The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 61 competition is now open for entries from photographers of all ages and experience. For the first time, entries for all photographers under the age of 26 will receive FREE entry.
The entry fee waiver continues to be extended to photographers who live in Africa, Southeast Asia and Central and South America. Entries are open until 11.30 GMT on 5 December 2024.
From Natural History Museum: Wildlife Photographer of the Year has opened its sixty-first competition, calling for entries from photographers across the globe of all nationalities, backgrounds and experience levels. New for this year’s competition, all entrants under 26 years old will receive free entry in line with Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s commitment to increasing accessibility. The competition will also continue its waived fee for 107 countries that have historically been underrepresented.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 61
For the world’s oldest and most prestigious wildlife photography competition, this year’s esteemed international jury comprises seven experts across a range of wildlife and conservation topics. They will select the top 100 images, including the competition’s 16 winners in categories ranging from
mammal behaviour and urban wildlife to underwater and photojournalism. There are also 3 categories in the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for photographers 17 years old and under. Wildlife Photographer of the Year will also continue its brand-new Impact Award which was launched for the sixtieth anniversary of the competition to recognise a conservation success, a story of hope and/or positive change.
New for this year’s competition, entrants between 18 and 26 years old can enter up to 25 images free of charge. This is in addition to the competition’s long-standing regulation that photographers aged 17 and under can enter up to 10 images free of charge in the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. As per last year, the entry fee waiver is extended to photographers who live in Africa, Southeast Asia and Central and South America.
These are three regions that have previously been underrepresented in the competition. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is passionate about increasing female and non-binary representation in the competition and wider wildlife photography. Following last year’s record number
of female and non-binary entrants to the competition, Wildlife Photographer of the Year is continuing to offer discounted entry to members of organisations that support diversity in wildlife photography.
Kathy Moran, Chair of the Jury, says some words of encouragement to all photographers: “Be original. Trust in your work. All species and landscapes, great and small, have the potential to captivate and motivate. Surprise us with what has delighted you this year and we can’t wait to once
again be amazed.”
Gemma Ward, Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition Manager, says: “We’re very excited to welcome such an esteemed and insightful jury to select the next Wildlife Photographer of the Year. With our new entry fee waiver for photographers between 18 and 26 years old, we hope for
the sixty-first competition to be our biggest and widest reaching yet. Diversifying the medium is a core driver of our work, so we are also delighted to continue free entry to the competition for countries that have so far been underrepresented in wildlife photography.”
For full details about the jury, competition rules, prizes and important dates, please visit nhm.ac.uk/wpy
The 60th Competition and Winners
The winners of the sixtieth Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition were recently revealed at an awards ceremony hosted by renowned wildlife presenters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin in the Natural History Museum’s iconic Hintze Hall. The competition attracted nearly 60,000 entries from 117 countries and territories.
Canadian photographer Shane Gross was announced as this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his breathtaking photograph ‘The Swarm of Life’ which shines a light on the magical underwater world of western toad tadpoles.
Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas from Germany was awarded Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 for his up-close image ‘Life Under Dead Wood’, depicting the fruiting bodies of slime mould and a tiny springtail.
Please find full information on the sixtieth competition and its winners here.
Further reading:
- Dusk to Dawn – Share your low light photos to win a £500 voucher!
- The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards shortlist is here!
- Impactful conservation photo wins Bird Photographer of the Year
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