Our Biodiversity Photographer of the Year competition is open to all amateur photographers, whether you take photos as a hobby or it’s your first time out with a camera, all are welcome to enter.
Main Category
This year we are looking for photographs that celebrate Ireland’s rich web of life. The challenge is to capture an image of some of the biodiversity in your area. Whether you live in the heart of the countryside or the centre of a city, there is wildlife to be found.
Ocean Category
This year we are once again hosting an Ocean Category, sponsored by Fair Seas. Explore our underwater wildlife and shoreline to be in with a chance to win!
Any photos submitted that feature marine life will automatically be entered into the Ocean Category.
Photographing wildlife is an amazing way to spend time in close contact with nature for the photographer, and offers viewers a new perspective and opportunity to discover more about the animals, plants and landscapes that we share our world with.
While the benefits and joy of wildlife photography are evident to many, the dangers that inconsiderate photography practices pose to wildlife can be hidden and disastrous. It can be very tempting to get a bit closer, to leave out food, or to step off the path to get that perfect shot.
We encourage everyone to get involved in photographing local wildlife, as it is truly a wonderful experience, but please consider the experience and health of the wildlife too.
Negative physical impacts include danger of injury to an animal or damage to it’s home or essential habitat. Mental wellbeing impacts, such as raising stress levels due to close proximity, can have lasting effects that are unseen in the moment. Practices like baiting animals closer to the camera can have short and long-term behavioural impacts such as losing fear of humans due to feeding, or changing normal behaviours that could be detrimental in the long term.
Ethical wildlife photography also ensures that the image represents the reality of nature. Misrepresenting reality can change how we understand an animal’s behaviour or role in the eco-system, or can lead viewers to believe false theories about wildlife.
Place the welfare of the animal and habitat first. Get to know your subject – watch and wait rather than persue or chase. Follow laws that protect wildlife and stay on paths when there are paths present. Do not cross barriers in order to get closer to an animal. Avoid using bait to lure animals closer in most situations, and avoid using live bait at all times.
After you’ve taken a photograph, do not use photo altering techniques that change the reality of the situation you took the photo in. Be honest, accurate and authentic when talking about techniques used to capture an image, in post-production, captioning, and storytelling.
We have dedicated ourselves to supporting conservation and animal welfare through ethical photography and filmmaking. In doing this, part of the nature of conservation and wildlife storytelling must be putting the best interests of the animal, the species and the environment, first.
Our Terms and Conditions outline the practices and subjects we do not accept in our competition as part of our commitment.
Our judging panel includes people with wildlife photography experience and each photo that is considered for the shortlist is researched to ensure, to the best of our ability, that there was no disturbance caused to the subject as outlined in our T&Cs. We liaise with ecologists for certain subjects, and follow up with photographers for any clarifications needed about their image.
We are proud to support ethical wildlife photography guidelines for our competition, and have taken direction in this from multiple sources including the International League of Conservation Photographers. Each year we revise our T&Cs to reflect new data, and we welcome the input of wildlife photographers and conservationists. If you have any additional input regarding the ethics of wildlife photography and our competition please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Please read the Terms and Conditions thoroughly before submitting your entry.
Photo credits – Banner image: Jonathan Mitchell. Bluetit: Arun Davis
National Biodiversity Week is organised by the Irish Environmental Network (IEN), with thanks to funding from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Events are run by IEN member groups, as well as by Biodiversity Officers and other local groups.
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