For the third year in a row, the KBA Canada team is inviting photographers of all levels to participate in our photo contest and help us showcase the natural beauty and importance of Canada’s KBAs and the biodiversity that calls them home!
Canada is home to a diverse range of ecosystems, each with its unique flora and fauna. Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) play a vital role in preserving these ecosystems and the species that call them home. KBAs are places that contain remarkable concentrations of rare or vulnerable species and ecosystems, according to specific globally recognized criteria. Each site is critically important for supporting the long-term survival of some special piece of biodiversity or biological process.
Photos submitted to the contest should be taken from KBAs (or Candidate KBAs) or should feature species or ecosystems that are having KBAs identified for them. To find out what places across Canada are KBAs or Candidate KBAs, visit the Map Viewer on our website (TIP: turn on “Candidate KBAs” in the Legend on the bottom right to see KBAs-in-progress). Find out which species or ecosystems are being considered for KBAs by clicking on Candidate KBAs in the Map Viewer, exploring the Species Search on our website, or by checking the list here.
This year, the KBA Canada team is also proud to announce the addition of a special guest judge to the contest: 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Shane Gross! A Canadian conservation photojournalist based in Nanaimo, BC, Shane is known for his work in marine photography and promoting ocean and freshwater conservation. His images highlight the beauty of underwater ecosystems while raising awareness about the threats they face. Shane is an Associate Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) and a co-founder of the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective (CCPC). Shane’s first book, Bahamas Underwater, was published in 2021.
Visit KBACanada.org for more information and KBAs and KBA Canada’s work. For inspiration, check out the winners of the 2023 and 2024 contests! For questions about contest rules and eligibility, please contact Peter Soroye at psoroye@wcs.org .
Join us in celebrating the beauty and importance of Canada’s Key Biodiversity Areas through the lens of your camera. Show the world the treasures that need our protection. Good luck, and happy viewing!
Fauna: From birds to bugs, snakes to seas slugs and everything in between, capture the incredible animal life found within Canada’s KBAs. Show us your photos of the remarkable wildlife that these areas highlight.
Flora and Fungi: Whether beautiful flowering orchids, underappreciated grasses and sedges, or the intricate beauty of a moss or lichen, show us your best photographs of the plants and fungi within KBAs.
Landscapes and Ecosystems: Highlight the breathtaking landscapes, ecosystems, and scenic views that define Canada’s KBAs. From majestic mountains to serene wetlands, let your photographs speak to the importance of these areas.
People and Conservation: Showcase the efforts, initiatives and people dedicated to enjoying and conserving KBAs in Canada. Photographs in this category should focus on people in KBAs or capture the projects and actions that contribute to the preservation of these vital areas.
Eligibility:
The contest is free and open to photographers living in Canada, of all ages and skill levels.
Photos do not need to be taken during the contest period (e.g., you are welcome to submit older photos).
Each participant can submit a maximum of three photographs per category.
Photographers may not submit photos that were entered in previous KBA Canada Photo Contests.
The KBA Photo contest will be judged by members of the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada and Birds Canada KBA teams, and in the interest of fairness, staff and contractors of these organizations will be ineligible to win a prize or place in the top three of a category (although they may still receive an honorable mention).
Submission Guidelines:
Practice ethical wildlife photography at all times: photograph from a distance, do not use bait or audio playback to lure or attract wildlife, avoid getting too close to sensitive environments and species, do not alter natural landscapes to get a better photo (i.e. trim branches), and leave the area immediately if wildlife are showing signs of distress. If photos display animals being handled, we ask that you describe why that was necessary. We ask that photographers take special care to ensure that any owl photography is ethical and follows best-practices that keep animals safe.
Photographs must be in digital format (JPEG or PNG).
Submissions should include a title, a brief description, and the location where the photo was taken.
All submissions must be the original work of the entrant.
Judging Criteria:
Creativity and Originality
Composition and Technical Quality
Relevance to the Category
Ability to convey the significance of KBAs in Canada (i.e. how well it showcases a KBA or Candidate site, or a KBA species/ecosystem)
Prizes:
Grand Prize (overall): the overall winner as decided by judges will receive a $300 cash prize, and a WCS Canada and KBA Canada prize pack. The photo and artist will be featured across the KBA Canada website, partner social media channels and newsletter.
First place (per category): winners will receive a WCS Canada and KBA Canada prize pack, and photos and artists will be featured across the KBA Canada website, partner social media channels and newsletter.
Second and third place (per category): photos and artists will be featured across the KBA Canada website, partner social media channels and newsletter.
Honorable mentions: photos and artists will be featured across KBA Canada partner social media channels.
Rights and Usage: By entering the contest, participants agree to grant WCS Canada the perpetual right to use and publish the submitted photo(s) under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC 4.0 license (i.e. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which allows use for non-commercial purposes and requires giving appropriate credit to the original photographer. Uses may include, but are not limited to, publishing the photo(s) on the KBA Canada website and within KBA Canada news articles and press releases.
Contact Information: For inquiries and further information, please contact psoroye@wcs.org.
