• Australian Geographic •
• Deadline: January 28th, 2022 •
• Prize: AUD $10,000 + Travel •
• Theme: Nature/Wildlife •
• Entry Fees: AUD $38 •
• REGISTRATION: CLOSED, Click HERE For More Opportunities •
The Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition celebrates the natural heritage of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, and New Guinea bioregions each year.
With over $10,000 in prizes, the competition is open to both amateur and professional photographers of any age, located anywhere around the world.
Photographers are invited to submit their nature and wildlife photographs from the bioregion of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, and New Guinea.
Every year the finalist entries are included in an exhibition produced by the South Australian Museum. The stunning beauty of our natural world is placed on display, with professional, emerging, and junior photographers alike showing impeccable timing, patience, artistry, and technique to capture superb moments in time.
For the purposes of this competition, the region of New Guinea is limited to the west by the Wallace Line (the bio-geographical line extending between Bali and Lombok northward through the Makassar Strait between Borneo and Sulawesi). To the east, the New Guinea region includes the Bismarck and Solomon Archipelagos and islands of the Southwest Pacific, with its eastern boundary formed by the International Date Line. Antarctica includes the Sub-Antarctic Islands, which for the purposes of this competition are those south of the Antarctic Convergence or Antarctic Polar Front.
Competition overview
All photographs must be of natural fauna, flora, or natural land/sky formations and must have been taken in the ANZANG bioregion.
ANZANG bioregion means Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, and the New Guinea region. The region of New Guinea is limited to the west by the Wallace Line (the bio-geographical line extending between Bali and Lombok northward through the Makassar Strait between Borneo and Sulawesi). To the east, the New Guinea region includes the Bismarck and Solomon Archipelagos and islands of the southwest Pacific, with its eastern boundary formed by the International Date Line. Note that for the purposes of this competition, our definition of the Wallace Line does not include Huxley’s modification, and therefore the islands of the Philippines are not included in our definition of the ANZANG bioregion. Antarctica includes the Sub-Antarctic Islands, which for the purposes of this competition are those south of the Antarctic Convergence or Antarctic Polar Front.
Entries in all sections are invited from photographers who use either digital or film cameras. Judges will consider the photographic technique plus the aesthetic, artistic and unique quality of all images when making their selections.
Black and white and monochrome images may only be entered in the Monochrome or Junior categories.
There are nine categories in the Competition. Up to four images may be entered in each category.
Please note: the categories have changed in 2022 as has the process for the Portfolio Prize.
The categories are:
Animals in Nature – the subject(s) must be photographed in a natural environment. This can be a portrait or behavior shot. The animal(s) depicted may be either native or feral but must be depicted in nature with minimal evidence of human activity. Captive species are not allowed.
Urban Animals – the subject(s) must be photographed in a setting showing built form or other evidence of human activity. This can be a portrait or behavior shot. The animal(s) depicted may be either native or feral but must be shown in a setting that indicates the presence of human activity. Captive species are allowed, provided their captivity is declared at the time of entry. Domestic animals are not allowed.
Botanical – this may be a portrait or habitat shot of vegetation, i.e. trees, plants, and/or fungi. Evidence of humans or animals can be present however must not be the focus of the photograph.
Landscape – a landscape or seascape that shows a natural environment. Evidence of humans can be present however it must not be the focus of the photograph.
Threatened Species – as well as meeting eligibility for any of the other categories, the subject(s) in Threatened Species must be listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically-endangered on the IUCN Red List: http://www.iucnredlist.org/.
Monochrome – this category includes all monochrome photography including black and white, sepia-toned, and infrared photographs. The subject(s) of the photograph must qualify for any of the other categories in the competition.
Our Impact – the image must depict human impact on nature, be it terrestrial, aquatic or atmospheric. This impact may be positive or negative. The choice of subjects may align with the other categories or extend beyond these to subjects relating to environmental projects, scientific exploration, pollution, climate change, etc..
Astrophotography – the subject of the photograph must be the night sky. This can include astronomical objects, celestial events, and areas of the night sky including time-lapse images. Landscape or other forms can be included provided the subject of the image is largely celestial. Note: This category does not include images taken through telescopes.
Portfolio – the entrant must submit a contact sheet showing a group of six images with a shared theme that would otherwise relate to the other categories. The theme is the photographer’s choice and must be articulated in the entry notes. Themes may include (but are not limited to) environmental messaging, biological grouping, style of photography, photojournalism, or simply shared aesthetic. An entry of a group of six images in the Portfolio category will be charged as a single entry in the competition. A photographer may choose to enter an image as part of a Portfolio and as an individual submission in a different category.
Junior – the entrant must be under 18 years of age at the date of close of entries. Entries must fit the criteria of any of the other categories. Photographers under 18 years are only eligible to enter the Junior category and are not eligible for the Overall Prize.
Up to four images may be entered in each of the sections, or four groups of images in the Portfolio category. The judges will choose a winner and runner-up for each category. Entries not placed but of a particularly high standard will be shortlisted and join the prizewinning images in the subsequent exhibitions and catalog. ENTER NOW
Competition prizes
Prize winners will be announced at the South Australian Museum on Thursday 25 August 2022.
The overall winner wins A$10,000 cash and a holiday prize generously provided by Coral Expeditions.
Other prizes:
each of the open category winners receives A$1,000 and the runner-up of each category receives A$500;
there is a A$1,000 prize for the best portfolio submitted
the Junior category winner receives A$300 and the runner up receives A$100; and
the People’s Choice winner receives A$500. (People’s Choice is voted by visitors to the exhibition at the South Australian Museum, announcement date TBC).
Cost of entry For the 2022 Competition, the cost of entry remains A$38.00 (includes GST) for the first image and A$22.00 (includes GST) for each subsequent image, or for Junior Photography, A$10.00 (includes GST) for the first image and A$5.00 (includes GST) for each subsequent image. Online entry: Entries can only be submitted online via the entry portal at www.naturephotographeroftheyear.com.au, which is available only during the competition period.
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