May 2026 Photo Contest Image Critique
- Presented by: Daniel Cadieux & Bill Maynard
- When: Tuesday, June 30, 2026 1:00 pm EDT
- Theme: Flora & Wildlife
What You'll Learn:
- How to create stronger wildlife images by intentionally incorporating flowers, plants, and natural surroundings into your compositions.
- What separates winning contest images from the rest, including the importance of composition, visual flow, storytelling, and purposeful framing.
- Techniques for capturing fleeting moments through preparation, subject research, and anticipating wildlife behavior rather than relying on luck.
- How to make confident camera setting decisions for fast-moving subjects, including when to increase shutter speed and ISO to maximize sharpness.
- Practical ways to enhance your wildlife photographs in post-processing using DxO PhotoLab, PureRAW, and the Nik Collection while maintaining a natural look.
- How experienced judges evaluate wildlife photographs and the common strengths that consistently elevate images to the finalist and winning level.
Here's What Some Of Our Attendees Had To Say...
Congratulations to The Winners 🎉
May 2026 Wildlife Photography Contest Beginner Category Winner
May 2026 Wildlife Photography Contest Intermediate Category Winner
May 2026 Wildlife Photography Contest Advanced Category Winner
SPECIAL GIVEAWAYS BROUGHT TO YOU BY DxO
We’ve partnered with DxO, the creators of PhotoLab, PureRAW, and the Nik Collection, to give away licenses to their powerful RAW editing tools.
During the live session, we’ll be raffling off multiple licenses for PureRAW6.
If you’ve been struggling with noise, detail, or getting the most out of your RAW files, this is software many serious photographers rely on.
We’ll also share a limited-time offer from DxO after the training.
Meet Your Instructor
Daniel Cadieux & Bill Maynard
Daniel Cadieux and Bill Maynard lead our monthly contest critiques, combining decades of experience in wildlife photography with a deep understanding of what makes an image stand out.
Daniel Cadieux is a highly respected bird and nature photographer based in Canada, with years of experience studying and photographing wildlife behavior, as well as contributing to the broader birding and photography community.
Bill Maynard is an award-winning wildlife photographer whose work has been featured by organizations such as Canadian Geographic and the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
Together, they break down winning images and submitted entries to show exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how you can improve your own photography in the field.
What to Expect
Here’s What Our Live Critique Sessions Are Like
Each month, we host a live session where contest winners are revealed and selected images are reviewed in detail by our judges.
You’ll see exactly why certain images stood out, how they were evaluated, and what separated them from the rest.
During the critique, we break down real submissions to show what works, what holds an image back, and how small changes in composition, light, or timing can make a stronger impact.
You’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions and get direct insight into how experienced photographers think through decisions in the field.
If you can’t attend live, the full session is recorded and added to the library so you can watch anytime.
To attend this live event or watch the replay, you must be a member of the Journal of Wildlife Photography.
Members get access to live trainings and critiques designed to help serious wildlife photographers improve faster through real instruction and real feedback.
Each session focuses on practical decisions made in the field and why certain images succeed while others fall short.
When you join today, you can attend live or watch the full replay anytime.
Unlock this session and all member-only trainings and critiques by choosing a membership below.
Stop Guessing. Start Here.
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4TH OF JULY SALE! 40% OFF ANY MEMBERSHIP
- 5 photo contest entries per month
- Live monthly trainings + full recording archive
- Live monthly critiques so you can see why images win
- Every back issue, video, and article unlocked instantly
- Private photographer community with real feedback
- Members-only discounts from top photography brands.
- 5 Free Anytime Photo Credits ($50 Value). These credits can be used on any future monthly wildlife photo contest you choose. They never expire, so you can save them for themes you really love throughout the year.
- 10 photo contest entries per month
- Lifetime access to every training, critique, and recording, past and future
- The full Journal library, every issue, every video, every article
- Lifetime access to the private community
- 15% off all future full-price purchases
- Members-only discounts from top photography brands.
- 10 Free Anytime Photo Credits ($100 Value). These credits can be used on any future monthly wildlife photo contest you choose. They never expire, so you can save them for themes you really love throughout the year.