National Wildlife Photo Contest

The 2019 National Wildlife Photo Contest will open on January 16, 2019.

The National Wildlife® Photo Contest, which began more than four decades ago, celebrates the power of photography to advance conservation and connect both photographers and viewers with wildlife and the outdoors. The most compelling nature images can help protect wildlife in profound ways.

Our 48th annual photo contest begins January 16. Every person who enters not only honors their own work, but also helps support the conservation mission of the National Wildlife Federation, which is dedicated to saving wildlife species and their habitats. Photographers retain rights to their work. Those who choose to donate some of their images share joint ownership with NWF, and further help us advance our conservation mission.

We are excited to announce the following eight categories for entry in our 2019 contest: Birds, Mammals, Reptiles & Amphibians, Insects & Other Invertebrates, Underwater Wonders, Landscapes & Plants, People in Nature, and a new Youth category for nature photographers age 13-17.

A selection of the winning photographs and honorable mentions from the 2019 contest will be published in the December-January 2020 issue of National Wildlife magazine. All winning images and honorable mentions will also be published on the National Wildlife Federation’s website, and some will be featured in an exhibit in downtown Washington, DC. Check back here soon for updates!

The editors of National Wildlife magazine want to thank the thousands of photographers who entered images in our 47th annual photo contest in 2018. We greatly appreciate your time and effort, and we enjoyed reviewing your beautiful work. The winning photographs—selected from more than 23,000 images—showcase what makes a photograph shine. A vivid play of color or pattern. A mood, either tender or bleak. A fleeting moment frozen in time. Raw power, pure emotion. Whatever the root of the magic, these images, and so many more given honorable mention, reflect the passion and craft of photographers from around the world whose vision brings nature to life. Some painstakingly planned a shot, using trial, error and patience to capture it. Others transformed a lucky moment into something unforgettable. And all of them help us see and feel that the natural world is worth our vigilant care.

You can further support our mission by becoming a member of the National Wildlife Federation, which entitles you to receive National Wildlife magazine as a benefit of membership. For more information on how to join and get the magazine, click here.