FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Don’t see your question? Send us an email at [email protected]
CAN I ENTER ANONYMOUSLY?
Yes, simply tick the box at the end of the entry form and your entry will not be displayed on the competition’s website or on our social media platforms without prior consent. Please note however, that if your image is selected as a finalist, your name and photograph will be made public.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I'M A MONTHLY WINNER?
Monthly winners are added to the monthly shortlist–the images on the shortlist are eligible for the final prize.
The monthly shortlist is displayed on the website and social media with credit to the photographers.
I DIDN'T MAKE THE SHORTLIST, CAN I STILL WIN THE GRAND PRIZE?
No, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year will only be chosen from the monthly shortlists.
HOW CAN I ENTER?
It’s really quite simple, please fill in the entry form, or contact [email protected] if you have any questions.
HOW ARE THE ENTRIES JUDGED?
All entries are judges based on three criteria:
- Creativity and a fresh perspective of everyday scenes photographed in refreshing ways
- Visual impact & emotional response
- Technical difficulty and execution – does the composition, lighting and background take the image to the next level?
Please note that while still a factor, action and rarity of the sighting are less important in the judging process.
The judges will create a monthly shortlist based on these criteria, and at the end of the competition winners will be selected.
HOW MANY PHOTOS ARE ALLOWED PER ENTRY?
Each entry is limited to one photo. If you want to submit multiple photos, you need to enter multiple times.
ARE BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES ALLOWED?
Yes, black and white images are allowed. There are no category restrictions, and entries of all subject matter will be accepted: landscape, wildlife, portrait, behavioural, documentary, black & white.
DO I HAVE TO BE A PROFESSIONAL TO ENTER?
No, entries are open to photographers of all skill levels, and aspiring amateurs and young photographers are all encouraged.
DO THE JUDGES KNOW WHO TOOK THE PHOTOGRAPHS?
The judging is ‘blind’ with the panel only seeing the image, the title, and the description from ‘Behind the Lens’ when making their selection. The photographer’s name and any other distinguishing information is withheld until they have selected their monthly finalists, at which point the photographer is made public.
DO I RETAIN THE RIGHTS TO MY PHOTO?
Yes, you retain the copyright of the image, but you grant the right to the organizers of the competition to use it in “the marketing, advertising and general promotion of the competition; including worldwide exhibition displays and the publication online or by print.”
Read the fine print in the T&CS
HOW MANY TIMES CAN I ENTER?
You can enter as many times as you like, as long as the image was taken in the prior 24 months, and is subject to the payment of the entry fee with each entry.
CAN I RE-SUBMIT THE SAME PHOTO?
Yes, repeat entries are permitted provided the image was not a finalist in the prior year and was taken in the prior 24 months.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ENTER?
The entry fee is US$10 per image for Kenyans, and US$20 per image for international entrants.
If you pay US$10, you may be asked for proof of residency.
HOW MUCH EDITING IS ALLOWED?
A basic degree of digital manipulation is allowed, including cropping, sharpening, contrast and colour balance, stitch-panoramas, ‘in camera’ multi-exposure, and black and white conversion.
Nothing should be added or removed, not even small elements, and the image must be faithful to the original capture in terms of elements of the scene.
Composites of montaged images, post-processing filters and other means which manipulate an entry beyond acceptable levels will not be permitted, and the entry will be disqualified and the entry fee forfeited.
The extent of allowable digital manipulation shall be at the Judges’ sole discretion, whose decision in this regard will be final, and guided by whether the image in question accurately and honestly represents the scene – including a comparison of the entry and its original, unedited format, which will be called for if deemed necessary.
MUST I HAVE TAKEN THE PHOTOGRAPH MYSELF?
Yes, entries on behalf of others will not be accepted; however, can pay for someone else’s entry by requesting a voucher from [email protected]
WHAT ARE THE PRIZES?
The prizes can be found on the prizes page.
WHAT ARE THE PRIZES FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE?
The guide’s prize can be found on the prizes page.
WHAT FORMAT MUST MY ENTRY BE IN?
Entries must be in JPEG format, free of all visible watermarking, at least 1,200 pixels wide or tall, not greater in size than 15MB, and can be either landscape or portrait.
WHAT IS MY ENTRY FEE USED FOR?
Your entry fee will be donated to the Conservation Partner selected during the entry submission process. Please read about each Partner before submitting.
Our Conservation Partners can be found here.
CAN I COVER SOMEONE ELSE'S ENTRY FEE?
Yes, reach out to [email protected] requesting a voucher.
WHEN AND WHERE MUST MY PHOTO HAVE BEEN TAKEN?
All entries must have been taken within the last 24 months preceding the date of entry to the competition, and within Kenya’s national borders.
WHEN DO ENTRIES OPEN AND CLOSE?
Entries open the 1st of January 2025, and close on the 31st of October 2025. The monthly shortlist will be created only from entries during that month.
WHEN WILL THE WINNER BE ANNOUNCED?
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year will be announced in an Awards Ceremony in December of the year. Details will be confirmed during the year.
WHO ARE THE JUDGES?
The judges of The Greatest Wildlife Photographer of the Year Kenya are Piper Mackay, Gurcharan Roopra, Federico Veronesi and Adam Bannister. Read more about the judges.
WHO CAN ENTER?
The competition is open to entrants of all ages from all over the world, including employees of all of the competition’s sponsors and conservation partners except:
- Where such contests are prohibited by law; and
- For employees of the Organizer or their immediate relations.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GREATEST MAASAI MARA PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR?
We are The Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year! Following its discontinuation under previous ownership, we have taken the reins, revitalized the competition to highlight the multitude of diverse destinations and sights across Kenya, and relaunched independently as The Greatest Wildlife Photographer – Kenya.
