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The Natural Landscape Photography Awards 2025 (NLPA 2025) is now open for entries, inviting photographers worldwide to share their vision of the natural world. It champions the power of truthful depiction in landscape photography, welcoming work captured digitally or on film that adheres to the more traditional bounds of the medium. The core idea is celebrating photography’s unique grounding in reality while still allowing for creative expression through sensitive editing.
The awards aim to showcase the skill involved in revealing the wonder of the natural landscape authentically. Recognitions span several prestigious titles and a substantial prize pool totalling over $16,500 in cash for 2025, plus valuable equipment and subscriptions. The top honour is the Photographer of the Year ($5,000 cash), alongside awards for Photograph of the Year ($1,000), Project of the Year ($1,500), and various category and special awards. The competition structure includes main categories like Grand Landscape, Intimate Landscape, and Abstract Landscape, supplemented by several thematic Special Awards. Keeping an eye on photography challenge submission deadlines is crucial; entries for NLPA 2025 close on May 31st. Fees start at $17 for a single image, scaling up for multiple entries or projects.
For photographers dedicated to capturing the authentic beauty and spirit of the natural world, Natural Landscape Photography Awards 2025 offers a highly respected international stage. Its clear emphasis on realism and ethical practices appeals to those seeking recognition for work created with integrity. Judged by a diverse panel of renowned landscape photographers, including new additions for 2025 like Jennifer Renwick and Jack Lodge, the competition ensures expert evaluation. Considering the substantial prizes, the focus on authentic imagery, and the calibre of the judging panel, NLPA 2025 is often highlighted among the best photography contests to enter, particularly within landscape photography competitions.
The Natural Landscape Photography Awards 2025 Prizes
The NLPA offers a significant collection of cash prizes, equipment, subscriptions, and recognition opportunities for 2025, totalling over $16,500 in cash alone:
- Natural Landscape Photographer of the Year: Awarded for the best portfolio of 6 images (demonstrating variety preferred).
- First Place: $5,000 USD cash + First choice from the FLM tripod pool.
- Runner-up: $1,000 USD cash.
- Natural Landscape Photograph of the Year: Awarded for the single best image across all categories.
- First Place: $1,000 USD cash + Third choice from the FLM tripod pool.
- Project of the Year: Awarded for the best cohesive collection of 6-10 images.
- First Place: $1,500 USD cash + Second choice from the FLM tripod pool.
- Runner-Up: $500 USD cash.
- Main Category Awards:
- Grand Landscape Award: $1,000 USD cash.
- Grand Landscape Award Runner-Up: $500 USD cash.
- Intimate Landscape Award: $1,000 USD cash.
- Abstract Landscape Award: $1,000 USD cash.
- Special Awards: $500 USD cash prize for the winner of each Special Award category (Tropical Landscapes, Woodlands, Rocks and Geology, Mountains, Frozen Worlds, Seascapes, Desert Landscapes, In Your Backyard).
- Additional Prizes:
- Total FLM tripod pool valued at $2,185 USD.
- Total NPN (Nature Photographers Network) subscriptions valued at $735 USD.
- Free copy of the annual fine art book (valued at ~$70) for all 17 cash prize winners plus over 100 other stand-out photographers featured in the book (total book value ~$8,000).
The Categories of the Natural Landscape Photography Awards 2025
NLPA 2025 structures its competition to recognize excellence across various facets of natural landscape photography:
- Photographer of the Year: Judged on a portfolio of 6 diverse images submitted across other categories.
- Project of the Year: A standalone category requiring a submission of 6-10 related images with an accompanying descriptive text (up to 200 words).
- Main Single Image Categories:
- Grand Landscape: Wider views, often including sky and foreground, emphasizing scale.
- Intimate Landscape: Smaller scenes or details within a larger landscape, typically without sky, often using mid-range or telephoto lenses.
- Abstract Landscape: Non-representative interpretations focusing on ambiguity, patterns, textures, and composition to evoke emotion.
- Special Awards Categories: Images entered into the main categories can also be tagged for consideration in relevant Special Awards:
- Tropical Landscapes
- Woodlands
- Rocks and Geology
- Mountains
- Frozen Worlds (featuring ice/snow)
- Seascapes
- Desert Landscapes
- In Your Backyard (captured within 25 miles of home)
The Photograph of the Year is selected from the single best image across all relevant main categories.
Natural Landscape Photography Awards 2025 Dates and Entry Fees
Mark your calendars! Here is the timeline for the NLPA 2025 competition:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Entries Open | April 15, 2025 |
| Entries Close (Deadline) | May 31, 2025 |
| Pre-judging Complete | June 25, 2025 |
| Judges Receive Images | July 1, 2025 |
| Judges Finish Scoring | August 1, 2025 |
| RAW File Requests (Approx.) | August 5, 2025 |
| Final Judging Period | September 1-10, 2025 |
| Results Announced (Approx.) | September 15, 2025 |
Entry fees for the competition are structured as follows:
- Main Competition:
- 1 image: $17
- 6 images: $46
- 12 images: $68
- 18 images: $113
- Project Category:
- $34 per project (6-10 images)
- $68 for two projects (Maximum 2 projects per person)
How to Enter:
To participate, photographers need to register and submit their entries via the official NLPA website between April 15th and May 31st, 2025. This involves uploading digital images (JPEG, 3000px min/4000px max long edge preferred, <8MB, AdobeRGB or sRGB, no borders/watermarks), selecting appropriate categories and any applicable Special Awards, potentially adding descriptions (required for Projects), and paying the entry fees using the online system (Stripe).
About the Jury
The NLPA 2025 judging panel features a blend of returning experts and fresh perspectives, all highly respected within the landscape photography community. The judges for this year are:
- Jennifer Renwick (USA): Known for intimate landscapes and smaller details, influenced by geology and veterinary medicine. Emphasizes slow photography and teaches workshops.
- Jack Lodge (UK): Professional landscape, nature, and wildlife photographer documenting seasonal changes from Dorset woodlands to Arctic seas.
- Anna Morgan (Canada): British photographer based on Vancouver Island, focusing on quiet, intimate landscapes promoting ecological awareness. Background in veterinary and conservation medicine.
- Matt Palmer (Australia): AIPP Master of Photography and 2019 AIPP Australian Professional Photographer of the Year. Experienced AIPP judge bringing rigorous evaluation standards.
- Hougaard Malan (South Africa): Known for expansive Namibian and southern African landscapes; experienced photo tour guide. Focuses on allowing viewers to experience the place.
This panel brings a diverse range of styles, backgrounds, and geographic locations to ensure a comprehensive and fair evaluation process, upholding NLPA’s high standards.
Why Enter Natural Landscape Photography Awards 2025?
Participating in the Natural Landscape Photography Awards 2025 offers compelling reasons for photographers passionate about authentic depictions of nature. The competition’s core philosophy (celebrating realism and ethical practices) provides a dedicated and respected platform for works. This focus on integrity resonates strongly within the landscape community, making recognition here particularly meaningful. It’s frequently cited as one of the best photo contest choices for serious nature and landscape artists.
The financial rewards are substantial, with a $16,500+ cash prize pool including a $5,000 top prize, alongside valuable equipment and subscriptions. Beyond money, the prestige of being selected by a panel of highly regarded international landscape photographers offers significant validation. Winning or placing provides considerable exposure through NLPA’s channels and the annual fine art book – a high-quality publication distributed to winners and available for purchase. The detailed category structure, including specific ‘Special Awards’, allows photographers to gain recognition even within niche areas of the genre, making it a versatile and rewarding nature photo contest.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Natural Landscape Photography Awards 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
- Golden Rule: “The integrity of the subject should be maintained.” Edits should not deceive a viewer familiar with the scene/process.
- Permitted Adjustments: Standard adjustments (White Balance, Exposure, Color, Contrast), dodging/burning (if not hiding elements or faking light), dust spot/flare removal, cropping (maintaining print quality), stitching panoramas, exposure bracketing, focus stacking, image stacking/averaging for technical quality. Black and white conversions allowed.
- Disallowed Adjustments: Compositing/introducing new elements (skies, objects, light effects, etc.), removing significant elements (minor transient objects like leaves OK, major features like trees/pylons not OK – heavy cloning penalized), distorting elements unnaturally (minor perspective/lens correction OK), combining different focal lengths unnaturally, significant time blending, combining ‘perfect moments’ from sequences, in-camera or digital multiple exposures (superimposing).
- Ethics & Legality: Adherence to Nature First Principles and local laws/park rules (including permits/drone laws) required.
- Image Requirements: Original work of the entrant. Digital or scanned film accepted. JPEG format preferred for entry. RAW files must be available for verification (alternative verification for film). Minimum 3000px, maximum 4000px on long edge preferred, under 8MB. No borders/watermarks.
- Eligibility: Worldwide. No pro/amateur distinction, but portfolio diversity encouraged for PotY. PotY win is lifetime limit. Images can be from any time period (but >50% within last 5 years preferred for PotY consideration). Images previously entered or winning other contests are allowed. AI-generated images are not permitted.
Copyright and Image Usage
- Copyright Ownership: The photographer retains full copyright of their submitted images.
- Usage License Grant: By entering, photographers grant NLPA a non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, perpetual license to use submitted images *solely* in connection with the Competition. This includes judging, displaying in exhibitions (physical/online), inclusion on the website/catalog/book, use in promotional materials for the competition (current and future), sub-licensing to press for competition promotion (for 3 years), and allowing website viewing.
- Sponsor Usage: Sponsors are granted a similar non-exclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable license for winning/commended images *only* for promoting the Awards (e.g., social media, website mentions), not for general commercial use.
- Crediting: NLPA will strive to include photographer credit lines but failure is not a breach if rectified reasonably.
- Email Sharing: By entering, you agree NLPA may share your email address with sponsors for marketing purposes.
Entrants must review the full Terms & Conditions on the official website for complete details.
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For more information and to enter the competition, visit: the oficial website.
