Entering photo contests is not only fun (especially when you win), but it also helps get you take your photography to new levels. Look at the different categories as assignments and try to get as creative as possible – I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you come up with.

Here are 6 annual contests you should consider entering:

Leica’s Newcomer Award For the past 30 years, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (for pro photographers only) has honored outstanding photographers from all over the world as the winners of this prestigious contest. This year, they decided to add a new category, the ” Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award”, open to “prospective professional photographers” under the age of 26. To enter, submit a series of max 12 photos depicting “the interaction between man and the environment” on or before March 1. There is no entry fee, and the Newcomer Award is $2,500 Euros, and your work exhibited in Leica’s online gallery.

The International Photography Awards The Lucie Foundation’s annual juried competition welcomes professionals, amateurs and students to enter their work in any or all of their many categories (8 professional, 7 non-professional and one called The Deeper Perspective where the story behind the photo is as important as the image itself). It’s $25/single photo, $50/series (2-5 photos) and $15 per additional category to enter. The jury chooses one winner per category, and three grand prize winners: The International Photographer of the Year, The Discovery of the Year and the Deeper Perspective International Photographer of the Year. The grand prize winners receive cash prizes ($10,000 and $5,000), Lucie statues, tickets to the Lucie awards, and a solo show at a gallery in New York (Discovery of the Year only). The Photographer of the Year also gets the opportunity to shoot a portion of (and feature in) a Pilsner Urquell documercial on site in the Czech Republic. The 2009 deadline is March 27.

Underwater Photo and Video Competition This competition is open to amateurs only, and if you enjoy diving and snorkeling, it’s definitely one to put on your “submit list”. There are 5 photo categories: Conservation, Majestic, Togetherness, Macro, and Wide Angle, and they are obviously looking for photos taken underwater. And check out the prizes: diving trips to the Solomon Islands, the Cayman Islands, Bonaire, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Honduras, hotel stays and dive packages in several different (exotic) locations, equipment, gift cards and much more. The entry fee is $10/image, and you can enter as many as you like. The Underwater Images competition is a non-profit corporation and all proceeds from this competition go to marine conservation, education, and scholarships, so this is money well spent. The deadline is April 1, but for an additional $5/image, you can enter as late as April 10.

2009 National Wildlife Contest This is the 39th annual photo contest held by National Wildlife Magazine, and they welcome pros, amateurs and youths (13-17). The categories are: Mammals, Birds, Other Wildlife, Backyard Habitats, Connecting People and Nature, Landscapes and Plant Life, and, new for 2009, Global Warming and Wildlife. It’s $15 to enter, and you may submit up to 20 photos before the July 20 deadline. The fee also includes a one-year membership to National Wildlife Federation AND six issues of the magazine, so it’s quite a bargain! Prizes include cash ($1,000 and $5,000), field guides, calendars, and your photo(s) online and in print.

National Geographic What’s National Geographic famous for? That’s right, great photography. It goes without saying that competition is fierce at “World in Focus”, their annual photo contest, but give it a shot (no pun intended) anyway, you never know! Amateurs and Professionals compete separately, and the jury selects 11 winners from the amateur group and 6 from the pros. The 2009 contest has not started yet, but it usually runs April – September. Last year’s categories were “Spontaneous Moments”, “Travel Portraits”, “Sense of Place”, “Outdoor Scenes” and “Photo Essay” (up to 6 photos), and prizes included trips to Patagonia, Chile and Maine, photography workshops and camera gear.

Islands Magazine Islands’ annual photo contest is on its 20th year, and if you like travel, this is one to enter for sure. They are looking for island-based travel photos, and the entry fee is only $3/photo. Prizes this year include trips to Fiji, Oahu, Iceland and Aruba. The 2009 deadline was January 31st, so set your sights on entering next year (something to keep in mind while vacationing this year).

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international fragrances

international fragrances

DeeDee Dobson encourages everyone to enter their photos in contests. On her blog, she talks about fabulous pink digital cameras and the different kinds available.

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