The Australian Geographic Nature Photographer

Competition overview
All photographs must be of natural fauna, flora or natural land formations and must have been taken in the ANZANG bioregion.

ANZANG bioregion means Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and the New Guinea region. The region of New Guinea is limited to the west by the Wallace Line (the bio-geographical line extending between Bali and Lombok northward through the Makassar Strait between Borneo and Sulawesi). To the east the New Guinea region includes the Bismarck and Solomon Archipelagos and islands of the South West Pacific, with its eastern boundary formed by the International Date Line. Note that for the purposes of this competition, our definition of the Wallace Line does not include Huxley’s modification, and therefore the islands of the Philippines are not included in our definition of the ANZANG bioregion. Antarctica includes the Sub-Antarctic Islands, which for the purposes of this competition are those south of the Antarctic Convergence or Antarctic Polar Front.

Entries in all sections are invited from photographers who use either digital or film cameras. Judges will consider the photographic technique plus the aesthetic, artistic and unique quality of all images when making their selections.

Black and white and monochrome images may only be entered in the Monochrome or Junior categories.

There are nine sections in the Competition. Up to four images may be entered in each section.

Animal Behaviour - the subject(s) must be engaged in natural activity.
Animal Portrait - the subject(s) must be photographed close up, occupying a suggested minimum 30% of the frame.
Botanical - this may be a portrait or habitat shot.
Landscape - the landscape or seascape should show a natural environment. Evidence of humans can be present however it must not be the focus of the photograph. (Stitched panoramas are allowed provided that all original images can be provided on request.)
Threatened Species - the subject(s) may be photographed in any of the following ways: in portrait, engaged in natural activity, or in its natural habitat. All entries selected in this category (flora or fauna) must be listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered on the IUCN Red List: http://www.iucnredlist.org/.
Monochrome - the subject(s) must be chosen that would qualify for any of the first five categories. This category includes all monochrome photography including black and white, sepia-toned and infrared photographs. (Stitched landscape panoramas are allowed provided that all original images can be provided on request.)
Our Impact - the image must depict human impact on nature, be it terrestrial, marine or atmospheric. This impact may be negative or positive. The choice of subjects is broad, including any subject that would qualify for categories 1 to 5, or may extend beyond these to subjects relating to pollution and climate change.
Animal Habitat – the image must show an animal (or animals) in the environment it lives in. This can be a natural or built environment that the animal, either native or feral, has independently claimed as its habitat (captive species not allowed).
Junior - the entrant must be under 18 years of age at the date of close of entries. Entries must fit the criteria of any of the other nine categories. Photographers under 18 years are only eligible to enter the Junior category and are not eligible for the Overall Prize.
Up to four images may be entered in each of the sections. The judges will choose a winner and runner-up for each category. Entries not placed but of a particularly high standard will form the basis of the subsequent exhibition and catalogue.
A portfolio prize is also offered. Any photographer who enters six or more images in the competition will automatically be eligible for the portfolio prize.

Competition prizes
Prize winners will be announced at the South Australian Museum on Thursday 27 August 2020.

Overall winner wins A$10,000 cash and a holiday prize generously provided by Coral Expeditions.

Other prizes:
each of the first 8 category winners receives A$1,000 and the runner-up of each section receives A$500;
there is a A$1,000 prize for the best portfolio of six or more entries;
the Junior category winner receives A$300 and the runner up receives A$100; and
the People’s Choice winner receives A$500. (People’s Choice is voted by visitors to the exhibition at the South Australian Museum, announcement date TBC).