1 of 21
Photograph and caption by Sergio Tapiro Velasco
4 Quick Tips: How to Win the Travel Photo Contest
Winners share insight on how to snag the prestigious National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year grand prize.
BySarah Polger
April 04, 2018
3 min readYou are the next National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year. Sound big? It is.
Every year, thousands of talented photographers join the National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year contest for a chance to be named a grand prize winner. From astounding scenes of awe-inspiring lands to electric cities vibrating with life, and elusive human moments captured in an instant, the competition brings together pictures from around the world.
Curious how to stand out from the crowd? Recent National Geographic winners share their top tips for entering a photo contest.
1. Send a message.
A powerful image without a clear message would be a wasted opportunity and won’t transcend [in a contest]. Send a strong statement with your images, create awareness of a social or ecological issue, and take part. —Anuar Patjane, 2015 Grand Prize Winner
2. Be proud of your work.
Be absolutely proud of the work you are submitting. You may just have a gut feeling about a photo you took and you cannot articulate why you love it, but you should submit it. —Tarun Sinha, 2017 Third Place Winner
3. Check out the competition.
Take a good look at the work of top photographers from around the world. Take pictures of the subjects you want to cherish. What you should not forget—is awe and respect for your subjects. —Hiromi Kano, 2017 Second Place Winner, Nature
4. Be prepared to fail.
With some successes and a lot of failures, I realized that as a photographer who frequently enters into different contests, I must accept the fact I will fail most the time. It is a complex process—of first being able to get your best shot, then to communicate the context to judges, and hopefully to convince them that your shot is one of the best and most unique they have ever seen. And above all, be prepared that many other photographers are doing the same as you did. —Anthony Lau, 2016 Grand Prize Winner
To see more amazing photography and throw your hat in the ring, visit the 2018 Travel Photographer of the Year at natgeo.com/travelphotocontest to enter. Win up to $10,000, be published on @natgeotravel Instagram, and be named the 2018 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year.
Related Topics
You May Also Like
Go Further
Animals
- Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them?
- Animals
- Feature
Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them? - This biologist and her rescue dog help protect bears in the AndesThis biologist and her rescue dog help protect bears in the Andes
- An octopus invited this writer into her tank—and her secret worldAn octopus invited this writer into her tank—and her secret world
- Peace-loving bonobos are more aggressive than we thoughtPeace-loving bonobos are more aggressive than we thought
- Why are these emperor penguin chicks jumping from a 50-foot cliff?Why are these emperor penguin chicks jumping from a 50-foot cliff?
Environment
- U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?
- Food systems: supporting the triangle of food security, Video Story
- Paid Content
Food systems: supporting the triangle of food security - Will we ever solve the mystery of the Mima mounds?Will we ever solve the mystery of the Mima mounds?
- Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?
- This year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning signThis year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning sign
- The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?
History & Culture
- Why Passover is one of Judaism’s most important holidaysWhy Passover is one of Judaism’s most important holidays
- Is this mass grave a result of contagion—or cannibalism?Is this mass grave a result of contagion—or cannibalism?
- The surprising story of how chili crisp took over the worldThe surprising story of how chili crisp took over the world
- We swapped baths for showers—but which one is better for you?We swapped baths for showers—but which one is better for you?
- How a 3,000-year-old tomb upended what we know about ancient PeruHow a 3,000-year-old tomb upended what we know about ancient Peru
Science
- Ground-level ozone is getting worse - here's what that meansGround-level ozone is getting worse - here's what that means
- Would your dog eat you if you died? Get the facts.
- Science
- Gory Details
Would your dog eat you if you died? Get the facts. - In a first, microplastic particles have been linked to heart diseaseIn a first, microplastic particles have been linked to heart disease
- New fossils reveal one of the smallest titanosaurs ever foundNew fossils reveal one of the smallest titanosaurs ever found
Travel
- How citizen science projects are safeguarding Costa Rican pumasHow citizen science projects are safeguarding Costa Rican pumas
- These guides spend their lives looking for dolphins. They’re dogs.These guides spend their lives looking for dolphins. They’re dogs.
- What it's like to hike to the end of the world in ChileWhat it's like to hike to the end of the world in Chile
- These restaurants serve the best steak in Buenos Aires, ArgentinaThese restaurants serve the best steak in Buenos Aires, Argentina
