Rules 2007

1. ‘The Owners’ of the competition are BBC Worldwide Limited and The Natural History Museum Trading Company Limited (the Owners). The annual competition is open to anyone except those involved in its organisation and employees of the BBC, BBC Worldwide Limited, the Natural History Museum.
2. Format Entries must be either digital images (entered online at www.nhm.ac.uk/wildphoto or submitted on CD/DVD) or colour slides (transparancies, not scans or prints unless otherwise stated) taken within the five years immediately prior to the closing date. Up to three digital images or colour transparencies, mounted as slides, may be entered in each category. No picture may be entered in more than one category. Prints are not permitted except in the junior competition or in the Black and White category. You may crop images before submission. Digital images must not be adjusted beyond rule 3 prior to submission. Do not send slides in glass mounts, as these can break in the post and will not be judged. Please submit originals where possible. Any duplicates should be of the same format as the originals. No allowances will be made for poorquality duplicates. Please limit the size of large format mounts as much as possible.
3. Digital guidelines
Format Supply all images on one CD or DVD compatible with a Windows-based PC. Do not use subfolders when saving images onto CD/ DVD. Images should be submitted at their native resolution with no interpolation applied. Save images as JPEGs at the highest possible quality setting (eg 12 in Photoshop). The original capture as it was recorded by the camera with no manipulation applied (eg *.DNG, *.JPG, *.NEF, *.CR2, *.CRW) will be requested if your image reaches the fi nal stages of the competition and must be supplied to us in early May 2007. We will contact you to request these.
Camera requirements Six million pixels or above.
Calibration Images should ideally be colour profiled/ corrected using correctly calibrated monitor and utilizing Adobe RGB 98 colour space.
Adjusting your image Digital adjustments are only acceptable if limited to minor cleaning work, levels, curves, colour, saturation and contrast work. The faithful representation of a natural form, behaviour or phenomenon must be maintained. Compositing and multiple exposures are not allowed. Sharpening is allowed. Cropping is allowed.
Labelling The file should carry your name, the category number or title and the key subject (e.g. JohnBrown.Cat2eagle.jpg or JbrownGeraldDurrell.eagle.jpg). Please label all images using the same format. Full contact and picture details should also be inserted into the pull-down fi le information box (eg from File>File Info in Photoshop).
Other information required: Hardware details (i.e. name of camera).
5. Slide/print guidelines Your name and address must be written on the slide mount of each transparency (please avoid using sticky labels if possible). The picture orientation should be indicated by a large dot on the front, bottom left corner. Put each slide in a separate envelope with the following details written on each envelope: category number, your name and address, a description of the subject of the picture (see rule 9), and when and where the picture was taken. The envelopes must not be sealed. For large-format and print entries, please label the back of the mount/ print.
5. Black-and-white Digital files, slides or prints can be submitted. Images must have been taken on black-and-white film or converted to a black-and-white file (digital images). Prints must be A3 or smaller. Negatives or original camera files will be requested if your images reach the final stages of the competition. Dodging and burning of digital images is permitted. Please refer to rule 3 for all other rules on digital submission.
6. Mailing Entries should be in one package with your name on the back, with one copy of the entry form, the entry fee of £20 (per person - not per image), cost of return postage and a self-addressed envelope (where applicable).
7. Eric Hosking Award You must supply 10 images from which the judges will make the final portfolio selection. Digital images to be supplied as per rule 3. Slides should be submitted in a clear plastic transparency-holder sheet, with a list stating what is being shown in each picture and where and when each was taken (see rule 4). Put it in an envelope marked Eric Hosking Award, with your name and address written on the front.
8. Copyright You must be the sole author and owner of the copyright for all images entered. By entering your images into the competition, you grant to the Natural History Museum a non-exclusive licence to use and reproduce the images for any purpose in connection with the competition including, but not limited to, the following purposes:
- judging the competition
- display at the exhibition of the winning entries held at the Natural History Museum and within the UK and subsequent international tours
- inclusion within the Wildlife Photographer of the Year book and magazine or similar
- inclusion within promotion of the competition and exhibition organised by BBC Wildlife Magazine
- inclusion (if selected as one of the promotional images) within the Natural History Museum’s marketing and promotional materials (including press packs) for the exhibition or touring exhibition
- use on competition - and exhbition-related merchanise to be sold by the Natural History Museum.
Royalties will be paid for commercial uses of images.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Owners will choose images from the winning images for the purposes of promoting and marketing the exhibition (and for use on merchandise). In addition, you grant the Natural History Museum the right to sub-licence images to the press for reproduction in connection with the competition and exhibition.
9. Subjects Domestic animals (cats, dogs, farm animals, etc) and cultivated plants (species or hybrids grown in a cultivated setting) do not count as wildlife and are not eligible subjects. You must declare if a picture has been taken in captivity or conditions that are unnatural (e.g. if the animal has been restrained or previously kept captive). Details of the subject and location must be provided in the file info (please mark slide mounts with a large C). In some cases, the photographer may be asked to sign a statement detailing how and where a picture was taken. If cruel or unethical practices are suspected by the Owners or any of the judges the entry will be disqualified.
10. Legal issues Where necessary under the Wildlife and Countryside Act or equivalent national or international legislation (e.g. in the case of protected species), pictures must be accompanied by copies of the relevant permits. UK entrants should note that, without a permit from Natural England, the Countryside Council for Wales or Scottish Natural Heritage, it is illegal to photograph some British birds at the nest.
11. Other competitions A picture that has already been the winner, runner-up or commended in a major competition (ie one receiving more than 500 images ) is not eligible for entry.
12. Manipulation Sandwich shots, double exposures, photographs which consist in any way of more than one separate image and images that have been digitally manipulated outside of rule 3 are not eligible.
13. Judges These will be appointed by the Owners to choose the winners. The Owners’ decision on all matters relating to the competition is final, and no correspondence will be entered into concerning the competition’s judging and organisation. Should the quality of entries fall below the standard required, the Owners reserve the right not to award prizes.
14. Notification Winners and commended photographers will be notified in June 2007. Unsuccessful entries will be returned from August onwards. Winning and commended pictures may be kept until after the opening of the exhibition in October. The results will be published in the November 2007 issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine and on the Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year website.
15. Reproduction The Natural History Museum, BBC Wildlife Magazine and sponsor are entitled further to rule 8 above to reproduce and exhibit in all media (now known or hereafter created) prize-winning and commended entries, but only in connection with the promotion of and publicity for this competition, the exhibition and tour.
16. Merchandise The Natural History Museum is entitled further to rule 8 above to reproduce the prize-winning and commended images on or in relation to Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year merchandise.
17. Liability All entries are sent at the photographer’s risk. The Owners cannot accept liability for the loss or damage to any images entered in the competition (howsoever caused) nor for any other loss or damage resulting therefrom.
18. Return of entries Slides will only be returned if photographers enclose the following:
- UK – a stamped (not franked or pre-paid), self-addressed envelope and entry fee of £20;
- Overseas – a self-addressed envelope, entry fee of £20 and correct postage costs;
We cannot process your entry unless we receive the correct entry fee. Entries submitted on CD will not be returned, but destroyed by the Competition Offi ce after the judging period.
19. Payment Entry fees and postage costs can be paid by credit card or cheque ONLY (£Sterling cheque to be made payable to The Natural History Museum Trading Company Ltd, Euro cheques will not be accepted). Please note: we can only accept cheque payments in £Sterling where the funds are drawn from a British bank. If you wish to pay by credit card, the credit card must be valid until November 2007 and you will need to complete the credit card form within the entry leaflet or (if entering online) at www.nhm.ac.uk/wildphoto
20. Closing date Closing date for postal entries to be received in the Competition Office - Friday 23 March 2007. Closing date for online entry - Friday 30 March 2007.

Additional Shell Young Wildlife Photographer Rules 2006
Rules 8 to 18 and 20 of the adult competition apply as well as the
following:
1. This part of the competition is open to anyone aged 17 or under on the closing date (see rule 20). Entry to the junior competition is free.
2. Entries may be digital images, colour prints or slides (see rule 4) taken within the five years immediately prior to the closing date. Do not send them in glass mounts, as these can break in the post and will be disqualified.
3. Original camera files are not required. Please see rule 3 (adult competition) for rules relating to digital image submission
4. You can enter up to six pictures (colour slides, prints or digital images) in your age group category. Your name and address must be written on the back of each slide or print. Each picture should be put in a separate envelope marked with the category (A, B, or C) and a description of the image. Refer to rule 4 for details on entering digital images. Please complete and sign the entry form (with the signature of a parent or guardian) and send together in one packet. Clearly mark the outside of the envelope Shell Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007.

For more information about the competition, visit the official Wildlife Photographer of the Year website at www.nhm.ac.uk/wildphoto