How do I enter the competition?

The BirdLife Australia Photography Awards are hosted in our online competition platform, Award Force.

There are two components required to be able to enter the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards.

We require you to have an account with us to enter the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards.
Your ‘myBirdLife’ account is a global user account for you with BirdLife Australia, which streamlines your interactions with us, including submitting your Award entry through the Award Force website. If you have not previously created a myBirdLife user account with us, you will need to do so before registering for the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards.
To submit an entry you will need to have an authenticated Award Force account.
In 2024, BirdLife Australia integrated the Award Force platform with our supporter database, meaning users now log into Award Force via their BirdLife Australia myBirdLife account.

How to register and access your Award Force account

Log in or Create a new myBirdLife account

Select the ‘REGISTER NOW’ button below to create a new account, or to log in to your existing account. The Log in screen will open in a new browser tab. If you need help logging in, please refer to the instructions we’ve provided below.

Log in, or Create a new myBirdLife account:

If you are unsure if you have a myBirdLife account with us, or if you have forgotten your password, please click ‘Forgot your password?’ underneath the ‘Log in’ button, on the left. Check your email for instructions on resetting your password. Remember to look in your spam folder, where automated messages sometimes filter.

If you didn't receive an email, we may not have an account set up for you, even if you have supported us in the past. Setting up an account is simple, go Back to login and click ‘Create a New Account’.

If you still can't log in, or create a new account, send an email to photoaward@birdlife.org.au.

Step-by-step instructions

If you are creating a new myBirdLife Australia account, you’ll be asked to verify your details via a code emailed to you. Once you enter this code (or click the verification link), you should stay logged in.

Step 1: Click on 'Create a new account', located under the 'Log in' button, on the right

Step 2: Enter your first name, last name, and email

Step 3: A screen will appear asking you to enter a verification code. This will have been sent to the email address you entered on the screen before.
• Check your email. The code will be in an email with the subject line "Verify your new account in myBirdLife"
• The six-digit code will be at the bottom of the email. Ensure you have checked your spam and other folders if you cannot see it.
• Enter the six-digit code in the screen where you were asked to enter a verification code, and click 'Verify'.

Step 4: You will then be asked to create a password.
• Your password must include at least 8 characters, including 1 letter and 1 number.

Step 5: Once you have set your password, you will be redirected to BirdLife Australia’s application landing page.

• Select the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards tile. You will be redirected to the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards website.

Step 6: Once you have completed this, you'll be redirected to the Award Force Registration page, to complete your registration.
• Select your country of residence and select the tick boxes
• Press the ‘Complete registration’ button

Step 7: Confirm your account has been created
• Check your email. A link to verify your account will be in an email with the subject line "BirdLife Australia Photography Awards account confirmation"
• Ensure you have checked your spam and other folders if you cannot see it.
• Click on the link or copy and paste it into your browser.

Congratulations! You have completed your registration for the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards, and you can now submit your entry. Good luck!

Additional instructions

Password reset:

If you follow the password reset instructions, you will be directed to the below screen:

• Click on the BirdLife Photography Awards tile or go to BirdLife Australia Photography Awards and click on the ‘Login or Create a New Account’ button to complete your registration (see step 6 above)

Logging into Award Force after 30 days or from a new browser

If you have not accessed your Award Force account for more than 30 days, or you are using a different browser from the last time you accessed your account, you will need to complete a multi-factor authentication step to access your account. By implementing multi-factor authentication, we aim to provide you with the highest level of protection against unauthorised access and cyber threats.

You will receive an authentication email from Award Force, prompting you to enter an additional 6-digit authentication code to secure your account. You can either enter this code in Award Force, or click the link emailed to you to verify your account.

Support

If you are unable to log in to the competition, please email photoaward@birdlife.org.au

Photo credit: David Simon