| If you have a camera and enjoy any aspect of the | | | | Windland Smith Rice International Awards |
| great outdoors, be it animals, oceans, deserts, gnarly | | | | Held by Nature's Best Magazine and the Smithsonian's |
| tree branches, mushrooms, whatever, you should | | | | Museum of Natural History, this contest is named in |
| seriously consider entering some of your photos in one | | | | memory of conservation advocate and photographer |
| (or all) of these photo contests. Most are annual, so if | | | | Windland Smith Rice. The 16 categories are open to |
| you don't get to it this year, keep it in mind for next. Not | | | | professional, amateur and youth photographer, and |
| only does that give you a great goal to work towards | | | | include Animal Antics, Creative Digital, Indigenous |
| - you'll have a chance to see what the pros think | | | | Cultures, Oceans, and more. One in particular caught |
| about your work, and maybe win one of the many | | | | my attention: the Camera Club category, where a |
| nice prizes. | | | | group of photographers submit up to 20 photos (no |
| Wildlife Photographer of the Year | | | | more than 3 each though). The entry fee is $25/20 |
| This year marks the 45th annual Wildlife Photographer | | | | images, and prizes include cash, your photo(s) printed in |
| of the Year competition held by the National History | | | | the Awards 2009 Collector's Edition of Nature's Best |
| Museum in London and BBC Wildlife Magazine. The 12 | | | | Photography, and possible inclusion in the annual exhibit |
| categories (9 main and 3 special) are open to both | | | | at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of |
| amateurs and pros, and there are also 3 youth | | | | Natural History in Washington, DC. The 2009 deadline |
| categories. You may enter up to 3 images for a fee | | | | is May 4. |
| of £20, and the jury selects one winner and one | | | | National Wildlife |
| runner-up per category, who all receive cash prizes | | | | The 39th edition of this annual contest is open to |
| (£500 and £250 respectively for the adult | | | | amateur, professional and youth photographers, and |
| main categories). | | | | for a fee of $15, you may enter up to 20 images in the |
| For those under 18, you may submit up to 10 photos, at | | | | 7 different categories. They are looking for photos of |
| no cost, in the youth categories ("10 years and | | | | wildlife, of course, but also backyard habitats, people |
| younger", "11-14 years", and "15-17 years"). Acceptable | | | | and nature, landscapes, and plants. The category |
| subject matters are wild animals, landscapes and | | | | winners receive $1,000 each, and two Grand Prize |
| plants, and the winner and runner-up in each category | | | | winners (one amateur and one professional) are |
| are awarded £250 and £100, respectively. | | | | awarded $5,000 each. The 2009 deadline is July 20. |
| The "Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year" gets to | | | | The Great Outdoors by PDN and National Geographic |
| spend a day out with an acclaimed wildlife | | | | Open to both professionals and amateurs, this contest |
| photographer, and also receives a cash prize of | | | | has a broad range of categories: Insects & |
| £500. | | | | Gardens, Outdoor Sports & Activities, Beaches, |
| In the three special awards, the requirements are a bit | | | | Underwater, Islands, Parks & Safaris, Animals, |
| more specific. For The Gerard Durrell Award for | | | | Plants, and Scenes of the Natural World. The cost to |
| Endangered Wildlife award, you need to submit photos | | | | enter (per photo or photo essay consisting of up to 6 |
| of species listed as critically endangered, vulnerable or | | | | images) is $35 for pros and $12 for amateurs. There is |
| near threatened on the 2008 IUCN Red List. The Eric | | | | one Grand Prize - a five-night stay for two at |
| Hosking Award is open to photographers age 18-26, | | | | Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya Hotel in Mexico - and |
| and participants are required to enter a 10-image | | | | several other prizes, including a digital camera, gift |
| portfolio. The One Earth Award focuses on | | | | certificates to B&H, etc. The deadline is April 20 |
| conservation, and they are looking for images that | | | | (with an extension to May 4 for an extra $10/image). |
| encourages respect for nature. The winner of each | | | | The EuroNatur-Foundation's "Nature Treasures in |
| category is awarded £1,000. | | | | Europe" |
| The Grand Prize, "The Wildlife Photographer of the | | | | This contest is all about European landscapes, plants |
| Year", goes to the image the jury selects as the most | | | | and animals. There is no cost to enter, and you may |
| memorable and striking. The winning photographer is | | | | submit up to 5 photos before the March 31st deadline. |
| awarded £10,000 at a special ceremony at the | | | | Among the prizes are trips for 2 to Spain and |
| National History Museum in London. The winning and | | | | Germany, and the winning photos will be exhibited at |
| commended photos from all categories will be | | | | Schloss Wolfstein in Freyung (Bavaria) as well as |
| exhibited at the museum, and then tour internationally. | | | | printed in several on- and offline publications. |
| The deadline is March 27, 2009. | | | | |