Vote in BBOWT photo competition

Karen Neville

BBOWT Photo Competition

Choose your favourite in the People’s Choice Award, voting open until August 26th

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has opened public voting to select the first-ever ‘People’s Choice Award’ winner of its annual photography competition.

Nature lovers of all ages have sent in their best shots of animals, plants, people and scenery at BBOWT nature reserves and in the community.

For the first time ever, the vote has also been thrown open to the public with a new ‘People’s Choice Award’. The winner will not only enjoy pride of place as the public favourite, but also receive a Nexcam solar-powered trail camera, perfect for capturing remote shots of camera-shy creatures.

Votes for the shortlisted photographs can be cast by visit https://www.bbowt.org.uk/peoples-choice-award which will remain open until Monday 26th August.

Rachel Levis, BBOWT’s Head of Events, said: “It’s always such a treat to see so many amazing photos of wonderful wildlife taken on our patch, and this year has been no exception! We’ve been sent stunning summer scenes on our reserves, macro shots of insects with incredible detail, and precious wildlife moments captured for all to enjoy.

“We’re excited to have introduced the People’s Choice Award this year which will get our supporters involved with the very tricky judging decisions. With a superb selection, we know it’s going to be a hard choice, but we can’t wait to see which photo is crowned the winner!”

It’s also not too late to submit photos for this year’s wider competition, with entries for all nine categories remaining open until Monday 26th August.

Each year the competition attracts entries from across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, with nearly 150 people submitting almost 500 photographs for judging in 2023.

Selected by a panel of expert judges, all category winners will enjoy a workshop with wildlife photographer Steve Gozdz from GG Wildlife Experiences and receive a copy of the 2025 BBOWT wildlife calendar featuring their winning entry.

In addition, this year’s overall winner will be awarded a Technaxx bird feeder camera station, while the winners of the Children and Teen categories can claim a bundle of nature books for their school libraries (or to the schools which they nominate).

The Trust is extremely grateful to GG Wildlife Experiences for once again sponsoring this year’s competition. For full details on how to enter, visit https://www.bbowt.org.uk/photocomp24


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Capture nature for BBOWT photo competition

Round & About

BBOWT Photo Competition

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has opened its annual nature photography competition for 2024 with new categories and prizes

Nature lovers of all ages are being invited to submit their best shots of animals, plants, people and scenery at BBOWT nature reserves and in the community.

This year the vote is also being thrown open to the public, with a new ‘People’s Choice Award’. There’s also an extra category for mobile phone photography.

This year’s top prizes include a high-spec birdbox camera, an exclusive wildlife photography masterclass with GG Wildlife Experiences and all winners will have the chance to see their photos featured in the Trust’s 2025 wildlife calendar. There are also bundles of nature books for younger entrants to win for their schools.

Rachel Levis, BBOWT’s Head of Events, said: “We’re thrilled to launch our photography competition again this year. It’s always such a treat to see so many amazing photos of wonderful wildlife taken on our patch. This year we have introduced a People’s Choice Award, which is a great way of getting our supporters involved with the very tricky judging decisions.

“The mobile phone has opened up nature photography to almost everyone, so we’re please to include a new category for that this year. Anyone from a six-year-old with a phone to a professional photographer with all the kit can enter – so why not send us your best shot?”

Categories:
• Children (ages 6-11) – in any of the categories.
• Teens (ages 12-17) – in any of the categories.
• Birds
• Mammals
• Butterflies & other insects
• Our nature reserves
• Urban nature
• Taking action for nature
• Mobile phone photography

Examples of last year’s winners/ runners up:

Photographs for most categories must be taken on BBOWT reserves, and all must be taken in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire or Oxfordshire. The closing dates for entries is Monday, 26th August. Entries received by Sunday, 28th July, will also be considered for the People’s Choice Award.

Steve Gozdz of competition sponsor GG Wildlife Experiences added: “Wildlife photography can require patience but can be very rewarding – spending time in nature and capturing ‘that moment’ with a bird, mammal or insect can turn a glimpse in time into a real memory that can be savoured and shared with others. You never know when those ‘moments’ will occur, take your camera wherever you go and be aware of the beauty in nature around you.”