Springwatch presenter Chris Packham wants young people to get snapping during the school holidays for the RSPCA’s Young Photographer Awards.
The wildlife expert is encouraging young people to enter their photos into the competition, whether it’s a bird, a bug or a big beautiful mammal, photos of any kinds of animals are welcome.
Offering young people a fun way to spend the holidays, the competition is open to all ages, whether it be age under 12, 12-15 or 16 – 18, there is a category for everyone.
One of the two new categories in this year’s Awards – ‘Picture Perfect Pets’ – offers young photographers the opportunity to take the best photo possible of their pet.
Whether pets are captured in motion, in portrait, in black and white, in an arty shot or doing something that captures their character, the RSPCA wants to see these inspiring photos.
A second new category exploring the Human Impact on Animals has also being introduced into the competition. For this category, youngsters are being challenged to take photos showing how man-made materials and processes, such as litter, plastics, deforestation, pesticides and pollution are affecting animals and how they are adapting.
Naturalist, presenter and judge, Chris Packham and his fellow competition judges will be looking for powerful, imaginative and original photos of animals.
Chris said: “This year I am very excited to see two new categories, a move that should open up the competition to an even wider range of abilities and interests. I’m really delighted that there’s a new category for young people’s photographs of their pets, something which is particularly close to my heart.”
Last year the top prize was taken by seventeen-year-old Gideon Knight from Ilford, whose winning photo of a little egret feeding in a London park was singled-out from thousands of entries.
Titled ‘A stab in the dark’, the picture beat off fierce competition from more than 3,500 photographs to win the top prize in 2017.
Chris Packham added: “I have been judging the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards for many years and I am always amazed by the high standards of entries. It is great t see so many young people picking up their cameras and having ago. We hope many more will take part this year.”
For 2018 there are seven categories, of which entrants can enter three images with a maximum of 35 photos that can be submitted in total:
Under 12 years
12–15 years
16–18 years
Portfolio
Picture Perfect Pets
The Human Impact on Animals
Mobile Phone and Devices
An overall winner will be chosen by the judges from the winners of each category.
In addition, a selection of photos entered in the mobile phone category will be put to the public vote in March 2019 (promoted on the RSPCA website and social media). The photo with the most votes wins the People’s Choice Award.
The closing date for entries to the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards is 4pm Friday 17 August. Hopeful entrants can submit their images online at www.rspca.org.uk/ypa/17
