RHS Launches Annual Photography Competition 2014
The RHS is on the hunt for the world’s best garden photographer as it launches its annual RHS Photographer and Young Photographer of the Year Competition on Monday 24 March.
Regarded as one of the most prestigious garden photography competitions in the world and attracting entrants from over 40 countries, professional and amateur photographers are invited to submit images that celebrate the wonder and diversity of the natural world.
There are five distinct categories including Plants, Abstracts and Details, Seasons, Celebrating Gardens and Wildlife, which give entrants ample scope for expressing their preferred photography style – whether this is revealing the beauty deep within a flower, finding a unique vantage point from which to shoot a wide angle garden view or capturing wildlife in its native habitat. Cash prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each category from an overall prize fund of £7550. In addition the winner of each category will receive a year’s RHS Gift Membership.
This year the RHS has doubled the top prize to £2000, which along with the coveted title of RHS Photographer of the Year 2014 will be awarded to one of the 5 adult category winners. The winning images will be selected by the judging panel for their originality, creativity, artistry and technical excellence.
There are two additional categories specifically for budding young photographers under the age of 18. Entrants to these categories will compete for the title of RHS Young Photographer of the Year and a prize of £500 to spend on the Wex Photographic website.
Expert garden photographer and competition judge, Clive Nichols, said: “Photographing gardens and the natural world offers a huge variety of photographic opportunities and really allows professional and amateur photographers to be creative with their compositions and the techniques they adopt. Every year the quality of images submitted make for an enjoyable yet difficult task for myself and the rest of the judging panel, and I am sure the standard this year will be no exception.
Heather Buckley, winner of the RHS Photographer of the Year 2013, said “I enter many competitions, but this one has to top them all. Apart from it being a great honour to win such a prestigious award, the exposure my winning image received exceeded all my expectations.
I would encourage any novice or professional photographer to enter the competition and be in with a chance of being named this year’s RHS Photographer or Young Photographer of the Year.”
The internationally renowned judging panel includes Clive Nichols, one of the world's finest flower and garden photographers, Chris Young, editor of highly regarded gardening magazine The Garden and RHS Images Manager, Carol Sheppard.
Entries can be submitted online at www.rhs.org.uk/photocomp until 2 November 2014.