Established in 1964, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition is jointly organised by London’s Natural History Museum and the BBC Wildlife Magazine.
According to Mark Carwardine, chairman of the panel of judges in 2008, it is “the greatest showcase for wildlife photographers anywhere in the world.” Or as one of the judges, Ross Hoddinott, put it, “It is the Oscars for natural history snappers.”
Professional Photographers
In 2008 entries for adults were invited in eleven categories ranging from the behaviour of birds to “The Underwater World” and “Animal Portraits.” While standards are extremely high in all categories, one of the competition’s strengths is that it offers a wide range of challenges.
Some categories, such as “Wild Places,” demand entries that are “truly wild and awesome” and will stretch the skills of professional photographers while perhaps being beyond the reach of most amateurs. But “Urban and Garden Wildlife,” “In Praise of Plants,” “Creative Visions of Nature” and “Nature in Black and White,” for example, emphasise imagination and originality, as well as technical skill, and should be accessible to many who have relatively modest means and photography equipment.
Wildlife Photography Prizes
Prizes are awarded for each category, as well as an overall prize for the best photograph in any category. Other awards such as those in memory of Eric Hosking and Gerald Durrell, two of Britain’s most respected naturalists and photographers, aim to encourage particular kinds of wildlife photography or groups of photographers. The competition also encourages entries from young people, with three age categories from the under elevens to the under eighteens.
Aside from the sheer beauty of the photographs, one of the increasingly important benefits of the contest is to promote a greater appreciation for the world’s wildlife and therefore a wider awareness of the importance of conservation.