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Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest 2025 invites photographers worldwide to showcase how gardening for wildlife can transform any space—from community greenspaces to backyard havens. Hosted by the National Wildlife Federation, this juried contest opens August 4, 2025, and runs through September 19, 2025, celebrating images that communicate the importance of habitat creation for wildlife.
Participants may submit up to 20 photographs in categories ranging from native plants to candid garden moments and youth perspectives. Awards include a $1,000 Grand Prize, a $500 Runner-Up prize, gift cards for category winners and runner-ups, plus honorable mentions with digital certificates and subscriptions. Entry packages start at $15 for ten images, with the best value offering 20 entries for $25—making it one of the photo challenges online that combines affordability and impact.
By pairing tangible rewards—cash, gift cards and free digital subscriptions—with national exposure on NWF’s website and in National Wildlife magazine, this competition offers a meaningful platform for photographers at every level. Whether you’re drawn to documenting urban habitats or celebrating garden biodiversity, the Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest 2025 delivers professional benefits and conservation engagement.
The Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest Prizes
A total of at least 12 award recipients will be recognized, with winners featured on the National Wildlife Federation’s website and potentially published in National Wildlife magazine.
- Grand Prize: One winner receives a $1,000 cash prize.
- Runner-Up: One winner receives a $500 cash prize.
- Category Winners: Five winners (one per category), each receives a $100 Wild Birds Unlimited gift card.
- Category Runner-Up Winners: Five winners (one per category), each receives a $25 Visa gift card.
- Honorable Mentions: Personalized digital certificate and a free one-year digital subscription to National Wildlife.
Related Photo Contests
The Categories of the Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest
- Native Plants in the Garden: Close-up shots and wide-angle views of native flora thriving in backyard and community habitats.
- Wildlife in the Garden: Portraits and behavior of garden wildlife—birds, pollinators, small mammals—making it ideal for wildlife photography contests.
- Candid and Funny Moments in the Garden: Spontaneous captures of animals or people at work and play among the plants.
- Small Space Gardens and Habitat: Images of balcony, container or urban greenspaces in this yearly changing theme.
- Youth Category (Ages 13–17): Entries by photographers aged 13 to 17, with parental consent.
Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest 2025 Dates and Entry Fees
- Contest Opens: August 4, 2025.
- Submission Deadline: September 19, 2025.
- Winner Notifications: Expected by January 31, 2026.
Entry Packages:
- Up to 20 images for $25
- Up to 15 images for $20
- Up to 10 images for $15
How to Enter:
Create an account on the NWF contest portal, agree to the official rules, select one of the three entry packages, then upload JPEG files (minimum 1,600 px on the longest side, up to 50 MB each) with complete metadata (subject, date, location, editing notes) before the deadline. Payment is made via credit card or PayPal.
About the Jury
Submissions are judged by a panel of National Wildlife Federation photography and wildlife experts, including Garden for Wildlife staff and experienced volunteer judges. Criteria include habitat representation, originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact and artistic merit. All decisions are final.
Why Enter Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest 2025?
As in the best photography challenges to join, this contest offers cash prizes, gift cards, national exposure on NWF’s website and in National Wildlife magazine, plus a free digital subscription—combining tangible rewards with conservation impact recognition.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest 2025 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
Open worldwide to photographers aged 13 and older (Youth Entrants 13–17 require parental consent), the contest runs August 4–September 19, 2025. Entrants must purchase an entry package (non-refundable), upload JPEG images by the deadline, and provide complete metadata. Ethical standards apply: no handled wildlife or staged photos. Judges may reassign categories and disqualify non-compliant entries.
Copyright and Image Usage
Entrants retain all rights to their photographs. By entering, they grant NWF a perpetual, non-exclusive license to reproduce, display and promote submitted images with credit in NWF’s digital and print media, including the contest gallery and National Wildlife magazine. Donated images may be used further under joint-ownership terms.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
