Entries open soon for Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition

Shooting star by Tony Wu, USA/Japan Winner, Underwater. © Tony Wu, Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Location: Kinko Bay, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan Technical details: Nikon D850 + 105mm f2.8 lens; 1/250 sec at f18; ISO 320; Nauticam housing; Backscatter Mini Flash 1 + Inon S2000 + Z240 strobes; RGBlue compact tripod.

Ahead of the landmark competition, Wildlife Photographer of the Year has also announced an entry fee waiver for over 100 countries in Africa, Southeast Asia and Central and South America, changes to the competition’s rules, and a new special prize to encourage hopeful stories of the natural world. The annual competition is open to photographers of all ages, nationalities and experience levels. To celebrate the 60th anniversary the jury will award a special prize, within the 100 winning images, in any category, to recognise a conservation success, a story of hope and/or positive change. The special prize forms part of the Natural History Museum’s vision of a future where both people and planet thrive.

Further updates to the competition rules stipulate that photographs must have been taken within the last five years, and that all entries must be the result of a photographic process using a camera. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is seeking new and fresh images that are truthful representations of nature, with ethical requirements given the utmost priority. Organisers are also calling for more entries from women and nonbinary photographers and will continue to offer discounted entry to members of organisations that support diversity in wildlife photography.

Click here for full details of the jury, competition rules, prizes and important dates.