British Wildlife Photography Awards 2027 (BWPA 2027)

British Wildlife Photography Awards 2027, also referred to by the organizers as BWPA 15, is now open and it is one of those deadlines that can catch photographers off guard. The contest focuses on wildlife and natural history images made in Britain or the British Isles, with submissions closing on 7 June 2026. The adult competition offers a prize fund of almost £10,000, headed by a £3,500 cash award for the overall winner, while the youth competition remains free and includes its own overall and category prizes. For photographers browsing the best photo challenges online, this is one of the most established wildlife-focused calls currently accepting entries.

The structure is broad enough to appeal to different ways of seeing nature. Adult entrants can submit work across categories such as animal behaviour, animal portraits, habitat, urban wildlife, documentary series, and black and white, while younger photographers compete in age-based sections. Entry to the adult contest is paid through credits, starting at £35 for 25 entries, with a higher rate from 31 May 2026. Young photographers aged 17 or under can submit up to 10 images free of charge. There is also an early bird discount period available for a limited time.

What makes the contest especially relevant is its mix of scope and specificity. It is international in who may enter, but tightly focused on images made in Britain, which gives the awards a clear editorial identity. For photographers interested in wildlife photography awards, BWPA 2027 offers cash prizes, a published collection, and the possibility of exhibition exposure through the competition’s touring show.

Prizes

The British Wildlife Photography Awards 2027 distributes prizes across the adult and youth sections, with the overall title sitting above the category awards.

• Overall Winner – British Wildlife Photographer of the Year
  The most prestigious title of the contest, awarded to the best single image across all adult categories.
  Prize: £3,500 cash (including category prize)
• Adult Category Winners
  Each category winner is awarded a cash prize, and from these winners, the overall champion is selected.
  Prize: £500 cash per category winner
• Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year – Overall Winner
  Chosen from the winners of the three youth age brackets.
  Prize: £250 voucher (including category prize)
• Young Category Winners
  Separate winners for the following age groups: 11 and under, 12–14, and 15–17 years.
  Prize: £100 voucher per category winner

Beyond the stated prizes, the contest also connects winning work to the BWPA book collection and the touring exhibition, which adds a strong publication and exhibition dimension to the awards.

Categories

The adult competition of the British Wildlife Photography Awards 15 includes several thematic categories that reflect different ways of photographing wildlife and nature across Britain.

• Animal Behaviour – Images that capture decisive moments or revealing interactions showing how wildlife behaves in its natural environment.
• Animal Portraits – Portrait-style images that highlight the character, expression, or detail of British wildlife.
• Botanical Britain – Photographs of plants, trees, flowers, fungi, algae, and other botanical subjects found across Britain.
• Black & White – Monochrome wildlife or nature photographs where light, contrast, and composition take center stage.
• British Seasons – A portfolio category consisting of four images exploring seasonal change in Britain, either across all seasons or focusing on one.
• Coast & Marine – Wildlife, habitats, and natural scenes from Britain’s coastal and marine environments.
• Habitat – Images that emphasize the landscapes and ecosystems that support wildlife populations.
• Hidden Britain – The small and often overlooked world of nature, including insects, fungi, textures, and close-up details.
• Urban Wildlife – Wild animals or plants photographed within towns, cities, or human-dominated environments.
• Wild Woods – A category dedicated to woodland ecosystems, including wildlife, forest landscapes, and woodland details.
• Documentary Series – A series of up to six images telling a story about British wildlife, habitats, or conservation issues.

The youth competition is organized by age group rather than subject categories:

• 11 Years and Under
• 12–14 Years
• 15–17 Years

The overall Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year is selected from the winners of these three youth categories.

Dates and Entry Fees

The British Wildlife Photography Awards 2027 follow a long competition cycle that includes submission, judging, and later exhibition and publication activities.

Key dates:

• Entries open: 10 March 2026
• Submission deadline: 7 June 2026 (23:59 BST)
• High-resolution file requests: July 2026
• Winners announcement: March 2027

Entry fees (Adult Competition):

• Early entry price: £35 for 25 images
• From 31 May 2026: £40 for 25 images
• Additional entry credits can be purchased if photographers wish to submit more images.

Youth Competition:

• Free entry
• Up to 10 images can be submitted
• Open to photographers aged 17 or under

How to Enter:

Entries must be submitted through the official BWPA entry portal. Photographers need to register an account first, then upload and manage their submissions from the dashboard. Adult entrants purchase entry credits before submitting images. Entries remain editable and can be deleted or adjusted until the closing date. If a submission reaches the final round, the organizers will request a high-resolution file by email.

About the Jury

The judging panel for the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2027 brings together a mix of established wildlife photographers, conservationists, editors, and visual storytellers with direct experience in the British natural environment.

The announced judges include Ellie Rothnie, David Chapman, Lara Jackson, Neil McIntyre, Gina Goodman, Danny Green, and Will Nicholls, each contributing a distinct perspective across areas such as wildlife behaviour, conservation photography, publishing, and environmental storytelling.

Collectively, the panel reflects a balance between field-based photographic practice and editorial or curatorial expertise. Their backgrounds range from professional wildlife image-making and authorship to education, judging, and involvement in conservation-led visual projects.

The judging process is conducted anonymously, ensuring that entries are assessed purely on their photographic merit. Initial rounds also include checks for rule compliance and ethical standards, with particular attention to the welfare of wildlife and adherence to the competition’s code of conduct before progressing to final selection stages.

Why Enter British Wildlife Photography Awards 2027?

British Wildlife Photography Awards 2027 stands out because it combines a clear geographic focus with a broad creative brief. The contest is open to entrants from any country, but every accepted image must be made in Britain or the British Isles. That gives the award a strong identity while still leaving room for many approaches, from intimate portraits and black and white studies to conservation storytelling and urban wildlife.

There are also straightforward practical reasons to consider it. The prize fund is substantial, category winners are paid, and selected work may feed into the competition book and exhibition program. For photographers comparing this call with other photography contests and competitions, BWPA offers a combination of cash prizes, publication potential, exhibition visibility, and a specialist jury with experience across the British wildlife field. Younger entrants also benefit from a no-fee route, which makes it relevant alongside other free photography contests for emerging photographers.

Rules and Copyright

This section about the rules and image rights of the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2027 has been generated automatically. If you are interested in participating in this contest we suggest you review the complete rules provided by the contest.

Rules

The contest is open internationally, but only images taken in Britain or the British Isles are eligible.

Adult entrants must be 18 or older on 7 June 2026. Youth entrants must be 17 or younger on that date.

Adult entries must be submitted through the official website using entry credits. Youth entries do not require purchased credits.

Images must be submitted by 23:59 BST on 7 June 2026.

Adult entries can be entered in the listed categories only, and entrants are responsible for choosing the correct category.

Images are not permitted if they involve live baiting, domesticated animals, or other rule breaches identified by the organisers.

The code of ethics prohibits injuring, distressing, or intentionally disturbing animals. It also prohibits tape lures, decoys used to provoke behaviour, and live baiting. Other luring methods, such as bird seed, must be declared in the caption.

Animals in captivity are not permitted, except where the organisers specifically allow them as part of a conservation or journalism award context.

Basic processing is allowed, and the rules specifically note that denoise and sharpening tools are permitted. Finalists may be asked to provide high-resolution files by a stated deadline.

Copyright and Image Usage

Entrants must own the sole copyright in their submissions and the work must be original.

The organisers state that they do not claim ownership of submitted images.

However, by entering, photographers grant the competition a non-exclusive, worldwide, irrevocable licence to use, publish, display, edit, store, sublicense, and promote the entries in connection with the competition.

This includes use on the website, in publicity, in printed and digital versions of the competition book, in calendars and merchandise, at exhibitions, in press and marketing materials, on social media, and in promotion of future photographic competitions.

Images used by the competition are credited to the photographer.

If an awarded image is printed for the touring exhibition, the displayed print may later be sold by online auction for charity unless the photographer chooses to buy that print at printing and shipping cost.

For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.