2013 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition

Calling all photographers! The 2013 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is now open for entries. Enter online at www.wildlifephotographeroftheyear.com and take part in one of the world’s most prestigious photography events. Compete for the coveted titles of Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year and: • receive a share of the £30,000 prize pot, including £10,000 for the adult overall winner. • win a trip to London to attend the exclusive awards night at the Natural History Museum. • revel in the critical acclaim of the global media spotlight. • be showcased in the Museum’s world renowned exhibition, tour and portfolio book. Don’t leave it until the last minute - find out how to take part Closing date: 25 February 2013 From the Chair © Jim Brandenburg The 2013 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is now open to entries and this will be my second time at the helm. As Chair of the 2012 competition, I found myself in the fascinating position of being able to observe the jury without compromising their important task of evaluating and selecting submissions. I was impressed by the seriousness of the panel charged with making some very difficult decisions, and felt fortunate to be amidst such talent, the highest calibre in the world of natural history photography, who made for some extremely stimulating and challenging discussions. The nuances of imagery brought out the best in all the judges, one could see the level of thoughtful deliberation does not get any better. The stakes are high with such a prestigious competition so we all knew it was important to get it right. I, for one, am proud of the final selection of winning photographs and am quite sure that some are future classics, moments of unquestionable beauty and unpalatable tragedy immortalised through today’s technology. But now my focus of attention is not on what has been, rather what will be as the 2013 competition opens, and I call on your all to enter your finest, most compelling, courageous work, so that my fellow judges and I may once again find ourselves transported to other worlds where we discuss the techniques, artistry and ethics behind the diverse array of compositions. Wildlife photography is a universal language that makes for an exciting and powerful communications tool and photographers carry a responsibility to their subjects, to their audience, to themselves. For this the simple mantra holds true - take only photographs, leave nothing but footprints. Every place, plant, and animal, whether above or below water, is unique, and subtle impacts will accumulate over time to devastating effect. We must therefore always encourage those who enjoy photographing nature to do so in a way that best promotes good stewardship of our natural resources. Despite shifts in technology that enable us to get even closer to our subjects, we must remain true to our roots, focusing on in-camera excellence, skill, ingenuity, patience, dedication, passion and a simple narrative underpinning each and every image. So the time is right to edit your collection and submit those images that you believe will wow our loyal audience across the world, fuelling understanding, promoting discussion, provoking reactions that cause change and ensure that there is a legacy.…a very natural legacy. Jim Brandenburg 2013 Jury Joining Jim this year will be another great line up including: Ingo Arndt, wildlife photographer (Germany) Sophie Boulet-Gercourt, executive, Biosphoto (France) Luciano Candisani, wildlife photojournalist (Brazil) Tui De Roy, naturalist, wildlife photographer (New Zealand) Richard Eccleston, Art Editor, BBC Wildlife magazine (UK) Ruth Eichhorn, Director of Photography, GEO magazine (Germany) Lisa Lytton, Director, Paraculture Books, Director of Digital Editions, National Geographic Magazine (US) Koji Nakamura, underwater photographer, President, Japan Underwater Films (Japan) Elio Lello Piazza, natural history picture editor (Italy) Anna Sever, director, picture editor, ASA Agency (Spain) Igor Shpilenok, wildlife photographer (Russia) Hans Strand, landscape photographer (Sweden) Jan Vermeer, wildlife photographer (The Netherlands) Steve Winter, wildlife photojournalist and Director of Media, Panthera (US) Find out more about the 2013 jury 2012 Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition The acclaimed show, featuring the 100 awarded images from the 2012 Competition, is now on display at the Natural History Museum, London, until 3 March 2013. Book tickets now If you can’t visit London keep an eye out for the images as they tour to venues across the world. To find out if the exhibition will be close to you visit our website. Don’t forget to also pick up the February issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine (on sale now) which includes tips on how to be a winner this year. Visit us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter at @NHM_London