Lynx Edicions, publisher of the Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) and the Internet Bird Collection (IBC) has announced the launch of the First Edition of the HBW World Bird Photo Contest with valuable prizes for the winners, including a first prize of US$10,000.
The competition closes on 26 March 2012. Images must be submitted online at www.hbwcontest.com. Each participant can submit up to eight images, free of charge.
“The contest has been created with the aspiration of becoming the most important bird photography competition at the international level and thus promoting bird photography and bird watching, which we decidedly believe are amongst the best tools for the conservation of nature.” said Josep del Hoyo, Senior Editor of the HBW series.
The HBW World Bird Photo Contest aims to encourage and disseminate knowledge about birds, while at the same time inspiring creativity in the art of photography. To these ends, the contest’s focus is on photography that is ethical, grounded in the utmost respect for the conservation of birds and their habitats, and without unnecessary digital manipulation.
An internationally renowned panel of photographic experts and bird specialists will select images based upon technical skill, diversity, originality and creativity of composition. The jury will be formed by Kathy Moran (National Geographic Senior Editor for Natural History, USA), Ian Lewington (bird illustrator, UK), Peter Johan Schei (Chairman of the Global Council of BirdLife International, Norway), Charlie Moores (bird internet blogger, UK), Andrés Bosso (Executive Director of Aves Argentina/BirdLife Argentina), John Fitzpatrick (Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, USA) and Günter Ziesler (bird photographer, Germany). Josep del Hoyo (Senior Editor of HBW, Spain) will act as the secretary of the jury.
The jury will select 3 winning photos, 10 honourable mentions and 4 special prizes. The winners will be announced on 18 May 2012.
The competition offers photographers a chance to win the following prizes:
First prize: US$10,000
Second prize: a complete set of 16 HBW volumes
Third prize: 8 HBW volumes*
10 Honourable Mention prizes: 1 HBW volume* per winner
4 Special Prizes in the categories of Best Compact Camera Photo, Best Digiscoped Photo, Best Endangered Bird Photo and Best Vox Populi Photo**: 4 HBW volumes* per winner of each category
*HBW volume(s) to be chosen by the winner from the volumes available in stock and delivered free of charge to the winner’s address.
** The public can participate via an online system of selecting the best of two randomly presented images, which ensures that results are not manipulated.
