The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is once again encouraging Australians to take place in its third annual, national photography competition, focusing on our country’s natural landscapes and wildlife.
TNC, an international non-profit and one of the world’s largest conservation-centric charities, produces targeted campaigns and projects that actively help restore the environment in many locations around the world.
As such, it’s Australian-based photo competition acts as a critical outreach initiative that asks the public to engage with nature, celebrating the natural beauty with which our country endowed.
TNC Australian Director Rich Gilmore believes capturing what’s at your doorstep brings individuals back to simplicity and provides a chance to truly appreciate what nature has to offer.
“We’re all surrounded by nature every day and this competition is a great chance for people to capture this beauty and properly appreciate it,” he said.
“You don’t have to be a photographer by trade to have a good eye, anybody can capture the perfect shot, and this is a great opportunity to showcase what every Aussie sees in their local environment.”
This year’s competition includes categories such as landscape, water, wildlife and even a mobile phone-specific category. There’s also ‘People’s Choice’ VOTING, so that even non-entrants can participate.
Category winners will have their work featured online, as well as being featured in a 2017 edition of Wild. Entries will be judged by some of the most highly sought-after nature photographers: Ben Goode, Esther Beaton and Michael Snedic.
Ben Goode, who was also a winner in last year’s competition, told Wild that he’s “really excited to be a part of a competition that promotes and showcases Australia’s stunning landscapes and wildlife”.
“I’m a big believer in keeping areas of natural beauty as unspoilt by humans as possible. It’s one of the reasons I tend to gravitate towards landscape scenes that aren’t on everyone’s ‘iconic list’ and full of busloads of tourists.”
And Goode has some advice for would-be entrants of TNC’s 2016 photo comp, particularly those going after the landscape category.
“Some advice I think is crucial for a professional landscape photographer is that you need to find your niche in a world that is crowded with imagery,” Goode said. “Once you find your niche, work hard on it and aim to be among the best for this area.”
TNC is offering $5,000 in prizes to winners of the competition, with the winner receiving a $1,000 Ted’s Cameras voucher, two-night stay at Larwill Studio, high tea for two at Zumbo Café and entry to the Centre of Contemporary Photography.
Entries opened on the 26th of September and will close on the 4th of November. See the TNC Australia website for more details.