Windland Awards OPEN for entries January 1, 2015

CALL FOR ENTRIES: The 2015 Windland Smith Rice International Awards is OPEN.
Click Here to go to the entry form.
You will have until March 16, 2015, to complete your uploads. For each entry fee of $25 US dollars, you may enter a total of 20 images. Start as many entry pages of 20 images as you like for $25 each. Entries are judged on technical quality, originality, and artistic merit. Follow the guidelines, rules, and categories listed on: www.NaturesBestPhotography.com The Winners and selected Highly Honored photos will be displayed in the annual Awards Exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, one of the most widely respected and highly visited museums in the world.

Enter Ocean Views by midnight New Year’s Eve!!

LAST CHANCE to enter YOUR favorite views of the Ocean!
ENTER NOW: www.naturesbestphotography.com

Start an entry page before midnight tonight and you will have time to finish your photo uploads by January 6, 2014. Click on the Entry Guidelines for details. If you already entered, thank you! The Judging panel for this year includes: the photo team at Nature’s Best Photography, Stephen Frink of Divers Alert Network (DAN), and our guest judges: David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes.

Winners will be published in both Nature’s Best Photography and Alert Diver magazines. Prizes include trips and gear from our Sponsors: Aggressor Fleet • Anthony’s Key Resort • Aqua Cat • Caradonna • DUI • Explorer Ventures • Galapagos Sky • Henderson Aquatics • Ikelite • Ocean Divers • Sam’s Tours • Scubapro • Sunset House • UNEXSO • Worldwide Dive and Sail.

Picture of the Week by Vicky Eicher

Click on the “Picture of the Week” button on the NBP website to view this image sent in by Vicky Eicher of Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

www.naturesbestphotography.com

Title: Curiosity

Subject: Polar Bear

Location: East Coast of Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada

Story: “I was photographing wildlife from the bow of the National Geographic Explorer when two polar bears approached the ship. The second bear chased off the first and cautiously came closer and closer to us, before apparently deciding that we were neither a threat nor edible. Then he turned around and left. This shot is not cropped.”

Camera: Nikon D300; AF VR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED lens; 1/1000 sec at f/16; ISO 800.

**Notice**
The image appears on our website from Thursday, December 12, until Thursday, December 19, 2013. No use without permission of photographer © Vicky Eicher.

Picture of the Week by Michael Poliza

Click on the “Picture of the Week” button on the NBP website to view this image sent in by Michael Poliza of Hamburg, Germany.
www.naturesbestphotography.com

Title: Holy Cave

Subject: Timing Helps

Location: Kuril Islands, Kamchatka.

Story: “This is a very special image to me. It was taken not too long ago on the Kuril Islands on the far eastern side of Russia, just south of Kamchatka. Sounds far away… Trust me, it is! We were waiting all day long for the sun to break thru the low clouds to shoot a beautiful caldera, but to no avail. On the way back to the Mothership (MS Bremen) we stopped at this cave. Sometimes its just timing and a bit of luck…
PS. Just to clarify: The cave had two big open holes on the other end. This is where the setting sun was shining through… Timing helps.”

Camera: Canon EOS-1D X; EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens at 110mm; 1/250 sec at f/6.3; ISO 640.

Website: www.michaelpoliza.com

**Notice**
The image appears on our website from Thursday, November 14, until Thursday, November 21, 2013. No use without permission of photographer © Michael Poliza.

Picture of the Week 10/24 to 10/31/2013 by Sergi Garcia

Click on the “Picture of the Week” button on the NBP website to view this image sent in by Sergi Garcia of Argentona, Barcelona, Spain.
www.naturesbestphotography.com

Title: Turtle at Sunset

Subject: Green Sea Turtle

Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

Story: “A group of turtles are installed on a small beach in Tenerife. The shot is less than 10 meters deep.”

Camera: Nikon D7000; Tokina AT-X 107 DX Fisheye (AF 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5) at 14mm; 1/200 sec at ƒ/11; ISO 100.

**Notice**
The image appears on our website from Thursday, October 24, until Thursday, October 31, 2013. No use without permission of photographer © Sergi Garcia.