FAQ | Natural Landscape Photography Awards

FAQ

If you have any burning questions then have a look at our FAQ first to see if the answer is already there!

Competition FAQ

Entry FAQ

Judging FAQ

Competition FAQ

 

Why did you create yet ANOTHER competition? How is it different?

There are lots of photography competitions out there but they tend to have similar rules with regard to image editing and certain styles have started to dominate. The aim of this competition is to create a showcase for those quieter styles of image making, which we think represent the very best of landscape photography! We have also written a dedicated section on this.

How much does it cost to enter?

We will be using the same fee structure as last year:

Main Competition

  • $16 for 1 image
  • $44 for 6 images
  • $66 for 12 images
  • $110 for 18 images

Project Category

  • $33 entry for 6-10 images
  • $60 entry for two projects, each 6-10 images

Where is my money going?

All contest proceeds will be used for the following purposes:

  • Judges – we pay our judges well for their time and for the critique sessions they help to lead throughout the year.
  • Book production – Each year we produce a high-quality fine-art book that costs over $25,000 to print.
  • Limited overhead costs – including the website hosting, graphic design, etc.
  • Marketing – predominantly social media advertising.
  • Prizes – in 2025 we plan to distribute $16,500 in cash prizes to winners.

Entry FAQ

How can I enter?

Entries open on April 15, 2025 and close on May 31, 2025. After that point it should be easy to follow the process but if you have any technical issues please contact us.

 

How many photos can I enter?

There is a maximum of 18 entries per person (plus two projects). This is to prevent someone from significantly increasing their odds of winning by submitting more images.

 

Do I need to remove metadata from the images?

No our system will handle this automatically.

 

Will my edits break the rules on digital adjustments?

The vast majority of landscape photography today would be allowed! In general material changes to the scene are not allowed (adding and removing subjects for example) unless those changes are almost inconsequential (minor cloning for example). Tonal, contrast and color changes are all allowed and expected as long as the integrity of the subject is maintained. All of this is laid out in the rules.

 

Can I enter my ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) photo?

Yes, as long as it is recognizably a landscape photograph and passes all of the other rules.

 

Can I enter if I am a professional or amateur?

Yes. We currently do not distinguish between the two designations, nor is there a well-established industry-accepted differentiation between the two that makes sense. For example, retired amateurs with heaps of expendable income have more time and resources to produce high-quality work than a full-time working professional that has to worry about running a business. Conversely, what definition would you use for “professional” anyways? Lastly, it’s important to remember that the word amateur means, “for the love of it.”

 

I’m not a popular photographer. Do I have a chance at winning?

Metadata will be completely stripped from images so no one will know whose image is whose. Aside from that there are hundreds of amateurs and less known photographers making incredible work independently. Every year there have been notable winners of both full-time professionals and amateurs.

 

Are there limits on when the photos must be taken?

No; however, to be eligible for the Photographer of the Year prize, greater than 50% of your entries should have been made within the last 5 years. There is no time limit on images captured for the Project submissions.

 

What is the Project Award? How is that different to the overall winner?

The Project Award is a standalone part of the competition where photographers will be judged on a small body of work. This collection should have a link between the images and have some form of coherence either in color/meaning/subject/location etc. This small portfolio of work is judged together as a collection.
In contrast, the overall winner (The Photographer of the Year) will be the photographer judged to have submitted the best 6 photographs that show artistry, craft and variety of approach or subject matter. These photos may be submitted to different categories. If you submit 6 or more images then you will automatically be considered for the overall title, you do not need to separately enter for consideration.

 

Can I enter to compete in both the Project Award and the overall competition?

Yes; however, they are separate submissions. For example, if you have six images you’d like to enter for the Project Award and you’d like to enter those same six images for the overall competition, you’d enter them in both separately.

It is worth saying that historically we have had a number of projects entered with individual images that would have been strong enough to be contenders for category awards, but they were sadly excluded since they were only entered as part of a project!

 

I shoot on film, how will you verify my RAW File!?

If you make it to later stages of the competition and are asked to provide a RAW file, you can verify your film entry in a number of ways, including sending us a video of the slide through a loupe on a light table, etc. Please reach out to inquire during this phase.

Judging FAQ

 

What are the judging criteria?

We have created a system where vision, creativity, composition, light and moment are balanced against sufficient technical expertise. Additionally, all stages of judging will be accessible by the headline judges but the organizers will help to pre-judge all submissions where appropriate. You can learn more about our judging process here.

 

What are the benefits of entering this competition?

Aside from the prizes, we hope that the competition will act as a meaningful showcase of some of the best landscape and nature photography internationally. A selection of curated entries will be included in our perennial fine-art book, which is provided for free to anyone who is in the book (a $70 value), and offered at a steep discount to entrants. The competition is also a great way to measure yourself against your peers and to improve your photography, while gaining inspiration for your own photography journey.

Our judging panel and rules should ensure that we see a completely different selection of images to other competitions that shows the world at its natural best! We certainly seemed to pull this off and we believe that 2025 will be even better!

Lastly, we aim to improve and make meaningful changes to the competition each and every year based on entrant feedback. This competition is for the community! If you’d like to partake in these conversations, we highly recommend joining the Landscape Photographers Worldwide Discord server.