bigpicture natural world photography competition 2025

Now in its 12th year, BigPicture encourages photographers from around the world to contribute their work to this competition that both celebrates and illustrates the rich diversity of life on Earth and inspires action to protect and conserve it through the power of imagery. Chaired by award-winning conservation photographer Suzi Eszterhas, BigPicture welcomes high-quality nature, wildlife and conservation images and is open to all photographers around the world. Enter your work for a chance to win cash prizes and be exhibited at the California Academy of Sciences.

There are seven content-specific categories, including a Photo Story category, which is the only category with a specific theme. This year's Photo Story theme is called: In My Backyard.

We don’t have to venture to the ends of the Earth to discover the beauty and surprising stories of the natural world. This year’s photo story opens our eyes to what’s happening in our own backyards: nearby parks, gardens, forests, streets, villages, ponds, streams, soil and skies. What changes have you been observing closely or close by over the days or years? What community or conservation work have you been focusing on? Show and tell us what’s been happening in your own backyard!