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In 1976, British Birds launched the Bird Photograph of the Year competition. It was unique: it focussed then, as it still does now, purely on birds. And if you ask any wildlife photographer, you’ll find that it has become one of the most prestigious and coveted wildlife photography prizes in Europe.

Since 1976, the aim has been to recognise the best and/or the most scientifically interesting bird photographs. Up to three images may be submitted by each photographer, of birds taken anywhere within the Western Palearctic region (Europe, North Africa and the Middle East).

The winning entries are featured in the August issue of British Birds and exhibited on our stand at the British Birdwatching Fair each year.

The British Birds Bird Photograph of the Year is sponsored by:

Main sponsor:

Anglian Water www.anglianwater.co.uk

Co-sponsors:

Collins www.harpercollins.com

Helm/Bloomsbury www.acblack.com

The Eric Hosking Charitable Trust www.erichoskingtrust.com

 

 

The competition is FREE to enter and, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, there are some outstanding prizes to be won. This year’s BPY winner will receive a cash prize of £1,000. Other prizes include books from both Collins and Helm/Bloomsbury, and a cash prize from the Eric Hosking Charitable Trust. There are prizes for the top three entries in the main competition and for a separate digiscoping award.

BB would like to invite you to submit up to three entries for this year’s competition, for which the closing date is 1st April 2012.

All images must have been taken since January 2011 and within the Western Palearctic. Entries will be judged not only on technical excellence, but also on originality, scientific interest, aesthetic appeal and artistic composition.

Entries should be submitted by email to bpybritishbirds@yahoo.co.uk or on CD to Peter Kennerley at 16 Coppice Close, Melton, Suffolk IP12 1RX, England.

IMPORTANT: Please read the rules carefully before submitting your entries.

The rules of the competition are as follows:

1. Up to three images can be entered for the Bird Photograph of the Year 2011 competition. In addition, a further three digiscoped images for the Eric Hosking Charitable Trust prize, may be submitted by each photographer. All images must have been taken since 1st January 2011 and depict wild birds which are not in any way restrained.

2. These may be digital images or scans of colour transparencies. Colour transparencies and prints are NOT permitted. Entries will be judged not only on technical excellence, but also on originality, scientific interest, aesthetic appeal and artistic composition.

3. Photographs must not have been submitted for publication elsewhere, although images previously posted on websites are acceptable.

4. The photographs in the final shortlist may be used at the discretion of the judges and editor for publication in British Birds and/or for the promotion of the journal (including the British Birds calendar) and future competitions. By entering images for this competition, entrants agree to these terms. Copyright of images remains with the photographer and use subsequent to publication in British Birds is unrestricted.

5. A brief account must accompany each photograph, giving the circumstances in which it was obtained, the method used, technical details (exposure and shutter speed, ISO rating, make and model of lens and camera body etc), locality, date and photographer’s name, address and email.

6. Images with minor adjustments, as outlined in a recent article in British Birds covering basic manipulation of digital images (click here) are acceptable. Manipulation of images shall be restricted as follows:

- Use of levels and curves and other tools to adjust contrast, brightness, exposure and colour saturation, and for minor cleaning work to remove dust spots.

- Images can be sharpened and noise removed. Cloning is forbidden.

- Images may be cropped to enhance their aesthetic appeal and artistic composition. Adding content is expressly forbidden.

- Entries shall be in JPEG format, at 300 dpi and 2000 pixels along the longest side, and saved once at level 12. Images that are over-cropped to the extent that the quality is compromised, making them unsuitable for publication in British Birds, will not be accepted.

- Details of all image manipulation, together with a note of the software used, shall also be submitted, together with the original RAW or JPEG file from the camera.

- Manipulation that in any way changes the ‘science’ of the picture (for example, even minor changes to feather detail) is expressly forbidden.

- ALL entries are accepted only on the above conditions.

7. The first prize is a cash award of £1,000 plus a selection of books. Book awards will go to second and third places. There is an additional prize of up to £200 for the best digiscoped entry, which is sponsored by The Eric Hosking Charitable Trust.

8. The closing date for entries is 1st April 2012.

9. Entries can be submitted by post or email.

- Posted entries should be sent on CD/DVD to Peter Kennerley, 16 Coppice Close, Melton, Suffolk IP12 1RX, UK. CDs must be clearly marked with your name and email address.

- Each e-mail entry (including original file, JPEG entry, and photograph details) shall be sent on a separate email, be clearly marked Bird Photograph of the Year and with your name. Large files may be sent using file sharing software. Entries by e-mail should be sent to bpybritishbirds@yahoo.co.uk

10. Please ensure that you include both a postal address and an e-mail address with your entry.

11. The competition is free to enter.

12. The judges’ decision is final.

 

The British Birds Bird Photograph of the Year 2011 winners were as follows:

BPY 2011 WINNER Kevin Du Rose Woodcock, Norfolk, June 2010 (Canon EOS 1D Mk III, Canon 500-mm f4 lens; 1/400, f4, ISO 640)

 

 

 

 

 

And here’s Kevin receiving his prize, a cheque for £1,000 and a silver salver, from Simon King: