This category celebrates one of the most diverse and complex groups of the animal kingdom. We welcome photographs that authentically and vividly showcase the lives of mammals and their special moments, tell stories of their behavior, or depict them in their natural habitats. We particularly value images that approach well-known or rare species from a fresh perspective.
The competition is open to natural persons. Entries co-authored by multiple authors are not permitted.
Maximum number of entries in the Adult category: up to 25 images.
Maximum number of entries in the Youth category: up to 15 images.
Only photographs that have not been previously exhibited and/or awarded in any prior "Nature Photographer of the Year" competitions organized by naturArt or Varázslatos Magyarország are eligible.
By entering, the applicant declares that their work complies with all aspects of this call for entries and that they hold the copyright to the images and possess the original, unmodified camera files. These will be requested by the organizer after the second round. The applicant agrees to upload these files to the competition website by the deadline specified in the competition calendar. Furthermore, the applicant agrees to simultaneously provide the technical data and descriptions of the images alongside the requested files. If at least one work is selected for exhibition, the author agrees to provide a biography and a print-quality portrait of themselves upon request, based on the parameters detailed in the invitation.
Only large-format JPEG images processed from the original RAW files are eligible. These must be uploaded to the etf.varazslatosmagyarorszag.hu website according to the criteria and competition calendar defined below.
During the processing of competition entries, the following digital modifications may be applied: levels, curves, white and color balance, hue/saturation, brightness/contrast, sharpness, shadow/highlight, noise reduction, and black-and-white conversion. The Jury and the technical committee designated by the organizer will decide on the acceptability and naturalness of these interventions.
Removing or adding image elements using any tool is not permitted. However, it is possible to digitally remove technical flaws (vignetting, chromatic aberration, sensor dust, or spots on the lens/dome port/flat port in underwater photography, and flares).
Images created using multiple exposure techniques are not accepted.
We accept HDR and panorama images created with photo editing software from image sequences, as well as images created with focus stacking techniques. For such images, all original RAW files must be uploaded as a .zip compressed file. We also accept image sequences merged with editing software, provided the individual shots were taken without moving the camera and at nearly the same time (e.g., star trails, firefly swarms). For these, all original RAW files must also be uploaded as a .zip file.
Black-and-white conversion applied to the entire image is permitted. Post-coloring of B&W images (e.g., sepia) is not allowed, neither partially nor for the entire image.
Digital manipulation of competition images is not permitted in any category. The original content of the images cannot be changed; forms, animal behavior, natural phenomena, colors (except for B&W images), and details must appear authentically, realistically, and in accordance with the RAW file. Images manipulated with photo editing software will be disqualified during technical inspection.
Only photographs depicting real scenes are eligible; they must not contain elements created with Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). In such cases, the image will be immediately disqualified.
Images of any aspect ratio can be uploaded, but applicants should strive to adhere to standard sizes (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4, 16:9).
In all categories of the Nature Photographer of the Year competition, EXIF data is mandatory for every file (both JPEG and RAW).
The image must not contain any reference to the author's identity; otherwise, the image is ineligible and will be disqualified.
Digital framing, visible inscriptions, and dates on the images are prohibited. Photos marked this way cannot participate in the competition.
Providing a title for the image is mandatory during upload.
Applicants have the option to delete or modify their uploaded images until the competition closing deadline at the latest.
If the organizer is convinced that an entry does not meet any of the above rules, they may disqualify the image after considering the error. Furthermore, the organizer reserves the right to retroactively delete an image and withdraw any awards if a rule violation comes to light at any time after the close of the competition.
The organizer may delete any image that does not comply with the spirit, values, or standards of the Nature Photographer of the Year competition.
The unresized size of the uploaded photographs must be at least 12 MPx.
The resolution of the entries must match the resolution of the original file (RAW image); the size may only be reduced by the extent of the cropping. Images must be submitted without resizing.
The extent of cropping relative to the image area cannot exceed 60%, meaning the uploaded image size must reach at least 40% of the pixels of the original shot. If this condition is not met, the image will be permanently disqualified.
The JPEG file should be uploaded in the best possible quality (recommended at least equivalent to Adobe Photoshop JPEG 8), preferably in the sRGB color profile.
Original files belonging to images that reached the third round (nef, cr2, dng, raw, raf, etc.) must be uploaded by the applicant upon request. (DNG is only accepted if it is the camera's native RAW format).
RAW files for works that passed the second round can also be uploaded to the competition site.
If the size of the RAW files exceeds 500 MB, please notify us in writing, and the applicant will receive instructions for a unique submission method.
Registration: Participation is possible after successful registration at etf.varazslatosmagyarorszag.hu. By registering and uploading images, the applicant automatically accepts the terms and conditions.
Entry Fee: The entry fee is 7,000 HUF, payable via the Simplepay system. Uploading is only possible after payment confirmation.
Contact: Information is available at etf.varazslatosmagyarorszag.hu; questions can be sent to info@varazslatosmagyarorszag.hu.
Registration on the website.
Payment of the entry fee.
Uploading large JPEG images (see "Terms and Conditions" and "Technical Information"). A title is mandatory.
Closing of the competition.
Request for high-resolution RAW files and finalized descriptions for approximately 250 images that advanced from Round 2.
By uploading images, the Participant automatically accepts the conditions and consents to the organizer's full and royalty-free use of the photographs (with credit) on Varázslatos Magyarország's web and social pages, printed publications (magazines, books, calendars), and audiovisual content. The organizer commits to reinvesting revenue from commercial publications into its own nature photography and conservation activities.
As in previous years, an album titled "Nature Photographs of the Year Hungary 2026" will be published. Authors of selected works will receive a complimentary copy. The organizer may share files with exhibiting institutions and conservation partners for environmental promotion purposes. Works will also be included in the naturArt "Nature Photographer of the Year" archive.
Controller: Varázslatos Magyarország.
Data processed: Surname, first name, notification address, email address.
Purpose: Identification of applicants, judging, and ensuring usage rights.
Data collection is voluntary and based on consent, compliant with GDPR and Act CXII of 2011. Participants have the right to request information, correction, or deletion of their data.
A pályázati képek feltöltésének kezdete: 2026. április 1.
Feltöltés vége: 2026. május 3. 23.59 óra
Zsűrizés – 1. forduló: 2026. május
Zsűrizés – 2. forduló: 2026. május
RAW képek bekérése: 2026. május 27.
RAW képek, valamint a véglegesített képleírások beküldési határideje: 2026. június 3.
Zsűrizés – 3. forduló: 2026. június
Díjazott fotósok értesítése: 2026. július
Önéletrajzok, portrék beküldése: 2026. július
Díjkiosztó ünnepség: 2026. október
Awards
The organizer of the competition and its sponsors award the first three winning entries in categories 1–9. The winners of the categories and the authors of works receiving special prizes will receive material and/or cash prizes.
Grand Prizes:
The competition's grand prize, the prestigious title "Nature Photographer of the Year 2026", along with the symbolic statue created by sculptor Jenő Kiss from Makó, is awarded to the individual applicant who submits the most outstanding collection. The value of the grand prize is a 400,000 HUF scholarship, a 100,000 HUF Fotoplus voucher, and a prize from CEWE.
Awarding the "Nature Photographer of the Year 2026" Grand Prize:
The grand prize is awarded based on a point system, taking into account how many exhibited images a given author has and the rankings their images achieved within each category.
The method of calculation: we calculate what percentage of the total points awarded in the competition a given author possesses, and what percentage of all exhibited images they created. The sum of these two percentages gives the result achieved in the competition. The author achieving the highest value wins the "Nature Photographer of the Year" award. (Images from the Youth category do not participate in the calculation of the final result.)
Available points: "Nature Photograph of the Year": 6 points; category first prize: 4 points; category second prize: 3 points; category third prize: 2 points; special prizes awarded by the Jury: 1 point.
The "Nature Photograph of the Year 2026" prize is awarded to the category-winning photograph judged to be the best by the Jury.
The title "Young Nature Photographer of the Year 2026" and the accompanying commemorative plaque are awarded to the applicant with the most successful collection in the youth category. The result is calculated based on the same method as in the case of the Nature Photographer of the Year award, but here the organizer only takes into account the images selected for exhibition in the Youth category.
The sponsors of the competition have offered numerous special prizes again this year.
Registration: Participation in the competition is possible following successful registration on the etf.varazslatosmagyarorszag.hu website. By registering and uploading the competition images, the applicant automatically accepts the terms and conditions and declares that their submitted images comply in all respects with the requirements set out in the call for entries.
Entry Fee: The entry fee is 7,000 HUF, which can be paid through the SimplePay system. The option to upload images is only available after the payment has been confirmed.
Contact: Information regarding the details of the competition can be found on the etf.varazslatosmagyarorszag.hu website; any questions can be sent to the info@varazslatosmagyarorszag.hu email address.
The judging process for the images is as follows:
Round 0: Technical screening, during which the competition organizer may disqualify images that do not meet the spirit of the competition or the minimum quality requirements.
Round 1: Jury members vote on the advancing images using YES/NO buttons. Following the first round of judging, 800–1000 images move forward.
Round 2: Jury members assign scores from 1 to 10 to the remaining images. Subsequently, the 20–25 most successful images in each category advance to the third round. Based on the requested RAW files, the technical jury and invited experts examine whether the advancing images comply with technical and ethical requirements.
Round 3: Jury members rank the 20–25 advancing images per category, then determine the final overall ranking, the exhibition material, and the awarded works during a personal deliberation.
The entries are judged by renowned experts invited by Varázslatos Magyarország who are experienced in the practice of nature photography. The identity of the applicants is unknown to the jury members.
Members of the Jury:
Helga Urbán, nature photographer
Dr. Zsolt Kalotás, nature photographer, conservationist, founding president of naturArt
Dr. Endre Sós, Director General of the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden
Tibor Litauszki, nature photographer, Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
Ferenc Lőrincz Lőrinc, underwater photographer, CMAS underwater photography instructor
Az etikai követelmények megszegése a szabályok megsértésének minősül.
A pályázatra beküldött fényképeknek kreatívan, hitelesen és etikusan kell bemutatniuk az természetet.
- a pályaművek nem téveszthetik meg a közönséget, és nem hamisíthatják meg a természet világát
- a képekhez tartozó leírásoknak teljesnek, igaznak és pontosnak kell lennie
- a fényképek nem ábrázolhatnak fogságban tartott, vagy manipulált állatokat, állatmodelleket, kitömött állatokat és/vagy bármely más, haszonszerzés céljából tartott állatot. Kivételt képez az 1. kategória, a Kezünkben a Föld (azonban ebben a kategóriában is egyértelműen jelezni kell a fenti körülmények meglétét).
- a fotós terepen végzett munkájának példamutató magatartással kell történnie, aminek minden részlete iránymutatás és követendő példa lehet mások számára is.
A pályázati kép elkészítése során nem sérülhetnek meg az állatok, a kép szerzője nem károsíthatja, nem változtathatja meg az élőlények élőhelyét a fénykép rögzítése során. Ebbe beletartozik az állatok zavarása légi felvételek túl alacsony magasságban vagy túl nagy zajjal történő elkészítése is, valamint a fészkeknél történő fényképezés nagylátószögű objektívvel. Az állatok zavartalanságának mindig az első helyen kell állnia.
A képek készítése során a vonatkozó nemzeti vagy nemzetközi természetvédelmi előírásokat, jogszabályokat teljes mértékben be kell tartani. Amennyiben a fotózás előzetes engedélyköteles tevékenységnek minősül, a tevékenységre vonatkozó engedélyekkel (belépési, tartózkodási, kutatási, légtérhasználati engedély) rendelkezni kell, és azokat kérésre rendelkezésünkre kell bocsátani.
Bármilyen csalétket alkalmazott a pályázó a pályázott kép elkészítésénél, a képaláírásban fel kell tüntetni, hogy a zsűri és a technikai zsűri is megvizsgálhassa az alkalmazott technika vagy eljárás etikus voltát. A zsűri a csalétek nélküli fényképeket részesíti előnyben.
Amennyiben a zsűrizés során aggály merül fel a pályázatra küldött képekkel kapcsolatban, a kiíró megkéri a szerzőt, hogy a felmerült bizonytalanságokat megadott határidőre írásban tisztázza, és a kép készítésének körülményeit megismerve a zsűri javaslata alapján dönt az aggályos képek és a pályázó további sorsáról.
Ha a megszabott határidőig nem érkezik válasz a pályázótól a feltett kérdésekre, illetve a pályázó nem biztosítja a zsűri számára a felmerült kérdések megnyugtató tisztázását szolgáló anyagokat, akkor a kiíró kizárja az aggályos képeket a versenyből.
