BBOWT Wildlife Photography Competition (United Kingdom)

The photo competition is run and managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlif Trust.

Categories

• Images must be entered into one of the nine categories. No image can be entered into more than one category.
  • Children (ages 6-11)
  • Teens (ages 12-17)
  • Birds
  • Mammals
  • Butterflies and other insects
  • The nature reserves
  • Urban nature
  • Taking action for nature
  • Mobile phone photography
• Categories marked with do not need to be taken on the reserves, but do need to be taken in the Berks, Bucks and Oxon counties. These are Children, Teens, Urban nature and Taking action for nature.
• All photographs submitted must be photos of wildlife and nature naturalised or native to the UK, apart from:
  • “Taking action for nature” which can feature people taking action for nature or results of positive action for nature and wildlife
  • “The nature reserves” which can feature wildlife, fungi, plants and trees, views, people in the reserves or landscapes from BBOWT reserves.
• All photos submitted for the competition before 28 July 2024 will be entered automatically into the people’s choice award.
• The people’s choice award will feature a selection of images shortlisted by BBOWT. These will be promoted via social media for a public vote.
• Mobile phone photography category must feature photos taken on a BBOWT reserve with a mobile phone.

Prize Information 

• Overall winner: Technaxx Bird Feeder Camera Station
• People’s choice winner: Nexcam Solar Powered Wildlife Camera
• Category winners: Workshop with Steve Gozdz of GG Wildlife Experiences, copy of BBOWT’s 2025 wildlife calendar, and certificate.
• Runners up: Calendar and certificate.
• Highly commended: Certificate.
• The children’s categories has a prize which will be gifted to the school libraries of the entrants (or to the library of a school they nominate). The children (ages 6-11) category will be gifted a selection of books suitable for a 5 – 11 year old range. The teens (ages 12-17) category will be gifted a selection of books suitable for a 11 – 18 year old range.
• The category winning photos will feature in the BBOWT calendar.

Requirements

• Photographers must ensure that they have the permission of anyone pictured in the image (or, where the image shows any persons under 18, the consent of their parent/guardian). BBOWT is not responsible for seeking this permission.
• Photographers must take all reasonable care not to disturb wildlife and the local environment in the pursuit of images. It is the photographer’s responsibility to be aware of and comply with the laws (e.g. in the case of protected species). Wildlife law and animal welfare requirements must not be breached and protected species or habitats must not be compromised. All images must be taken in an responsible manner which respects nature and wildlife.
• Subjects photographed in a studio setting or a captive environment are not eligible. Domestic pets are not eligible.
• If the image is captured on private land for entry into “Children”, “Teenager”, “Taking action for nature” or “Urban Nature” categories, the permission of the landowner must be sought before submission to the competition, including agreement to the terms of this competition
• Please submit your photographs in landscape format, not portrait or square. They should be minimum 300 dpi and with a suggested file size of between 3 – 15MB. They cannot accept images sent by post.
• You must be the image creator and hold sole copyright. Images must not already be licenced or share rights with another entity (for example, stock libraries).
• Images created with or altered by AI are not permitted.
• Images must not include any watermark, signature or professional logo.
• You must be the sole author and owner of the copyright for all images entered. You will retain copyright of your entries at all times and always be credited alongside your photograph.

Eligibility Criteria

• The competition is free of charge and open to all photographers, but excludes anyone associated with the competition administration and organisation. This includes BBOWT employees and competition judges (and their partners and family), sponsors, and trustees.
• The entrant must be the creator of the image(s) submitted, and the sole owner of the copyright.
• Photographers will be asked to declare that the images they are submitting comply with the competition rules and that the information accompanying the image they provide is complete, true and accurate.
• Images that do not comply with all terms and conditions and image specifications will not be considered by the judges.

Deadlines 

• 28 July 2024: closing date for entries into the people’s choice award
• 26 August 2024: closing date for main categories.

For more information, visit BBOWT.