Waterlife photography competition

We’ve never had more time to reflect on the importance of nature in our lives. Before the coronavirus pandemic, how many of us took the time not just to look, but to see? To discover the myriad shades of brown on a female blackbird’s breast, or observe how neatly a leafcutter bee snips semicircles from foliage to create cells for its young. We want to see the wetland wildlife that matters to you.

As our centres have been closed due to the pandemic, we’ve extended the period over which entries can have been taken. So this year, you can submit images taken at our centres not just in 2020, but since June 2019.

As usual, all entries will be judged by Sophie Stafford, Waterlife’s editor and an internationally renowned wildlife photography judge, and a jury of WWT experts. A shortlist of winning and commended shots will be published in the March/June 2021 issue of Waterlife, and the overall winner will be awarded a pair of Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 binoculars worth £970.

We’re also delighted to be introducing a new children’s category for young people aged 16 and under! The winner of the youth category will receive £200 worth of vouchers to spend at cliftoncameras.co.uk

You have until 30 November 2020 to enter.

Terms and conditions

Full terms and conditions

• Images may be digitally enhanced to remove spots or scratches but not manipulated. Entrants can enhance the picture to make it brighter, clearer etc, but not manipulate the content. WWT reserve the right to exclude any image they believe may have been excessively treated so as to alter its authenticity.
• Any photograph that has won a prize in another major photographic competition will be ineligible for entry into the competition
• It is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure that all necessary permissions are obtained from any person featured in a photograph.
• The judges’ decision is final.
• The judges reserve the right not to make any award if, in their opinion, none of the entries meet the required standard.
• If there is any doubt, WWT will decide whether or not a photograph fulfils the competition criteria. If it does not, it will be withdrawn. WWT’s decision is final.
• Any queries regarding the Waterlife photo competition should be sent to waterlife@wwt.org.uk

Thank you for entering our annual photo competition. This gives WWT permission to use any image submissions under the terms stated below:

1. You grant to us (and our successors, licensees and assigns) the right throughout the world to copy, reproduce and make alterations to the Material and to use and store the Material (including any copies, reproductions and altered verions) alone or in conjunction with any other material in the advertising, marketing and publicity produced by or under our control in connection with our conservation activities including, without limitation, the film or project and to exploit the Promotions (including the Material) by any and all means and in any and all media (whether now known or hereafter invented), in perpetuity.
2. You acknowledge that you understand and agree that we cannot guarantee that the Material will be included.
3. You grant any and all consents which may be required under the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (or any amendment of that Act) to enable us to make the fullest use of the rights granted under this agreement and undertake to do all further acts and execute all further documents as may be required in that regard.
4. You confirm to us that: you are the sole owner of any copyright and any and all other rights in the Material; you have the sole and absolute right to enter into and perform this agreement and to grant the rights referred to in it. No consent is required from any third party to do so; and nothing in the Material is defamatory, infringes the rights of any third party or breaches any laws or regulations.
5. You acknowledge that in copying, reproducing and using the Material, we are depicting or portraying any person(s) appearing in it, either directly or indirectly and release us from any and all claims and demands arising out of or in connection with any exploitation of the rights granted under this agreement, including but not limited to claims related to copyright or trade mark infringement, infringement of privacy or publicity rights, defamation, infringement of moral rights and any other personal and/or property rights whatsoever in any jurisdiction. You shall not assert or maintain any such claim or demand against us at any time now or in the future.
6. Where possible we will accord you credit on all positive copies of the Promotions that include the Material and that are made by or under our control. Any failure by us or any third party to accord credit shall not constitute a breach of this agreement or entitle you to terminate it.
7. In the event of any breach of this agreement by us, your sole remedy (if any) shall be for damages and you shall not be entitled to rescind this agreement or terminate the rights granted under it or to claim injunctive relief or to enjoin or restrain the production or distribution of the Promotions. Save for any breach of this agreement by us, we shall not be liable to you for any loss, damage or injury to you or your property caused, suffered or incurred by our production or distribution of the Promotions. Nothing in this agreement shall limit our liability for personal injury or death resulting from our negligence or fraud.
8. You shall indemnify us (and keep us indemnified) from and against all actions, demands, claims, costs and damages howsoever arising in respect of any actual or alleged breach or non-performance of this agreement.
9. You agree that we may at any time assign or deal in any other manner with any or all of our rights under this agreement.
10. You shall not disclose any confidential information that you may acquire concerning our business and affairs at any time.
11. No one other than a party to this agreement, their successors and permitted assignees, shall have any right to enforce any of its terms.