Youngsters urged to put wildlife in the picture

The RSPB and British Wildlife Photography Awards are launching their 2013 competition.

There were 4,000 entries to the competition last year, submitted from young people across the UK to the two age categories - under 12s and 12 to 18.

Entries don’t need to feature exotic creatures or locations to be in with a chance of winning. Last year’s winner in the under-12’s category, William Briggs, scooped the top prize with a stunning photo of a chaffinch taken in his own back garden in Groombridge, Kent.

Suzanne Welch, RSPB Head of Youth and Education, said: “The WildPix competition is a great way for young people to get close to the nature around them, in their gardens, local park or nature reserve. Don’t forget our town and city centres have a wealth of wildlife that might surprise people too.

“Last year’s winner proves that even the most everyday species like a chaffinch can be photographed in an exciting and imaginative way, and we hope our annual Big Garden Birdwatch event last month inspires some wonderful entries from gardens.”

Entries are open until 4 May and the winners will be announced in September. Judges include the well-known wildlife photographer and cameraman Charlie Hamilton James, and the editor of the RSPB’s award-winning BIRDS magazine Mark Ward.

Winning images will be published in ‘British Wildlife Photography Awards: Collection 4‘ out later this year, as well as the RSPB youth magazines, and will be displayed along with winners in all twelve categories of this year’s competition in a travelling exhibition.

Find out more about helping young people get to know nature at www.rspb.org.uk/youth and more information about the British Wildlife Photography Awards can be found at www.bwpawards.co.uk.