Wildlife Photography Contest

Please read and follow the rules carefully. Failure to comply with all rules will disqualify your entry.

Official Rules:

• You must be a member of JOWP to enter.
• Members can purchase more entries here: Addition entry credits.
• You must be the photographer who took the photo and hold all rights to the image.
• No illustrations, paintings, or AI generated photos allowed.
• ALL finalists will be required to submit the RAW/Original file within 5 days of the request from the judges.
• Your photo doesn’t have to be new; however, we encourage you to get out and create new, fresh photographs.
• Animals must be wild and free, unrestrained, and not domesticated or living in captivity.
• Content alteration of digital files is not acceptable. This means no cloning (except dust spots).
• Moderate cropping of photographs is allowed.
• Modest leveling of horizon lines is allowed.
• Sharpening, exposure and tonal or color corrections are permitted.
• Modest dodging and burning are permitted.
• Selective noise reduction on the background and/or the subject is permitted.
• Images must NOT have a border, watermark, signature, logo or any other identifiable data.
• By entering the contest, entrants agree that their images have been taken following our ethical wildlife photography guidelines.
• Entrants under 18 years of age require the permission of a parent or guardian. By entering the contest, entrants under 18 years of age agree that they have obtained permission to enter from a parent or guardian.
• The Journal of Wildlife Photography will NOT retain copyright, ownership, or any other rights to your images, however, by submitting your photo/s to our contest, you give JoWP permission to use your images for purposes of promoting current or future photo contests via journalofwildlifephotography.com, JoWP.com, our social media platforms, the JoWP magazine featuring contest winners/runners-up and electronic email.
• Entries are accepted worldwide.

Submitting a photo:

• For the best possible experience, we recommend using Google Chrome. Other browsers will work; however, some people have had some issues uploading.
• All photographic entries must be submitted electronically. Digital files must be at least 1500 pixels and no more than 2000 pixels on the long edge, with resolution set to 72 ppi.
• Accepted file formats: jpg or png.
• Maximum file size is 10 MB.
• You are expected to give your photo a short title (maximum five words), include a brief caption (maximum 50 words), and name the specific location where you photographed your entry (backyard, “X” City Park, “X” Nature Center, and the city, state/province, and country).

Choosing Your Skill Level:

Participants must enter their images in ONE skill category only. Anyone who enters in more than one skill level will be disqualified.

• Beginner: Entrant is getting to know the basics of his/her camera and learning fundamental skills such as the basics of exposure (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO), focus, composition, perspective, and depth of field. We strongly encourage members who enter this category to submit images taken within the past 36 months. This rule does not apply to Intermediate or Advanced Categories.
• Intermediate: Most intermediate photographers have learned how to take their cameras out of Program Mode and use other modes to control the camera’s ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.
• Advanced: Entrant has mastered the beginner’s skills and is working to fully master the use of light in his/her photography.

Prizes

• Winners of the beginner, intermediate and advanced categories will each receive a $500! (Paid via PayPal)
• Winning entries are to be featured in the following issue of the Journal of Wildlife Photography showcasing the beautiful work and stories behind the photographs.