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& Open Your Eligibility to Enter our Conference Photography Contest

Enter the Wildlife Photography Contest 2026

Every ticket comes with something extra: eligibility to enter the Conference Photography Contest. It’s simple. Shoot it, edit it however you like, and submit your best shot. That’s it. Our sponsors have put together some incredible prizes, and all you have to do to be in the running is show up with your best wildlife photo. Easy peasy!

Time To Show Off A Little

Here’s the thing about wildlife photographers. Every great shot comes with a story (usually one involving a 4 AM alarm and a whole lot of waiting). Once submissions start rolling in, you’ll be able to scroll through the gallery and see what your fellow attendees have been capturing. Birds in flight, big cats, backyard visitors, parents with their young, and plenty of moments where somebody was in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. Some seriously talented photographers show up for this every year, and seeing all that work in one place is pretty incredible. Submit your best wildlife image below, then come back and enjoy the gallery. Submissions are due by December 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST

Everything You Need to Know About the Wildlife Photography Conference Photography Contest 2026

We figured you’d have questions. Here are the answers to pretty much everything. And if we missed something, the entry form is right up there at the top of the page.

It’s exactly what it sounds like, and it’s one of the best parts of the conference. Every paid registered attendee of the Wildlife Photography Conference gets to submit their best image, have it displayed in the conference gallery, and compete for prizes from our sponsors. The winner gets announced live during the Conference Wrap-Up session. It’s always a really great moment, and yes, the bragging rights are very real.

Here’s what you need to know to qualify for judging:

  • Your image has to be original work created by you, submitted in its final state. No re-submissions, and enhancing someone else’s work doesn’t count as original creation.
  • One image per person.
  • .JPG, .JPEG, or .PNG format only.
  • File size must be 3MB or under.
  • Nothing with nudity or criminal elements. (Yes, we have to say that.)
  • That’s it. Pretty painless.

Nope. Not even a little bit. The contest is included in your conference ticket and is available to all fully paid attendees of the Wildlife Photography Conference 2026. 

(Sorry, Kelby Media Group/KelbyOne, LLC employees and their families aren’t eligible.)

Live. On air, during the Conference Wrap-Up session. We don’t give any advance notice, so you’ll want to be tuned in. It’s genuinely one of the most fun moments of the whole event.

Just one. So make it your best one. Spend a little extra time on it. You’ll thank yourself later.

See that entry form at the top of this page? Fill it out, submit your image, and you’re done. Just make sure your conference registration is paid in full before you submit, and get your entry in before Submissions are due by December 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. If it comes in after that, we won’t be able to include it and nobody wants that. So don’t wait until 11:58.

We’ll have prizes from our sponsors to give away and we’ll share the details during the conference. But honestly? Getting your work in front of thousands of photographers from around the world isn’t nothing either. We’d call that a win regardless.

One heads-up on the prizes: for customs and tax reasons, physical prizes are only available to winners with a continental US shipping address. Outside the US? You’ll still get online or digital prizes where applicable.

KelbyOne’s in-house creative team handles the judging. The panel may include Scott Kelby, Erik Kuna, other KelbyOne instructors, and professional photographers, creative directors, and art directors. We take it seriously because we know you do too.

If you’re a full paid attendee of the Wildlife Photography Conference 2026 and you’re 18 or older, you’re in. Simple as that. The contest is just for conference attendees though, so if you’re a KelbyOne member who isn’t registered for the conference, this one’s not open to you. Sorry about that.

One more thing: employees and immediate family members of Kelby Media Group/KelbyOne, LLC and its affiliated companies aren’t eligible to enter. Yeah, we know. Tough break, team.

Submissions are due by December 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Write it down somewhere. Set a reminder on your phone. Do whatever you have to do. Just don’t miss it.
Absolutely! Changed your mind? No problem. Just use the submissions form to remove your entry before December 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. We’ve got you covered.

Please see the  FULL TERMS & CONDITIONS  for more information.

To Enter the Contest You Must Be Registered!

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