All competitions · Prize / award
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 63
Natural History Museum, London · London, United Kingdom
Annual international nature photography competition run by the Natural History Museum. The 63rd competition opens 19 October 2026 and closes 3 December 2026; adults pay £35 for up to 25 images, young and many-country entrants enter free.
Your eligibility
Tell us about yourself and we will check these rules against your details. Nothing leaves your device until you sign in.
Who can enter
- Location
- Open worldwide
- Age
- No age limit
- Career stage
- Any
- Mediums
- Photography
- Theme
- nature, wildlife, environment
- AI
- No AI-generated work
- Submission
- Online submission
- Also
- Adult competition for 18+; Young WPY for 17 and under on closing date. Photos taken on or after 1 November 2021. Free entry for 18–26-year-olds and residents of 57+ listed countries.
About
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the Natural History Museum's annual competition and touring exhibition celebrating photography of the natural world. The 63rd competition accepts entries from 19 October 2026 (10:30 GMT) to 3 December 2026 (11:30 GMT) across 19 adult categories and the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year age brackets.
Adult entrants (18+) may submit up to 25 images for a £35 fee; Young WPY (17 and under) is free, as is entry for photographers aged 18–26 on the closing date and residents of more than 57 listed countries, mainly in Africa, Central and South America and parts of Asia-Pacific. Images must have been taken on or after 1 November 2021 and AI-generated content is prohibited.
First-round results are notified on 22 January 2027 and final decisions on 12 March 2027, ahead of the exhibition opening at the museum in autumn 2027.