BirdLife Australia Photography Awards
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CategoriesRulesJudgesTipsFAQs Winners galleries 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 About us
BirdLife Australia Photography Awards

Comb-crested Jacana by Wilson Lennard

Tips & Tricks

Want to improve your chances in the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards? Here’s the essential, collective wisdom from our past judges.

Before You Shoot: Plan & Prioritise Ethics

  • Plan your shoot: Success starts with preparation. Research locations and bird behaviour.

  • Ethics first: The welfare of birds and their habitat should always come before the capture of the photograph.

  • Avoid nests: Photographers should avoid photographing nesting birds at, or next to, the nest.

  • Photograph birds naturally around you: Photographers should not use bird call playback for attracting birds for observation or photography, and should avoid photographing birds that have been attracted by a third-party using call playback. Live baiting of birds (that is, use of live vertebrate or invertebrate bait to attract birds) is not acceptable and may contravene Australian laws.

While Shooting: Capture the Moment

  • Seek unique moments: Go beyond the standard "bird on a stick." Look for behaviour, action, interaction, or dramatic light that tells a story.

  • Know your camera: Practice changing settings instinctively so you’re ready for fleeting moments.

  • Consider composition: Don’t always fill the frame. Use space, shoot from different angles, and show the bird in its habitat to create depth and narrative.

  • Master the light: The best images often use beautiful, dramatic, or atmospheric light (like early morning or late afternoon).

Selecting Your Entry: Be Your Own Best Critic

  • Stand out: In a sea of entries, your image needs an instant ‘wow’ factor—be it emotion, story, or originality.

  • Pick your best: Carefully review sequences and ask others for input to choose the strongest shot.

  • Category strategy: Enter categories you’re passionate about for a greater chance to catch the judge’s eye.

Editing & Submission: The Final Checks

  • Critical view: At 100% view, ensure critical sharpness (especially the eye) and remove digital noise. Technical flaws can lead to instant disqualification.

  • Edit judiciously: Avoid over-sharpening and unnaturally oversaturating colours, especially reds.

  • Follow the rules: Read the competition rules thoroughly. Images that don’t meet file size or ethics requirements will be automatically rejected.

The Winning Mindset

  • It’s more than technique: A winning image combines technical skill with heart—it evokes emotion, tells a story, or shares a unique perspective.

  • Embrace the process: Entering is a win. You’ve followed your passion and shared your view of the natural world. Learn from every shot.

  • Dare to be different: Creativity, originality, and a point of difference are what make judges pause. Experiment and break the conventional rules.


Ready for more detail? Explore the full, in-depth tips from each of our expert judges below.

 
Graham Cam
Graham Cam

Considering entering the 2025 BirdLife Australia Photography Awards? Competition Coordinator Graham Cam shares his top tips for capturing the attention of the judges.

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2024Network Liaison TeamJuly 23, 2024Coordinator
Shelley Pearson
Shelley Pearson

Shelley’s top tips: be adaptable and aware of your surroundings, form good habits in the field and practice, practice, practice!

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2024Network Liaison TeamJuly 20, 2024Judge
Michael Snedic
Michael Snedic

Michael suggests making your image stand out by thinking outside the box ‒ don’t be afraid to experiment and break the rules!

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2024Network Liaison TeamJuly 12, 2023Judge
Lucca Amorim
Lucca Amorim

2023 competition coordinator and wildlife photographer Lucca’s 5 tips for ethical bird photography.

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2023Network Liaison TeamJune 20, 2023Coordinator
Tim Van Leeuwen
Tim Van Leeuwen

Tim recommends looking at your photo objectively and paying special attention to your use of cropping.

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2023Network Liaison TeamMay 22, 2023Judge
Georgina Steytler
Georgina Steytler

Georgina’s top tips on how to take your bird photography to the next level, and how to turn a good image into a fantastic one.

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2023Network Liaison TeamApril 13, 2022Judge
Lia Bocchiaro
Lia Bocchiaro

Lia’s top tips: put the bird’s wellbeing first, avoid over-editing and don’t be afraid of space in your composition!

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2022Network Liaison TeamApril 12, 2022International Judge
Raoul Slater
Raoul Slater

To make your photo stand out, Raoul suggests trying the unexpected.

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2021Network Liaison TeamOctober 12, 2021Judge
Moose Peterson
Moose Peterson

To tell a compelling story with your photography, you have to have a compelling background and subject!

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2021Network Liaison TeamMarch 3, 2021International Judge
Ian Wilson
Ian Wilson

Ian’s tips for making your image stand out from the crowd and impress the judges.

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2020Network Liaison TeamApril 27, 2020Judge
David Stowe
David Stowe

For David, a winning image is about more than technicality: it must also be beautifully composed and tell a story

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2020Network Liaison TeamApril 27, 2020Judge
Sabine Meyer
Sabine Meyer

Sabine reminds us to practice patience and to respect and learn about the birds and their habitat you’re photographing.

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2020Network Liaison TeamMarch 3, 2020International Judge
Chris Bray
Chris Bray

To bring your bird photography to life, Chris suggests focusing more on capturing the character of your subject than technical perfection.

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2019James Matcott - Volunteer and Networks Engagement OfficerMarch 3, 2020Judge
Dean Ingwersen
Dean Ingwersen

Dean discusses how the best bird photos capture and hold the attention of their audience.

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2019James Matcott - Volunteer and Networks Engagement OfficerMarch 3, 2020Judge
Andy Rouse
Andy Rouse

For Andy, a winning image combines light, composition, creativity and an understanding of your subject.

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2019Network Liaison TeamMarch 2, 2020International Judge
Ofer Levy
Ofer Levy

Offer’s top tip: master the basics for that wow factor, but don’t overdo it!

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2018Network Liaison TeamNovember 28, 2019Judge
 
 

The BirdLife Australia Photography Awards are a partnership between
BirdLife Australia and BirdLife Photography.

The 2025 BirdLife Australia Photography Awards are proudly sponsored by Nikon Australia and Lake Cowal Foundation.
Copyright © BirdLife Australia, 2026

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