National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Contest, 2017

The 2017 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year contest is now accepting submissions.

National Geography is looking for spectacular pictures that tell the story of animals, lands, and environments around the world. From December 1-11, 2017, Their fans will vote for their favorite photos. Images with the most votes will be named the Peoples’ Choice winner.

Eligibility

Submissions must be in digital format. Only online entries will be eligible. No print or film submissions will be accepted for entry into this Contest.

The photograph need not be taken with a digital camera; scans of negatives, transparencies, or photographic prints are acceptable. All digital files must be 20 megabytes or smaller, must be in JPEG or .jpg format, and must be at least 1,600 pixels wide (if a horizontal image) or 1,600 pixels tall (if a vertical image).

Submissions must have been taken within two (2) years before the date of entry and may not previously have won an award in the National Geographic International Photography Contest, the National Geographic Photography Contest, National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest, National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Contest or any National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year contest.

Only minor burning, dodging and/or color correction is acceptable, as is minor cropping. High dynamic range images (HDR) and stitched panoramas are acceptable. Any changes to the original photograph not itemized here or in the Guidelines are unacceptable and will render the Submission ineligible for a prize.The Submission, in its entirety, must be a single work of original material taken by the Contest entrant. In addition:

- The Submission must not, in the sole and unfettered discretion of Sponsor, contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content;
- The caption must be complete and accurate, sufficient to convey the circumstances in which the photograph was taken. Disguising or misrepresenting the origin of your content is cause for disqualification;
- Watermarks are unacceptable. Unless Sponsor receives a non-watermarked version of the Submission within ten (10) days following its request, the Submission will be disqualified;
- Each Submission must be the submitting entrant’s own, produced work and may not feature or focus on any material owned or controlled by third parties (unless the entrant can provide written documentation of permission to use any materials owned by a third party as set forth below or in a form and substance determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion);
- The entrant must provide upon request all appropriate clearances, permissions and releases (including but not limited to releases from all persons appearing in the Submission, location releases, and releases from all creative consultants or others who assisted in the creation of the Submission) for the Submission in a form and substance determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion (in the event an entrant cannot provide all required releases, Sponsor reserves the right, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, to disqualify the applicable Submission, or seek to secure the releases and clearances for Sponsor’s benefit, or allow the applicable Submission to remain in Contest)

Benefits
- The grand-prize winner will receive USD 7,500;
- Their winning image will be published in an upcoming issue of National Geographic magazine and featured on the @NatGeo Instagram account.
- One first-place winner will be selected from each of the four categories. Each winner will receive USD 2,500.

Further details:
National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Contest, 2017