“Birds of Russia”

Photo: Oleg Panteleyev. Fly to warmer climes
Photo: Oleg Panteleyev. Fly to warmer climes

The Russian Geographical Society announces a competition for the best photo of birds “Birds of Russia”.

The main goal of this creative competition is to promote respect for nature and to draw public attention to the existing environmental problems.

The competition is open to professional and amateur photographers. One person can submit up to 5 works. There are no restrictions on their content, pictures of birds, made both in the wild and in the settlements will be accepted.

Works are considered in three categories:

  • “Professional photography of birds”;
  • “Amateur photography” (for participants of 18 years and older);
  • “Children’s photography” (participants of under 18).

Best photos will by selected by the jury, which consists of:

  • Sophia Rosenfeld – ornithologist, member of the Standing Enviromental Comission of the Russian Geographical Society;
  • Yuri Artyuhin – photographer, senior researcher at the laboratory of ornithology of the Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences;
  • Nicholai Konukhov – senior researcher at Bird Ringing Center of A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences;
  • Igor Bartashov – famous Russian animal photographer, winner and multiple finalist of the photo contest “Golden Turtle”, as well as a number of international competitions;
  • Ilya Melnikov – photographer of the Russian Geographical Society.

Applications for participation in the competition are accepted online – send them to the email of the competition Organizing Committee  – Valeriy.Shmunkatrgo.ru -  from August 22 to September 12, 2014. Applications and photos sent after September 12, 2014, will not be allowed to participate in the competition.

Authors of the best works will receive valuable prizes from the Russian Geographical Society. In addition, all photos, selected by the jury will be published on our site, and then will participate in a special photo exhibition in Central House of Artist in Moscow.

Announcement of the results of the competition and award ceremony will be held on November 1, 2014 at Central House of Artist. 30 best photographs will form the exhibition “Birds of Russia”, which will be shown at the Festival of the Russian Geographical Society.

General requirements for photographs

Photos taken in .jpg or .jpeg, 3000 (three thousand) pixels on the longest side are accepted.

Photos not allowed to the competition:

- Photos with the date or time printed on them;

- Photos with the copyright symbol, copyright dies, and so on;

- Photos, contrary to generally accepted moral and ethical standards;

- Photos with a human on them;

- Photos subjected to large digital adjustment;

- Photos of birds kept in captivity.

If the Organizer suspects that a picture was taken using cruel and unethical methods of treating animals, the application for participation in the competition will be rejected.

Using photoshop is not allowed. Removal of image noise, a slight adjustment of brightness and contrast are allowed.

To take part in the competition:

Each author, along with photographs should send to the Organizing Committee’s email Valeriy.Shmunkatrgo.ru a completed questionnaire of a participant and to ensure the accuracy of the provided data.

Participation Form of the photo contest “Birds of Russia

Personal data:

Surname

Name

Contact phone

E-mail

City

A little bit about the photos:

Title

Date

Location

Category

The Organizing Committee

Valery Shmunk – Secretary of the Standing Environmental Committee of the Russian Geographical Society

Mikhail Ivanov – ornithologist, photographer and naturalist

Contacts: Valeriy.Shmunkatrgo.ru, tel .: 8-800-700-18-45

Additional information about the competition.

The purpose of the photo contest is to popularize the need for conservation of biological diversity of Russia, to promote respect for nature, to attract public attention, including the younger generation, to the existing environmental problems.

By submitting to the contest, the author gives permission to use the material given to the Contest Organizer and the partner, to be exact:

- Place works on any web pages of the Organizer and the partner’s web site, in the social networking of the Organizer and the partner;

- Provide works in printed or digital form for the evaluation of the jury;

- Expose works in printed or digital form on the Contest exhibitions and other exhibitions;

- Use works in any print and electronic media to inform the public about the Contest and its outcome;

- Use works for photo albums, information booklets, digital media and other products for non-commercial use;

By sending works, participants automatically agree to the above terms and conditions, and bind themselves to provide photos in .tif upon request of the Contest Organizer

The Contest Organizer has a right to send informational messages to the email address specified in the application form of a participant.

Persons submitting photographs with copyright and / or exclusive rights owned by third parties are not allowed to participate in the Contest. A participant warrants that the use of pictures does not violate the rights of third parties, and confirms that he/she is responsible for the violation of the rights of third parties arising from the use of the provided photographs.

Photos presented by persons who submitted an application for participation in the competition as appropriate, but do not meet the requirements, may be published along with photographs of other participants marked “Out of competition”.