National Wildlife magazine’s 53rd annual photo contest is open for submissions from January 17, 2024, through March 31, 2024. All entries support the conservation mission of the National Wildlife Federation, which is dedicated to saving wildlife species and habitats. Amateur and professional photographers alike are encouraged to share their best images of wildlife and wild lands, from around the world and their own backyards. Good luck!
Sign up to be notified when the 2023 photo contest opens for entry.
You can submit images in any of these nine categories:
• Birds
• Mammals
• Baby Animals (young of any species)
• Other Wildlife (underwater life, reptiles, amphibians, insects, spiders, macro and more)
• Landscapes & Plants (from broad vistas to single blooms)
• People in Nature (responsibly enjoying wildlife or the outdoors)
• Mobile (entries taken with phones or tablets)
• Portfolio (up to 10 images built around a common theme related to nature or conservation)
• Young Nature Photographers (ages 13 to 17)
The grand prize winner will be honored with the National Wildlife Nature’s Witness Award and receive $5,000. The winner of the portfolio category will receive $750. In each of the eight additional categories, first place wins $500, and second place wins $250. Photo contest entrants are also eligible for the People’s Choice Award. Anyone 13 years of age or older can get in on the fun and vote!
Winners will be announced in a press release, featured on our social media channels and published in print and/or online.
Now entering its 53rd year, the prestigious National Wildlife Photo Contest celebrates wildlife, habitats and the natural world, with an emphasis on conservation and ethical photography honoring the well-being of animals in the wild. Modest entry fees support the conservation work of the National Wildlife Federation and inspire our millions of members and supporters to care about wildlife and act on its behalf.
The National Wildlife Photo Contest, which began over five 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 52nd annual photo contest was open from January 18, 2023 through April 2, 2023. Every person who entered not only honored their own work, but also helped 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. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's contest. We sincerely appreciate your contribution and we’re glad you’re a part of this growing family of talented, dedicated people!
A selection of the winning photographs and honorable mentions from the 2023 contest will be published in the Winter 2024 issue of National Wildlife magazine. All winning images and honorable mentions will be published on the National Wildlife Federation’s website. NWF anticipates notifying winners by October 2023. The grand prize winner will be honored with the National Wildlife Nature’s Witness Award and receive $5,000. The winner of our portfolio category will receive $750. In each of the eight additional categories, first place wins $500 and second place wins $250. Photo contest entrants are also eligible for the People’s Choice Award. Anyone 13+ years of age can get in on the fun and vote! Winners will be announced in a press release, highlighted through our social media channels and published in print and/or online.
This long-running, prestigious contest is unique because it celebrates wildlife, habitats and the natural world with an emphasis on conservation and on ethical photography that honors the well-being of animals in the wild. Your photos help support the conservation work of the National Wildlife Federation—and help inspire our millions of members and supporters to care about wildlife and to act on its behalf.
The fifth annual Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest attracted more than 7,200 photos from some 1,000 photographers sharing their love of nature—from city patios to rural meadows. Submitted in five categories, “these photographs showcase the beauty and importance of wildlife-friendly landscapes,” says GFW Manager Erin Sweeney. We hope you’ll enjoy this year's memorable winners.
Surprise! As our photo contest judges review the thousands of images submitted to our contest each year, some frames jump out with intense emotional punch. That was certainly the case in our 2022 contest, which drew over 30,000 photos from some 3,100 photographers around the world. The winners presented here, from each of our nine different categories, reflect nature in all its rich variety, from moments of raw but life-giving predation to a parent’s tender embrace, from lofty cliffside perches to placid undersea meadows. Whether avid amateurs or longtime professionals, nature photographers who share their gifts help the rest of us see the world through new eyes—and inspire us to save what we see. As the early, renowned nature photographer Ansel Adams once said, “Ask yourself: ‘Does this subject move me to feel, think and dream?’” Here we invite you to feast your eyes and dream away.
The 2021 Garden for Wildlife™ Photo Contest showcased the impact that habitat gardens can have on wildlife and people alike. Selected from more than 9,000 incredible images entered, this year's winning photographs—as well as the stunning photographs that earned honorable mentions—capture an array of creative and inspiring moments showcasing the power, breadth, and impact of habitat gardens.
The National Wildlife® Photo Contest, which began five decades ago, celebrates the power of photography to advance conservation and connect both photographers and viewers with wildlife and the outdoors. Compelling nature images can help protect wildlife in profound ways.
These images—made ethically in the wild—can inspire people to care about the creatures that share our planet—and to act on their behalf. For wildlife photographers, documenting the lives of animals is a passionate mission, revealing what’s often unseen and igniting human compassion for the natural world we’re all bound to protect. You’ll feel that bond when you gaze at these glorious winning images, standouts from the more than 40,400 we received in our 2021 photo contest. With special thanks to Tamron, proud supporter of the 2021 National Wildlife Photo Contest.
The National Wildlife Photo Contest, which began nearly five decades ago, celebrates the power of nature photography. These compelling images—made ethically in the wild—can inspire people to care about the creatures that share our planet and act on their behalf. For wildlife photographers, documenting the lives of animals is a passionate mission—revealing what’s often unseen and igniting human compassion for the natural world we’re all bound to protect. You’ll feel that bond when you gaze at these glorious winning images and honorable mentions, standouts from the from the more than 29,000 we received in our 2020 photo contest. With special thanks to Tamron, proud supporter of the 2020 National Wildlife Photo Contest.
The National Wildlife Federation and the American Association for the Advancement of Science are proud to present “Nature’s Witness™,” an exhibition of 50 powerful wildlife photographs chosen to inspire conservation. Check out our virtual exhibit.
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