2010 Windland Smith Rice
International Awards
UPLOAD YOUR PHOTOS | Guidelines PDF
ENDING SOON! Deadline: April 5, 2010
The editors of Nature's Best Photography magazine invite all photographers to enter the 14th Annual Windland Smith Rice International Awards competition for 2010. All winning images will be published in the 2010 Collectors Edition of Nature's Best Photography magazine. In addition, the category Winners and a selection of Highly Honored photographs will be displayed in an exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. The Grand Prize will also win a "Yellowstone in Winter" photo workshop provided by Arizona Highways Photo Workshops. Entries are judged on technical quality, originality, and artistic merit. Enter up to 20 images for an entry fee of $25 US dollars (no foreign checks). Each submission must follow the guidelines. Prints and images on negative film are NOT accepted. Submissions may be uploaded on this website or mailed to our office in Reston, Virginia (see below).
TO UPLOAD YOUR PHOTOS ONLINE:
* Prepare your images: Save each of your images as low-resolution JPEGs files NO LARGER THAN 500K, at 72 ppi, (the size varies, it may be approximately 720 to 1000 pixels on the longest side).
* Carefully follow the instructions on the upload page.
* After entering online: Photographers who have images that pass into the final round for judging will be required to supply high-resolution files (and RAW files if available), a more complete caption and camera specifications before the final judging. Failure to supply requested materials will lead to disqualification. NOTE: Information on how to send high-resolution files and accompanying caption information will be provided to you if your images reach the final round.
TO SUBMIT PHOTOS BY MAIL OR COURIER:
Follow the directions on the Entry PDF. Include BOTH low and high resolution files on discs or carefully packaged and protected transparencies, along with the $25 entry fee (US dollars only), and the completed 2009 Awards Entry Form (Download PDF) with ALL information clearly filled out. Mail your entry (see all the details on the PDF) to:
NATURE'S BEST PHOTOGRAPHY
2010 WINDLAND SMITH RICE AWARDS
11411-C SUNSET HILLS ROAD
RESTON, VIRGINIA, 20190 USA
PHONE: 703-467-9783
QUESTIONS? Awards@naturesbestphotography.com
The Judging Process
During the preliminary round, obvious factors will instantly eliminate an image from the competition, such as the main subject being out of focus, blown-out highlights, poor compositions, or bad exposures. In addition, one of the fastest ways to be removed from consideration is to present images that are just like the ones we have already selected. We want to see fresh images that reflect your talent. When you try to make your photographs unique in some way, you increase your chances of moving to the next round.
Once a photograph has entered the second round, it has been judged technically sufficient to merit a closer look at the composition, artistry, and the uniqueness of the image. The second round is also where images within single categories compete with one another. Several of the categories are obvious favorites: in the Windland Smith Rice Awards Competition the Wildlife category tops the list, followed closely by Landscapes. For example, back in 2007, there were 108 images passed on to the second round within the Landscape category alone, while just 17 did so in Zoos and Aquariums category and a mere 15 made it into Environmental Issues. The odds of having your image selected as a winner increase with limited competition, so you may want to submit more images that fit within the more specific categories. During the second round, we look for particularly striking images that stand out. Compositions are well-balanced, all of the elements that are in the image add to it, and nothing detracts. The primary subject is kept away from the edge of the frame. Horizons are level. No artificial light has been added unless it is well-controlled, such as fill flash or bounced natural light that leaves the image looking as it appears in nature. Images that excite our senses and offer new ways of seeing familiar topics quickly rise to the top.
Images that pass the review during second round reach the final round. Technically these are all fantastic shots, whether razor sharp or blurred by intention. The compositions are strong and dynamic. The images can stand alone and capture the imagination or emotion of the viewer. At this point, each photograph is capable of being selected as a winner. The final round is the most difficult round. With so many images technically and artistically qualified to win, we must finally chose the winners. At this point we examine each original transparency or high-resolution file in great detail, taking into consideration which images seem familiar, and which ones seem new, fresh, or different. Ultimately the judges reach agreement and settle on the finalists, including the Grand Prize winner, category Winners, and Highly Honored images. With regret, many excellent images that deserve recognition simply have to be left out due to lack of space in the magazine and in the exhibitions. Our prizes vary from contest to contest, but if your image is selected it will be published in our high-quality print magazine (sold at the Smithsonian) and you will receive exposure if you are selected to be featured in the Smithsonian's website, on Pixcetera, MSNBC, New York Daily News, or Discovery photo galleries, as well as Audubon, Divers Alert Network, and others. Also, if you are a category winner or highly honored in a category of the Windland Smith Rice International Awards competition, your image may be enlarged and framed and displayed in our annual photo exhibition in one of the most prestigious and most highly-visited museums in the world.
Please read this article carefully and follow these tips to improve your chances of making it to the final round. We want to see your best shots and share them to help motivate a deeper appreciation of the natural world through the art of photography. Good luck! — The Editors *Nature’s Best Publishing LLC is not responsible for damage or loss incurred during shipment to or from our offices.
**Entrants must not infringe on the rights of any other photographer, landowner or other person. Photographs involving willful harassment of wildlife, destruction of habitat or property are unacceptable.
***Failure to comply with contest guidelines will lead to disqualification.
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
Copyright: Photographers own their own copyright and enter Nature’s Best Photography Awards competitions of their own free will. As a condition of having a photograph selected as a winning image, photographers agree to a non-exclusive transfer of worldwide rights allowing Nature’s Best Publishing, LLC (NBP) the following uses including, but not limited to: publishing the image(s) in upcoming issues of Nature’s Best Photography magazine; hanging the image(s) in public exhibitions; and displaying the image(s) on the NBP and other websites; and using the image(s) to promote Nature’s Best Photography competitions. ‘Non-exclusive’ allows the photographer to market the image as they choose. NBP does not restrict future sales of the image, rather NBP enhances opportunities to market the photograph as a ‘Winner’ in a very prestigious competition. Many photographers have found their sales to increase based in part on their participation in NBP award competitions. | | AWARDS CATEGORIES
FOR 2010:
NEW FOR 2010!
• AFRICAN WILDLIFE
Sponsor: African Wildlife Foundation
• ANIMAL ANTICS
• ART IN NATURE
• BIRDS
• CAMERA CLUB
• CONSERVATION
PHOTOGRAPHER
OF THE YEAR
• CREATIVE DIGITAL
• ENDANGERED
SPECIES
• ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES
• LANDSCAPE
• OCEANS
• PEOPLE IN NATURE
• PLANT LIFE
• SMALL WORLD
SPECTACULARS
• WEATHER
• WILDLIFE
• YOUTH
PHOTOGRAPHER
OF THE YEAR
• ZOOS & AQUARIUMS
Tips for Entering The best way to get a sense of what we look for is to study current and past winning images of Nature's Best Photography competitions in our magazines and view the photos in the Awards Galleries on our website. You may purchase our back issues to see more past winners on our Back Issues page. Visit our exhibits at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. Try to determine what makes the images we have selected special? What is pleasing or unusual about the images? What would you do differently if you were trying to capture a similar scene or species with your camera? |
