Is your camera ready?
The BC SPCA’s seventh annual Wildlife-In-Focus Photography Contest is now open for entries. The goal is to capture the best of British Columbia’s wildlife through the lens, whether the subjects are in your own backyard or in the vast natural wilderness of the province. All amateur photographers can enter the competition, which runs from July 1 through Sept. 30, by submitting their most impressive digital images.
“We are constantly amazed at the mind-blowing photos we receive – they really showcase the astonishing diversity of animals we have throughout B.C., in both urban settings and isolated locations,” says BC SPCA chief scientific officer Dr. Sara Dubois. “From hummingbirds captured mid-flight in a garden ornament’s reflection to a Momma grizzly bear and her cubs crossing a river, the images are stunning and really make it tough for judges to choose the winning photos.”
The contest supports the BC SCPA’s Wild Animal rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) on southern Vancouver Island, where more than 2,500 orphaned and injured wild animals are cared for each year.Photos entered in previous contests have been featured in the BC SPCA’s Animal Sense and Bark! magazines, as well as in BC SPCA educational materials, local newspapers, websites and social media – a testament to the calibre of the photos that are entered.
Prizes are awarded for the top three photos in each of two categories: Wild Settings and Backyard Habitats. The competition is open to all amateur photographers aged 14 and up. All photos of wildlife entered must be taken within the province and submitted digitally. “Wildlife” includes free-living birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish and insects, but not exotic, feral or domestic animals, or wildlife in zoos or rehabilitation facilities. Learn more about this year’s contest and view past winners’ images at spca.bc.ca/wildlife-in-focus.
“The contest encourages participants to explore green spaces, roadsides, mountain passes, beaches and backyards to find striking photo opportunities that represent the resiliency of local wildlife living at the interface with humans,” Dubois says.
Photographers can even find inspiration online, with the live-streaming Wild ARC Critter Cam, which features wild patients in the facility 24/7, at spca.bc.ca/crittercam.
For more information, email contest@wildarc.com.
