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The black & white competition has been extended until the 1st April Midday

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Open categories

Still Life

Still Life

© Cristina Wanjura

Open

Photo project (closes in 1 week)

In the third Photo Project of the IGPOTY competition calendar, you are invited to celebrate plants through the beautiful aesthetic of still life photography. Elevate the humble winter vegetable, produce a cornucopia of harvest delights or a timeless display of cut flowers. Use the legendary Dutch Masters as your inspiration and create works of art through the lens. To help define what we mean by still life and still life photography in this context, Tate defines it as: “Anything that does not move”, and “Includes all kinds of man-made or natural objects..." However, this being an IGPOTY category; entrants should focus on: cut flowers, fruit and vegetables and natural produce, with a small complement of other objects if required. Please note, Single Entries are judged and are eligible for the photo project awards and prize money only. Portfolios are separate and should be entered into the IGPOTY competition category titled 'Portfolios'.

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National Trust Riverlands

National Trust Riverlands

© National Trust Images/Justin Minns

Open

Special award (closes in 4 weeks)

Riverlands is at the heart of the National Trust’s ambitions for restoring a healthy, beautiful, natural environment, making bigger, better, more and joined up space for nature. Today, our rivers are in trouble with only 14 percent of our river catchments in England in good health. The Riverlands ambition is to provide rivers and catchments that are healthy, clean and rich in wildlife, that are valued and loved for their heritage and beauty. Photographs should encapsulate the importance and significance of rivers and streams to the wildlife and/or people that use and enjoy them. We’d love to see your pictures of river landscapes, the plants and animals that rivers support or people out and about enjoying rivers and streams. However, do keep the emphasis on the river and the landscape, not portraits of people. Please only submit images taken in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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Abstract Views

Abstract Views

© Ian Gilmour

Open

Category

Whether infrared, innovative use of light, or a special lens, Abstract Views is about tapping into a different side of plants and gardens using abstract photography. It's time to enter a parallel world of artistic expression with limitless possibilities. Judges will be looking for the way in which a special technique elevates the message of that particular green subject.

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Beautiful Blenheim 2023

Beautiful Blenheim 2023

© Cereta Drewett/Blenheim Palace

Open

Special award

After running well-received exhibitions for four consecutive years in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, IGPOTY and Blenheim Palace have partnered once again to offer this unique free-to-enter special award to celebrate the beauty of this extraordinary location. Use photography to capture the enduring beauty of Blenheim Palace and the majesty of the 2,000 acre 'Capability' Brown designed landscape. This unique UNESCO World Heritage Site is a perfect location for all types of garden photography with several Sites of Special Scientific Interest, including the Great Lake and the ancient oaks in High Park. From secret gardens to open parkland, Blenheim Palace is a photographer’s dream.

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Beautiful Gardens

Beautiful Gardens

© Nigel McCall

Open

Category

Visiting a garden is a great day out for many of us. We can stand and admire the work of gardeners who have dedicated themselves to creating a personal paradise for the enjoyment of themselves and others. Capturing this feeling and emotion through your own garden images is the challenge and indeed part of the enjoyment. You can enter garden images from any corner of the world, from Tokyo to Tuscany, from Montréal to Melbourne. As the photographer you are the storyteller. The judges will be on the lookout for images that show us what is special about a particular garden, whether it’s large or small, whether it’s a chic design statement or a plantsman’s paradise. Tell us the story through the beauty of garden images. Please note you may need permission to enter garden images from a private garden. You are allowed to enter your photographs of NT properties into the competition; your entries can include peaceful images of any open space or green location. If your entry is from a National Trust property please note our rule 10.1.7 You agree not to use, or permit the use of, any images taken of or from National Trust sites for any purpose other than entering this competition or your own personal use. You expressly agree not to use such images for commercial purposes such as sale or licence to third parties.

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Breathing Spaces

Breathing Spaces

© Gigi Williams

Open

Category

This category celebrates peaceful images of open spaces and the places where we love to relax and enjoy the feeling of well-being. It could be that people are the subject of your photography or it could be animals or plants; perhaps a landscape, a wide vista or a favourite hideaway. Either way there must be connection to flora which is at the heart of all IGPOTY categories and the competition. The judges will be looking for those images that express peace, contentment and enjoyment. You are allowed to enter your photographs of NT properties into the competition; your entries can include peaceful images of any open space or green location. If your entry is from a National Trust property please note our rule 10.1.8 You agree not to use, or permit the use of, any images taken of or from National Trust sites for any purpose other than entering this competition or your own personal use. You expressly agree not to use such images for commercial purposes such as sale or licence to third parties.

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Captured at Kew

Captured at Kew

© Dick Hawkes/RBG Kew

Open

Special award

Help celebrate the beauty and diversity of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in this unique special award - 'Captured at Kew'. Returning for International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) 16 is a well-established competition partnership and winning is highly coveted by entrants.  Selected winning photos will form part of an exclusive exhibition at the IGPOTY 16 exhibition launch at Kew Gardens - in February 2023 (TBC). There will also be special prizes on offer for the podium-placed winners. Entries to 'Captured at Kew' this year are free-to-enter (maximum of 8x free image slots per adult), in order to encourage more people to take part and to celebrate the beauty of Kew Gardens.

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Chicago Botanic Garden Photo Award

Chicago Botanic Garden Photo Award

© Chicago Botanic Garden

Open

Special award

Capture the essence of Chicago Botanic Garden, in this new special award partnership with IGPOTY. The Chicago Botanic Garden opened in 1972 as a beautiful place to visit, and it has matured into one of the world’s great living museums and leaders in plant conservation science. Every year, more than one million people visit the Garden’s 27 gardens and four natural areas, uniquely situated on 385 acres on and around nine islands, with six miles of lake shoreline. The permanent collection at the Garden boasts 2.6 million living plants. The Garden has 50,000 members—one of the largest memberships of any U.S. botanic garden. Its Lenhardt Library houses one of the nation’s best collections of rare botanical books. The Garden’s mission motivates its many activities: we cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. The scientists in the Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action conduct a wide array of plant research throughout the world to protect plants and our planet. The Garden’s urban agriculture initiative, Windy City Harvest, grows more than 160,000 pounds of produce annually and builds healthy communities through its 15 urban farms and programs. On land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County and managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society, the Chicago Botanic Garden belongs to the people of Cook County and serves the Chicago region as a resource for the beauty and restorative power of nature. A selection of winning images is planned to feature alongside images from the main IGPOTY 16 exhibition when it tours to Chicago Botanic Garden in 2023 and is planned to go on display at the Regenstein Center – Krehbiel Gallery, Nichols Hall and Joutras Gallery.

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European Garden Photography Award

European Garden Photography Award

© Claudia Gaupp

Open

Special award

We're proud to offer the European Garden Photography Award, this time as part of IGPOTY 16 in conjunction once again with Schlosspark Dennenlohe of Germany. The award is a unique opportunity to get your photography noticed within the European garden media community whilst receiving significant exposure both in Germany and the UK. Judges will be on the lookout for stunning photography of private and public gardens across Europe. Depending on pandemic/the discretion of the competition organisers a selection of higher placed winners may have their work on show at the awards ceremony at Schlosspark Dennenlohe.

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MPB Plants & Planet

MPB Plants & Planet

© Stuart Chape

Open

Category

50% of all Plants & Planet entry fees will be donated to WeForest*. This means (at the time of writing) at least two new trees will be planted for every 'Single Entry' purchased. Our planet is changing, and plants will play one of the most significant, if not the most significant role in how we respond and adapt to this change. Plants and planet is a recent addition to the main competition categories that recognises and raises awareness of the many environmental challenges facing plant life, in particular climate and environmental changes. As well as the effects of climate change, images could include anything that is impacting the state of the world’s plants positively or negatively, from sustainable growing initiatives, plants and environments under threat such as rainforests, tree planting and habitat protection to declining species and human impact, this category is your opportunity to tell a range of vital botanical stories through photography. Climate change can seem like an impossible challenge, but small collective change can have a resounding impact and one image can change our worldview.

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Pets in the Garden

Pets in the Garden

© IGPOTY

Open

Photo project

This competition invites photographers/pet owners to capture 'Pets in the Garden', this could be your own pet or that of a family member or friend (of course with permission). IGPOTY is launching this brand new Photo Project to bring a new take on pet/animal photography and whilst happy/fun shots are welcomed, we do not invite the dressing up of pets/animals. Please note, Single Entries are judged and are eligible for the photo project awards and prize money only. Portfolios are separate and should be entered into the IGPOTY competition category titled 'Portfolios'.

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Portfolios

Portfolios

© Pierre Pellegrini

Open

Portfolio entry

Portfolios are a major part of the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition calendar - this category is a stand-alone competition in its own right and run in association with The Royal Photographic Society. Portfolios offer photographers the chance to explore the main competition categories (as a guide theme) with a set of six photographs (mandatory), creating a complete IGPOTY photography portfolio. The 'Portfolios' award has a First Place prize of £1,500 and is supported by the Royal Photographic Society who award Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, respectively. Please note: an IGPOTY photography portfolio must contain all six images.

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The Beauty of Herrenhausen Gardens 2023

The Beauty of Herrenhausen Gardens 2023

© Ursula Potts

Open

Special award

Now in its 4th year competition year! Welcome to the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen. This internationally famous ensemble of garden arts and culture ranks among the most important historic gardens in Europe, a place where visitors can sense the courtly splendours of the Royal House of Hannover. Here, various styles of garden art, antique sculpture and impressive water features bear witness to the imagination and skill of many artists and gardeners. Over three centuries the Herrenhausen Gardens have developed into a fascinating place to visit and this special award seeks to celebrate its beauty through garden photography.

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The Beauty of Plants

The Beauty of Plants

© Jacky Parker

Open

Category

Achieving great images of plants and beautiful flowers requires skill, passion and commitment. This category celebrates the ephemeral beauty of the plant – from seed to compost. Plant portraiture is all about capturing the very essence, or character, of a plant. This could be a rambling rose, a humble bluebell, an exotic tree peony or the delicate flower head of a grass. A single bloom in isolation can be admired for its uniqueness or beautiful flowers celebrated for their form and colour. Take a closer look. The judges will be looking for spot-on technique and original artistic views of your subject. This category no longer includes the Fungi and Lichen families. Please enter those into the new 'World of Fungi' category here.

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The Colours of Cambridge University Botanic Garden

The Colours of Cambridge University Botanic Garden

© Howard Rice/CUBG

Open

Special award

Capture the Colours of Cambridge University Botanic Garden (CUBG). IGPOTY is delighted to partner again with CUBG to run a special award competition for the 2nd consecutive year. CUBG’s Director Beverley Glover says: “This year’s competition theme presents many opportunities for our visitors to capture landscapes across the summer and autumn seasons, or intriguing images of their favourite plants. We can’t wait to see what represents the colours of the Garden through our visitors’ eyes (or lenses)!” The competition presents an opportunity for visitors to explore and showcase the Garden’s heritage landscape and plant collection, which includes rare and endangered plants from all over the world. A green oasis of peace, tranquillity and inspiration in the heart of the city. Highlights include; Glasshouse Range, Bee Borders, Scented Garden, Rising Path and Systematic Beds, Limestone Rock Garden, Lake, and Woodland Garden. With 40 acres of different landscapes and a plant collection from all over the world, there is always something different to capture. A selection of winning images is planned to feature alongside the main IGPOTY exhibition when it tours to CUBG in 2023.

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The World of Fungi

The World of Fungi

© Tony North

Open

Category

Achieving great images of fungi requires skill, passion and knowledge. This category celebrates the intriguing world of fungi from mushrooms to toadstools, moulds and puffballs. Fungi portraiture is all about capturing the very essence, or character. A toadstool in isolation can be admired for its uniqueness or beautiful features, celebrated for their form and colour. Take a closer look. The judges will be looking for spot-on technique and original artistic views of your subject. For the purposes of this competition, the category also broadly includes all parts of the Fungi and Lichen families.

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Trees, Woods & Forests

Trees, Woods & Forests

© Andrea Pozzi

Open

Category

In this category we celebrate the tree in all its diverse forms. From the venerable old oak to the resplendent redwood, from the garden apple tree to the wild forests, we are inviting you to show us how important trees are in our lives and in the health of our planet. Winning tree images will reveal the treasures of our great woods and forests as well as the beauty of a solitary tree. How do people and trees live side by side in one world? How does a tree create a sense of well-being? The judges will be looking for tree images that seek to address these questions, as well as those that portray the simple beauty of our planet's trees.

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Wildflower Landscapes

Wildflower Landscapes

© Mauro Battistelli

Open

Category

Wildflowers that were once widespread amongst fields, meadows and woods are now extremely rare and some have become extinct in the wild. This is largely due to disappearing habitats. Wildflower Landscapes that are home to distinctive species of plants are under threat. Bring this to the world's attention through your photography of wildflower plants in the landscape. The wildflowers you photograph may be in gardens – which can be fragile landscapes in their own right – or in the true 'wild'. The judges will be looking for wildflowers as part of naturalised habitats or in the wild fields and hedgerows. They can be wide shots, close-ups of individual species or a single wildflower, but crucially must still show the subject in context with the landscape. Now is your chance to seek out the wild spaces on your doorstep and to celebrate them through photography.

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Wildlife in the Garden

Wildlife in the Garden

© Magdalena Wasiczek

Open

Category

In a world where natural habitats are being depleted, gardens are a haven for wildlife. It is then the job of garden and wildlife photography to capture these wild creatures that use our gardens and parks. They can become familiar companions, or rare and special visitors. These may be creatures that only you are privileged to see - a nocturnal hedgehog for example - or they could be tiny insects that are easily overlooked - except by the keen photographer! They may also be creatures you can only see in a nature reserve. This category is about all the creatures that enjoy gardens and green spaces, from beetles and butterflies to birds and badgers. Use techniques of both garden and wildlife photography to try to capture that moment that shows wildlife flourishing in an abundant, verdant environment. For the avoidance of doubt - IGPOTY does not accept any images of taxidermied animals, nor that have been photographed using live bait, no captured animals, nor use of animal models.

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Categories opening soon

Square Crop

Square Crop

© Dianne Poinski

Closed for entries

Photo project

Square Crop has made the cut into its own fully fledged photo project making it the fourth photo project of the IGPOTY competition calendar. Judges will be looking for beautiful botanical subjects perfectly suited to a square crop. Use inspiration from the other categories as a guide to the subject matter to create a stunning crop image. As always IGPOTY is looking for plant life to be visible within your capture. Please note, Single Entries are judged and are eligible for the photo project awards and prize money only. Portfolios are separate and should be entered into the main IGPOTY category called 'Portfolios'.

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