Luminar Bug Photography Awards

Deadline: September 7, 2020
Entry Fee: from £6 to £80
Prizes: £250, £2,500, valuable prizes, participation in the online exhibition

Enter this inaugural year of the Luminar Bug Photography Awards – showcasing the best invertebrates photography from around the world, and raising vital funds for invertebrate conservation with our partner, Buglife.

10 categories for all to enter, and a Young Bug Photographer category for those aged 13-17.

The grand prize winner takes home £2,500 cash and the title of ‘Bug Photographer of the Year 2020’.

All photographers can enter up to 8 images in each of the 10 categories.

Those eligible to enter the Young Bug Photographer contest can enter an additional 8 images into this category.

Who can enter?

Photographers of any age and nationality can enter the 10 main subject categories.

The Young Bug Photographer contest is only open to those who’ll be 13-17 years old on 7th September 2020.

Categories

• Aquatic Bugs
  The ‘Aquatic bugs’ category covers those invertebrates that either live in or on water, or are dependent on water for their lifecycle. These include pond skaters, water measurers, water boatmen, crayfish, crabs, jellyfish, shellfish, and octopi.
  Water snails, dragonflies, mayflies, stoneflies, mosquitoes or water beetles should not be included here, but in other categories. However, you can include their larvae in this category, as it is dependent on water.
• Arachnids
  Arachnids include the full range of spiders and harvestmen, as well as scorpions, ticks and mites. They all have eight legs, and live in many habitat types, from the water-loving Fen Raft spider, to the sky-bound Cloud-living spider. We’d also love to see some great pictures of spider webs.
• Beetles
  Beetles are the largest order of insects. Ladybirds/ladybugs, stag beetles, pollen beetles, water beetles, and any member of the Coleoptera order can be entered into this category. From tiny pollen beetles to large long-horned beetles, you can distinguish a beetle by its forewings that are typically modified into hard wing cases (elytra), which cover and protect the hind wings and abdomen.
• Flies, Bees, Wasps and Dragonflies
  Bug masters of the air! Majestic dragonflies, bees, wasps, hornets, hover flies, damselflies, mayflies, lacewings and more. The insects in this category should all have visible wings, not hidden behind hard cases.
• Butterflies and Moths
  The bugs in this category should be members of the Lepidoptera order – butterflies, and day or night-flying moths. Most will have wings that are coloured, either for camouflage or distraction – the exception being those with clear wings. Caterpillars should also be entered into this category.
• Snails and Slugs
  Legless gastropods are the focus of this category – namely slugs or snails. They can be found on land or in the water, and are characterised by having a single long soft foot.
• All the Other Bugs
  If you have an image of a bug that doesn’t belong in one of the other categories, then this is the place for them, provided they live on the land. Examples include ants, shield bugs, cicadas, cockroaches, grasshoppers, praying mantises, and earwigs.
• Extreme Close-up
  This category celebrates macro images – those that highlight the astonishing details otherwise hidden to the naked human eye.
  They can be shots of any kind of bug or related subject. And as an image can be entered into multiple Bug Awards categories, macro bug images can be entered into this category as well as their corresponding species category.
• Bug Homes
  This category celebrates the many places that bugs might call home. These can be created by the creatures themselves, such as a wasp’s nest, or one made by humans, such as a beehive or a bug hotel.
• Mobile Phone Photography
  This category celebrates images taken with your mobile/cell phone. To keep the playing field level, the use of fittings or lenses attached to the phone is not permitted, and all bugs and bug-related subjects are allowed.
• Young Bug Photographer
  This category is open to anyone aged 13-17. There are no restrictions – you can submit images of any bug and/or bug habitat, taken on any device. Have a look at the other category briefs for ideas and inspiration, and remember, you can enter the main category awards, too. We’re looking forward to seeing the next wave of bug photography talent. Good luck!

Prizes

Overall winner

• The title ‘Bug Photographer of the Year 2020’
• £2,500 (GBP) cash prize
• Gitzo Traveler Kit Series 0, 4 Sections tripod/head kit worth €754 (EUR)
• Luminar ‘Max’ bundle worth $262 (USD)
• 3 years of Photocrowd ‘Master’ subscription worth £270 (GBP)
• Fstoppers ‘Mastering Macro Photography’ video training series worth $300 (USD)
• Lowepro ProTactic BP 300 AW II and GearUp Creator Box M worth €210 (EUR)
• 1 x Alter RFS (Rapid Filter System) or RFS+ valued up to $89 (USD)
• CanvasPeople voucher worth £75 (GBP)
• 1 year of ‘Household’ membership to Buglife worth £54 (GBP)

Category winners

• £250 (GBP) cash prize
• Luminar ‘Max’ bundle worth $262 (USD)
• 1 year of Photocrowd ‘Master’ subscription worth £90 (GBP)
• 1 x Alter RFS (Rapid Filter System) or RFS+ valued up to $89 (USD)
• 1 year of Buglife membership worth £36 (GBP)
• 5 copies of the Awards Calendar, featuring your winning image
• CanvasPeople voucher worth £75 (GBP) in the ‘Mobile Phone Photography’ category; £35 (GBP) voucher in all other categories.
• The winner of the Fstoppers-sponsored ‘Arachnids’ category will win the ‘Mastering Macro Photography’ video training series worth $300 (USD)
• 2nd & 3rd place in all categories win a Luminar ‘Plus’ bundle worth $162 (USD)
• 2nd & 3rd place in all categories win a Photocrowd ‘Challenger’ subscription worth £30 (GBP)

Young Bug Photographer winner

• The title ‘Young Bug Photographer of the Year 2020’
• MPB accessories bundle worth £249.97 (GBP) featuring: Brunswick Camera backpack (£109.99); Palmeira Carbon Fibre Travel Tripod (£119.99); Midnight Camera Neck Strap (£19.99)
• MPB voucher worth £250 (GBP)
• Luminar ‘Max’ bundle worth $262 (USD)
• 3 years of Photocrowd ‘Master’ subscription worth £270 (GBP)
• Fstoppers ‘Mastering Macro Photography’ video training series worth $300 (USD)
• 1 x Alter RFS (Rapid Filter System) or RFS+ valued up to $89 (USD)
• 1 year of ‘Household’ membership to Buglife worth £54 (GBP)
• CanvasPeople voucher worth £35 (GBP)

Shortlisted photographers

• A total of 20 images in each category will be shortlisted and featured in an exclusive online gallery
• All shortlisted photographers will receive a one year membership to Buglife (£36 each)

Dates

• The opening date of the competition is 27th May 2020.
• The closing date for entries is midnight (UTC) on 7th September 2020.
• The shortlisted images, category winners and grand prize winner (the Bug Photographer of the Year) will all be announced on 21st October 2020.

Entry Fee

• 1 image – £6 (£6 per image)
• 8 images – £24 (£3 per image)
• 24 images – £42 (£1.75 per image)
• 48 images – £60 (£1.25 per image)
• 80 images – £80 (£1 per image)