If you have not received a login code, it usually means your registration and payment have not been completed yet.

To receive your login code, please make sure you have:

• Created your account via the “Enter Now” page on the Nature Photographer of the Year website
• Completed your registration and payment

After completing these steps, your personal login code will be sent automatically by email.

Please note: all participants need to create a new account this year due to our updated system.

Only fully registered and paid participants will receive a login code and be able to access their personal dashboard.

Login codes are valid for 15 minutes.
For security reasons, each code expires after 15 minutes. If you enter the code after this time, you may see a message that the code is invalid or does not match. In that case, please request a new login code.

The NPOTY contest features 12 categories for individual images (adults), one category for young photographers, and the Fred Hazelhoff Award for a portfolio.
Here are the available categories:

Adult Categories

• C1 Birds

• C2 Mammals

• C3 Other Animals

• C4 Plants and Fungi

• C5 Landscapes

• C6 Underwater

• C7 Natural Art

• C8 Humans and Nature

• C9 Black & White

• C10 Animal Portraits

• C11 Nature of “De Lage Landen”

Young Photographers

• C12 Youth (10-17 years)

Portfolio

• C13 Fred Hazelhoff Award (Portfolio)

You can choose one or more categories for your entries, but each photo can only be submitted to one category. The Fred Hazelhoff Award allows photos to be submitted to additional categories as well.

If you see an error when uploading your images in the Youth category, this is usually caused by an incorrect date of birth or account details. Please make sure that your correct date of birth is entered in your account.

If any details are incorrect, please contact us so we can update your account. Once corrected, you will be able to upload your images without issues.

The finalists will be revealed during the festive Award Ceremony at the Nature Talks Photo Festival on Saturday, November 14.

Getting started is easy: choose your entry type, complete your payment, and upload your photos directly in your personal dashboard.

All updates will be posted on your personal dashboard, so be sure to check it regularly.

For the initial upload, your photos must be exactly 1920 pixels on the longest side. JPG file size must be between 125 KB and 2 MB (2000 KB).

If you progress further in the competition, we will request both the edited and original RAW files. The edited file must be at least 3000 pixels on the longest side, as it may be used for exhibition purposes.

For your initial upload, make sure your photos are exactly 1920 pixels on the longest side and within the required file size (125 KB – 2 MB).
For detailed, step-by-step instructions on resizing your photos, visit our blog here.

Yes, noise reduction is allowed — as long as it’s applied in moderation and the original character of the image is preserved.
You may use tools like Lightroom Classic Denoise, Topaz DeNoise AI, or similar software, but the result should remain natural. Overly smooth or artificial-looking images, or those that lose important detail, may be disqualified.

Please note: the jury has the final say in whether a photo meets our editing guidelines. We encourage subtle processing that supports the integrity of the photograph, rather than altering its essence.

No, multiple accounts are not allowed.

Yes, you can enter the contest with mobile or smartphone photos, as long as you have a high-resolution image with at least 3000 pixels on the longest side. The image must be suitable for large-format printing (e.g. 80 x 120 cm) and must have Adobe RGB or sRGB color profiles.

The Youth contest is free to enter, while the adult competition requires an entry fee, which depends on the entry type you select.

The Fred Hazelhoff Award is for photographers who submit a cohesive portfolio consisting of at least 6 and no more than 10 images, which can be connected through subject matter or the photographer’s style.

Yes, you can submit multiple photos in one category if you wish. There is no requirement to select the same category for all your photos, or to submit one photo to each category. Also, black & white images are allowed in all categories.

No, each photo can only be submitted to one category, except for The Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award. However, photos entered in the Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award can also be submitted to other categories.

To add an additional category, please visit our website at www.naturephotographeroftheyear.com and click “Enter Now” (not via your dashboard). From there, please select the additional entry you would like to purchase and add it to your cart.

After completing the payment, your package will be automatically upgraded and the new category will be linked to your account. You can then immediately start uploading your images.

Yes, you can enter the same images into other contests at the same time, as long as they have not yet won a prize in a prestigious international competition or been repeatedly published in leading nature or wildlife magazines. The jury will make the final decision on eligibility.

If your photo makes it through the first selection round, we will request the RAW file.

Yes, you will automatically receive an invoice once your payment has been completed.