One of my aims this year is to enter some competitions, sparked by looking at the entries in last years Dorset County Show. I figure that trying to take photos with competitions in mind will help improve my skills.

The ones I hope to enter so far are:

Dorset County Show
British Ecological Society
Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the year

I don't doubt for a second that I'll win anything, it's more for the practice and curiosity than anything else.

The problem is choosing which photos to enter. The Dorset and BES competitions haven't opened yet so I don't know what the themes are, but the NHS one has a list, and I only have a month and a bit to enter:

Quote1. Animals in their Environment
Images in the behaviour categories must show how the animal fits into its natural home and must convey a sense of place. Remember, the environment is as important as the animal itself, allowing you to tell a story and reveal more about your subject.

2. Behaviour: Birds
3. Behaviour: Mammals
4. Behaviour: All Other Animals
Images must capture memorable, unusual or interesting behaviour. It is crucial to show genuine behaviour: just 'looking' or 'sitting' isn't enough. Judges will look for images with an aesthetic appeal, a unique interest value, and a dramatic action.

5. Underwater World
Images must feature marine or freshwater life taken under water. A combination of interest value and aesthetic appeal is just as important underwater as on land.

6. Animal Portraits
Portraits should capture the unique character or spirit of the animal. Images should be imaginative and convey a sense of intimacy and immediacy.

7. In Praise of Plants and Fungi
Pictures should capture the beauty and importance of plant life in its natural habitat. Judges will be looking for artistic merit and creativity rather than a simple scientific record.

8. Urban Wildlife
Pictures must show wild plants or animals in an obviously urban or suburban environment. Look for subjects on your doorstep and capture images that are unusual, poignant, beautiful or striking compositions.

9. Nature in Black and White
Judges will be looking for skilful use of the black and white medium, where pure graphic quality and a well composed image can often increase the intensity. Dodging, burning and toning are allowed. The subject can be any wild landscape, animal, plant or other living organism.

10. Creative Visions of Nature
Judges will be looking for a well-defined thought process, originality and an attempt to convey a deeper understanding of nature and wildlife through a conceptual vision of the world. Images should be surprising, artistic, perhaps even abstract or ambiguous, but nevertheless executed to exacting standards.

11. Wild Places
This is a category for landscape photographs. Judges will be looking for beautiful light, a true feeling of wildness and a sense of awe. Stitched images and panoramics are allowed.


Special Awards
Wildlife Photojournalist of the Year
This award is for a memorable story told in 6 images. All subjects covered by other categories in the competition are eligible, whether featuring animal behaviour or environmental issues (positive or negative). The story should work without the aid of words and will be judged on the picture quality as well as the power of the story itself.

Eric Hosking Award
This award encourages and rewards the talents of young photographers between the ages of 18 to 26. You must submit a portfolio of 10 images that you think represents your very best work.

Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife
This important award raises awareness of endangered species through photographic excellence. Species (both animals and plants) photographed must be categorised in the 2010 IUCN Red List as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable or near threatened at an international or national level (if the latter, please supply details). Images must be memorable and capture the unique character or spirit of the subject.

I'll be going through my flickr photostream to see what I have that might fit those categories. not sure my recent bird photos are eligable, rules state no live bait, bird food isn't exactly live, but I think is cheating anyway. I'll post what I think might be usable later...In the meantime, has anyone else entered competitions in the past, or are entering them this year? How did you get on, and know of any other good competitions to enter?

Annoyingly the NHS competition rules say you need to have taken the images with a camera capable of producing RAW images, so basically most of my insect/wildlife stuff taken whilst working on my Olympus compact can't be entered

These are the photos I've got that I'm thinking of entering, not sure some of them are eligable as I'm pretty sure I've since lost the RAW format images.

1. Animals in their Environment
2. Behaviour: Birds
3. Behaviour: Mammals
4. Behaviour: All Other Animals
5. Underwater World
6. Animal Portraits


Blackbird head closeup by Chris_Moody, on Flickr


Robin redcrest by Chris_Moody, on Flickr



7. In Praise of Plants and Fungi


Macro mushroom by Chris_Moody, on Flickr



8. Urban Wildlife


Lake side duck by Chris_Moody, on Flickr

9. Nature in Black and White


Mist and trees in the New Forest by Chris_Moody, on Flickr


10. Creative Visions of Nature


Orange in the white by Chris_Moody, on Flickr

11. Wild Places


New Forest Reflections by Chris_Moody, on Flickr

Special Awards
Wildlife Photojournalist of the Year
Eric Hosking Award

Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife