REDISCOVER Nature until 30 September 2020

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Deadline: 30 September 2020. Isn’t nature full of wonders? No matter where we are, we can always appreciate its beauty. Have you ever sat near a quiet lake in a mountain, watched sparrows nesting in your garden or a tiny herb seedling grow on your kitchen windowsill? Taking in nature in all its beautiful shapes and forms can bring us a lot of joy – now possibly more than ever.

The European Environment Agency is inviting you to reconnect with nature and capture all its wonders on camera. So grab your cameras and go for a hike on a local trail or relax in your garden and observe the tree leaves bending or the fluffy clouds floating in the sky. Be curious and discover the parts of nature you have never noticed before, both small and large.

Every year, the EEA organises a photo competition to raise awareness about an environmental theme and invites Europeans to share their takes on it. This year’s competition ‘REDISCOVER Nature’ is a call for all of us to look around us and let ourselves be amazed by nature.

Participants can submit photographs depicting any of the following three categories:

1 – Close-ups of nature
Zoom in and find the beauty of nature in the tiniest of details, from the complex biological structure of an emerging flower to the soil composition or skin details of a reptile. Nature is calling for you to look closer and access the ever-changing micro universe. Can you see the magical shapes, lines, patterns, textures and colours?

2 – Nature on my doorstep
Exploring nature doesn’t necessarily mean hitting a mountain trail or going camping in remote areas. You can simply head out your back door and quietly watch the nature unfold in front of you. From birdwatching in a nearby park to observing nature regaining control of urban structures, the wonders of nature are everywhere. Look around… Can you capture nature’s presence around you?

3 – Zoom out on nature
Take a step back and enjoy the nature in the landscapes that surround you. Watch the waves hitting a rugged coastline, distant villages scattered across the countryside, the deer roaming a forest, or people working in the fields. Perhaps gain altitude and witness the world from above. Can you capture the endless landscapes of the world, be they untouched or shaped by human activities?

Prizes:

The winners in each category (Close-ups of nature, Nature on my doorstep, Zoom out on nature) will be awarded a cash prize of EUR 1000, while EUR 500 is on offer for both the Public Choice Award and the Youth Prize.

The Youth Prize will be awarded to the winning entry, selected among those submitted by persons aged between 18 and 24 (born between calendar years 1996-2002, both included) to any of the three competition categories.

All finalists will be put forward for the Public Choice Award and may also feature in future digital and print material from the EEA and its European partners.

The copyright of the materials submitted for this competition remains with the respective participants. However, each entrant grants the EEA and its partners the right to use the submitted materials in its environmental communication, crediting the copyright owners.

Eligibility:

Citizens of the following countries are eligible to enter the competition: EU 27 Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey; under the stabilisation and association agreements: North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Photo Contest Website: https://www.eea.europa.eu/about-us/competitions/rediscover-nature/rediscover-nature-photo-competition-2020