Enter now

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

Enter now


Open categories

Macro Art

Macro Art

© Petar Sabol

Open

Photo project (closes in 1 month)

The second Photo Project of the IGPOTY competition calendar is Macro Art. This is a chance to capture the world of plants and gardens on a completely different scale, utilising a unique set of macro photography skills. From the life of tiny insects, to the mesmerising shapes and swirls of flowers, you are encouraged to explore our green planet close-up through macro photography, whilst showcasing the beauty and complexity of nature. Judges will look for the extraordinary. Challenge their understanding of both macro photography and the flora and fauna which inhabit green spaces. 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'.

Read more & Enter

The Beauty of Barrington Court

The Beauty of Barrington Court

© National Trust Images/James Dobson

Open

Special award

This free-to-enter special award 'Beauty of Barrington Court' is open to everyone (adults only) and is the first IGPOTY run photo competition to be dedicated to images captured at National Trust Barrington Court; a beautifully restored estate and gardens, an atmospheric fragment of old Somerset.

Read more & Enter

National Trust Riverlands

National Trust Riverlands

© National Trust Images/Justin Minns

Open

Special award

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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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 10.1.7 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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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'.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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.

Read more & Enter

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'.

Read more

Still Life

Still Life

© Cristina Wanjura

Closed for entries

Photo project

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'.

Read more