image will be chosen by the judges from all four adult categories. The photographer of this image will be awarded the prestigious title, ‘Landscape Photographer of the Year 2009’ and £10,000.

For the images judged to be the best in each of the four categories, there will be a prize of £1000.

For the images judged second in each of the four adult categories, there will be prizes of £500.

Youth class (16 and under)

The photographer, aged 16 or under, who creates the entry chosen by the judges as the single best image, taking into account all four youth categories, will become the Young Landscape Photographer of the Year 2009 and will win £1,000 + a place on a 2-day photography workshop, in the UK, with renowned landscape photographer, Charlie Waite. Payment of the cash element of the prize will be made to the winner’s parent/guardian.

There will be a prize of a place on a 2-day photography workshop, in the UK, with Charlie Waite, for the photographer of the image judged the best in each of the four youth categories.

Entry Fee

Adult entry fees

Up to 1 image:          £7.00
Up to 5 images:        £15.00
Up to 10 images:      £20.00
Up to 15 images:      £25.00

Youth entry fees (16 & under on 15th July 2009)

Up to 15 images:     flat rate of £2.00

Competition Link / Set Reminder

Sony Ericsson’s World View – one of the biggest mobile camera phone competitions in the world has now launched.

Following the amazing success of World View 2007, which received more than 70,000 entries from every corner of the world, World View is back for its third and biggest year yet. This unique online competition gives everyone the opportunity to share their camera phone photography with a global audience. With an exciting, interactive website and unbelievable new prizes, Sony Ericsson World View – the ultimate camera phone photography competition, is set to be more popular than ever.

World View 2008 harnesses the global power of the internet, and has launched a stunning new website. The online portal offers more than just the option to enter the competition, it gives people the opportunity to join a truly global community, expand their online social network, share images with people around the world, pick up hints and tips from top photography professionals and even discover the latest Sony Ericsson must-have mobile camera phones.

Visitors to the site can look through the lens of mobile phone photographers all over the world thanks to a new flash photo gallery, which offers participants the option to include a mini biography and photo description of themselves. Get an insight into photographers’ lives, the story behind their image and see their own ‘world view’.

World View 2008 also introduces a phenomenal new prize open to everyone who enters. The People’s Choice prize puts the power in the hands of the public. Awarded to the person who receives the most votes from the public around the world, it is a trip of a lifetime worth £5,000/€6,250. The Experts’ Choice winner, chosen by Sony Ericsson’s panel of elite photography judges, will receive a once-in-a-lifetime trip worth £10,000/€12,500.

World View would not be complete without expert judges boasting a huge amount of experience and awards. This year sees the introduction of world renowned Liu Heung Shing to the respected panel of World View judges: Sony Ericsson Senior Designer from the Creative Design Centre, Martin Wezowski; Reuters UK & Ireland Chief of Photography, David Viggers; and leading global photographer Tony Briggs, a former London Photographer of the Year.

Reuters UK & Ireland Chief of Photography, David Viggers comments: “I am honored to have been asked to judge the Sony Ericsson World View competition for the third year running. This is a truly global competition that welcomes some of the world’s best photography from both amateur and skilled photographers.

Judging by the quality of images submitted in previous year’s World View competitions, I have no doubt that this year’s competition will again introduce some of the world’s most exciting camera phone images.”

With new prizes and a new website for the competition, only one addition remains for Sony Ericsson World View – new contestants. Uploading photos and competing for the prizes couldn’t be easier, visit the website to find out how and join one of the world’s biggest mobile phone photography competitions.

Competition Link / Set Reminder