We’re running our wildlife and nature photography competition for the third year in the row, and we can’t wait to see your entries! We’ve put together a blog on how you can get involved, the kind of entries we’re looking for, and some tips for getting started in the world of nature photography.
Submitting Entries & Prizes
If you have a passion for photography and are looking for the perfect excuse to explore Campus East, then you should enter our photography competition. The continuing theme of our competition is “Celebrating Campus East”, we want you to go out and take photos that show off how beautiful our campus and the local wildlife are.
Submit your entries to connecting-east@york.ac.uk by [deadline date]. We have prizes for winners and runner-ups, so keep your eyes peeled on our facebook for updates on these! Below we have some tips from PhotoSoc for those of you who are just getting started with photography, as well as some examples of entries from our previous competitions. You can find all entries to the past two years here on our website!
Tips for Nature Photography
● If you’re using a smartphone, use HDR mode. This will take several photos for you in succession and combine that into one photo, persevering a lot more details that in just one shot.
● Think about the time of day you are taking photos - how much natural light will there be? How will the shadows look? ‘Golden hour’, i.e. just before sunset, is always a nice time to take outdoor photos.
● Wanting to take photos of wildlife? Take some time to research your subject online so that you aren’t going into the situation blind. You might even learn a thing or two about their habits that will look great if captured on photo!
● Focus on one subject at a time, this will pull away from any distractions in the background and give the viewer something sharp and eye-catching to look at in the foreground.
● Be careful of where the sun is placed in your photos - the brightness of the sun can cause the rest of your image to darken and even spread flare across the photo. Try shading the lens of your camera if the sun is getting in the way of your photo.
● Get down to eye-level when taking photos of wildlife, it changes the entire perspective and leaves a lasting impression. Using an interesting foreground in your photos creates depth.
● Take advantage of the seasons changing and the unpredictable weather! Don’t be afraid to go outside in the rain or snow, you may come out with some really good photos.
● Finally, take lots of photos! Not every shot will be the perfect shot, but take as many photos while you’re in the moment and sort through them later.
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