Environmental Photographer of the Year 2008

The international Environmental Photographer of the Year competition seeks to honour photographers who use their ability to raise awareness of environmental and social issues. The competition encourages entries that are traditional, contemporary, avant-garde, ironic, creative, experimental, subversive, subtle, strong, resonant, challenging, political, original and beautiful. But most of all, we want to celebrate the power of photography and inspire people around the world to start taking care of our environment.

ELIGIBILITY
The exhibition is open to all professional and amateur, national and international photographers working with digital and traditional photography.

CATEGORIES
There will be a winner for each category, with one overall winner who will become the Environmental Photographer of the Year. Entries must be assigned to one of the categories below. There is a maximum of six images per entrant and entries can be in either just one category or in a combination of the categories. Judges reserve the right to change the category.

• Changing Climates
  These photographs should illustrate the impacts that global warming is having on our world. This may include places and people that are benefitting from a changing climate, adaptations that have been made to accommodate climate change and vulnerable ecosystems and communities which are struggling with the affects. You may wish to examine the interaction between economic development, environmental degradation and social inequity, treating climate change as a human rights issue.
  
  
• Black & Veatch's World of Difference
  
  Images may celebrate innovative projects or people that are helping us achieve environmental improvements and sustainable societies. Or you could explore any fears or expectations new technologies excite in you, the possible affects to society and the moral implications we have to control or share developments.
  
  
• Quality of Life
  Photographs might illustrate a particular way of life in various rural, urban or social environments. They may examine individual or community lifestyles, working conditions, leisure activities, cultural traditions, spiritual activities, social inequities, racial prejudices or access to natural resources that impact on people’s quality of life.
  
  
• The Natural World
  These images should celebrate the incredible variety and beauty that exists within our natural environment, serving to remind us what we need to protect.
  
  
• Under 21
  This section has no thematic boundaries but we would encourage entries that highlight issues important to your generation, explore your place in society or celebrate people or places that you value. This category is open to anyone under 21 throughout the world, including photography students.

N.B. Entrants of any age are eligible to enter the other categories.

REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD ENTER THE ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION:

• Receive recognition as the international Environmental Photographer of the Year
• Have your winning work published in CIWEM’s international monthly magazine WEM and receive coverage in international publications
• Have your winning work take part in a roving exhibition throughout the year 
• Have your winning work showcased on CIWEM’s popular website

JUDGES

• Anthony Epes, www.anthonyepes.com
• Gary Braasch, winner of the Sierra Club's Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography and author of Earth Under Fire: How Global  Warming is Changing the World http://www.earthunderfire.com
• Ronnie Israel, www.ronnieisrael.com   
• Nick Reeves, Executive Director of CIWEM, (Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management) is an independent professional body and a registered charity, advancing the science and practice of water and environmental management for a clean, green and sustainable world. www.ciwem.org 
• Barbara Young, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, the leading public organisation for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales, www.environment-agency.gov.uk

INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF WORK WILL BE JUDGED ON FIVE QUALITIES:

• Impact – does it illustrate immediate, subtle, strong or resonant messages?
• Creativity - is it unusual, thoughtful, beautiful, subversive or ironic?
• Originality – is the subject treated differently, is the subject matter new?
• Composition - consider the perspective, balance, clarity of meaning and focus of statement
• Technical Quality - consider clarity, focus, lighting and exposure, and colour

Click here for further details of Environmental Photographer of the Year Exhibition

To see images sponsored byin the Environmental Photographer of the Year 2007 Exhibition, click here.

HOW TO ENTER

2008’s competition is now open and will close at midnight 31st July 2008. To find out how to enter click here