Opens: 2nd February, 2025.
Closes: 31 March, 2025.
About the Contest
Nature Newfoundland & Labrador is hosting a Wetland Photography Contest to showcase the unique and beautiful wetlands in the province. This year’s winning photographs will be showcased in the 2026 Wetland Calendar.
Wetlands can broadly be defined as an area that is wet for most of the year. Wetlands cover 13% of Canada’s terrestrial area and are an important ecosystem in Newfoundland and Labrador that create habitat for wildlife, provide flood prevention, improve water quality, and offer recreational enjoyment. Wetlands exist all year round, and change throughout the seasons: in Spring, wetlands retain water like a sponge; in Summer, wetlands are home to several native plant species; in Fall, wetlands are an important resting place for migratory birds; and even in Winter, wetlands provide shelter for wildlife.
Types of Wetlands
- Fens: peat based, wet from drainage and groundwater
- Bogs: spongy peat floor covered by a thick carpet of sphagnum moss
- Open shallow fresh water
- Swamps: wetland with woody plants
- Marshes: wetland with emergent soft-stemmed plants
Contest Details
ELIGIBILITY: The contest is open to everyone but must capture Newfoundland and Labrador wetlands.
DEADLINE: All entries are due by 5:00 p.m. (NST) on Monday, March 31, 2025.
NUMBER OF ENTRIES: Participants may submit a maximum of 3 original photographs (Young Photographers: maximum 3 original photographs).
PHOTO CATEGORIES: Contest participants are invited to enter up to three original photos. Submit a photo from one or more of the following categories.
- Wetland Vistas: photos of a larger view of wetlands, including landscapes, scenery, sunsets etc.
- Wetland Wildlife: photos of animals found in and around wetlands.
- Wetland Plants: photos of plants found in and around wetlands.
- Macro Wetlands: extreme, close-up photos of any detail of a wetland (think insects, dew drops, bird feathers etc.).
- Humans and Wetlands: photos of recreational use of wetlands, conservation efforts, and other ways wetlands show up in our daily lives. Note: If you submit a photo with a recognizable individual this individual must complete a Model Consent Form with the emailed entry.
- Young Photographers: open exclusively to individuals ages 17 and younger, applicants can submit up to three photos in this category. Photos of wetlands including landscapes, plants, people and wildlife. Note: Individuals under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian complete a Youth Photographer Permission Form with the emailed entry.
SIZE & RESOLUTION: All entries must be a minimum of 300 dpi. The photos will be cropped square to appear in the calendar.
PRIZES: For each category, there will be a winner selected for first place and second place.
- First place: A merchandise filled gift bag (valued at $120), a copy of the calendar, and photo spotlight at Nature NL’s Annual Photo Night.
- Second place: A copy of the calendar and photo spotlight at Nature NL’s Annual Photo Night.
All winners will be featured on our social media, website and newsletter.
How to Enter
1. Save your digital file(s) in JPEG format and name your file according to the following format: FirstLastnameNumber.jpg Example: JohnDoe1.jpg
2. Email your digital file and completed submission form to [email protected] with your name in the subject line.
3. If your photos are too large to fit in one email, please indicate that you are submitting multiple entries by numbering your email subjects accordingly, or feel free to submit via Google Drive.
4. Attach your completed Applicant & Waiver Form (electronic signatures are accepted).
Forms
The Applicant & Waiver Form can be downloaded here:
Youth Photographer Permission Form can be downloaded here:
Model Consent Form can be downloaded here:
Contest Conditions
Conditions
Applicants must abide by the Wetland Photo Contest’s Fine Print or their submission(s) will not be considered. If you have any questions about eligibility or the submission guidelines, please contact [email protected]
- Entries must be received by the contest deadline: Monday, March 31, 2025 at 5:00 pm NST.
- Participants must not submit more than 3 photos.
- Photos must be a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
- Photos must be taken in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Photos must address one of the photo contest categories: Wetland Vistas, Wetland Wildlife, Wetland Plants, Macro Wetlands, Humans and Wetlands and Young Photographers.
- Under no circumstances is the use of AI or digital alteration acceptable; such as adding or removing elements of the photo. Minor adjustments, including sharpening, contrast, slight color or light adjustment, and cropping are acceptable.
- Photos that are lewd, obscene, sexually explicit, pornographic, defamatory, or libelous will not be considered.
- Photos must not contain or reference any company names, products, or services. They also must not contain or reference any third-party trademarks, logos, or promotion of any brand, product, or service.
- Photos must not infringe upon or violate any laws or third-party rights, including (but not limited to) copyright, patent, trademark, or other proprietary rights and must not lead to any cause of action against Nature Newfoundland & Labrador, including libel, defamation, privacy violation, contract breach, or tort.
- Applicants agree to hold Nature Newfoundland & Labrador harmless from and against any suits, claims, losses, damages, and expenses, including reasonable attorney fees that may arise from or in connection with the use or display of the applicant(s)’ photo.
- Applicants agree that Nature Newfoundland & Labrador has the freedom to distribute the photo to the public.
- Nature Newfoundland & Labrador reserves the right to disqualify any application that it believes violates or potentially violates any of the aforementioned requirements or otherwise fails to comply with any provision of the official Rules and Fine Print. The decisions of Nature Newfoundland & Labrador on this and all matters pertaining to the Wetland Photo Contest shall be final and binding.
- Nature Newfoundland and Labrador is not obligated to ship contest prizes out of province – this will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Out-of-province submissions are welcome as long as the photos feature Newfoundland and Labrador wetlands/wetland elements.
- Applicants grant Nature Newfoundland and Labrador the non-exclusive, perpetual right and license to reproduce, publish and distribute, in print and in all electronic forms and media, to promote wetlands and Nature Newfoundland and Labrador.