Nikon invites entries to Environmental Photographer of the Year

Nikon has announced that amateur and professional photographers are invited to enter the 2022 Environmental Photographer of the Year competition.

It’s the 15th year of the annual competition and Nikon has partnered with environmental and water management charity CIWEM, and free streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet, WaterBear, in order to find the Environmental Photographer of the Year.

The competition puts the spotlight on the most inspirational environmental photography from around the world and provides an international platform to raise awareness of environmental issues that put the planet at risk.

Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021 was won by this image – The Rising Tide Sons by Antonio Aragon Renuncio. It shows a child sleeping inside a house destroyed by coastal erosion on Afiadenyigba beach in Ghana

Free to enter

The competition is open until 31 August 2022 and is free to enter for professional and amateur photographers from all over the world.

Whatever age you are you are invited to submit your most aspirational, emotive and captivating environmental work.

There are two main awards – Environmental Photographer of the Year and Young Environmental Photographer of the Year.

The Environmental Photographer of the Year will receive a £5,000 cash prize, an interview in CIWEM’s Environment Magazine, a profile on WaterBear’s website, and a feature on Nikon Europe’s website.

The Young Environmental Photographer of the Year award showcases the best environmental photography through the lens of young photographers aged 21 and under. The winner will receive a Z-series mirrorless camera and two NIKKOR Z lenses of their choice.

The Resilient Award 2021 went to Survive for Alive by Ashraful Islam. It was taken in Noakhali, Bangladesh, and shows a flock of sheep searching for grass amongst the cracked soil

Four more categories

This year’s competition also features four more awards, with participants competing for £1,000 cash prizes in the following categories:

The ‘Vision of the Future’ award for inspiring or thought-provoking interpretations of our environment of the future as told through the photographer’s lens.

The ‘Recovering Nature’ award for images that show nature’s ability to recover and for examples of innovative nature-based solutions and conservation initiatives that are bringing nature back from the brink.

The ‘Keeping 1.5 Alive’ award for action-focused photography that highlights the urgency of curbing global warming.

The ‘Adapting for Tomorrow’ award for images that show how communities and nature are finding a way to live with the effects of our changing environment.

Young Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021 – Inferno by Amaan Ali, taken in Yamuna Ghat, New Delhi. It shows a boy fighting a forest fire near his home

Empowering photographers

Stefan Maier, general manager marketing at Nikon Europe, commented, ‘Integral to our brand’s purpose is empowering photographers and videographers to realise their creative vision and illuminate the ineffable. Nikon has been at the heart of many of the most important stories told over the course of the last century, and with climate change and environmental protection being amongst the most important stories of our time, we are delighted to be able to support this incredible award alongside CIWEM and WaterBear.’

Terry Fuller, chief executive of CIWEM, said, ‘It is important to showcase the interconnected nature of development, poverty reduction, equality, security and climate action and the unprecedented effort needed from all sectors of society to address the defining issues of our time. There is no more powerful way to do this than through the universal language of photography. CIWEM is committed to ensuring that the 2022 EPOTY competition challenges and inspires those in front of and behind the lens.’

Sam Sutaria, VP of strategy and development at WaterBear, revealed, ‘WaterBear is proud to be partnering with CIWEM and Nikon Europe for a second year, to further shine a spotlight on environmental stories through the lens of talented photographers. The photography industry has changed considerably over the last decade, but telling a great story is still the number one criteria for a winning photograph that will capture the hearts and minds of audiences across the world.’

The winner of the 2021 Environments of the Future category was Flood by Michele Lapini. It was taken at River Panaro, Nonantola, Modena, Italy, and shows a house submerged by the flooding of the River Panaro in the Po Valley due to heavy rainfall and melting snow