'EYES' is now open for entries! — WildArt Photographer of the Year

A big thank you to all who entered our February category SPACE. Entries are now closed and the judging process has begun - Andy Rouse and the team will update you on progress shortly and look out for the Top 100 List published later this month.

March sees the turn of Josh Galicki and ‘EYES’. Here’s what Josh is looking for in submissions:

*Above: Northern Saw-whet Owl. ©Josh Galicki*

One of the first tips you get when starting a journey in wildlife photography is to make sure the animal’s eyes are sharp. I can recall an early mentor of mine saying, “If the eyes aren’t sharp son, then move on”. While other parts of the animal may not need a strong focus, the eyes usually cannot be spared and must stand out in most compositions. So, why is this general principle so important? Eyes in a photograph serve as a connection point with the viewer and convey emotion. Of course these emotions can vary such as love, fear, excitement, determination, desperation, or curiosity to mention a few. A key ingredient to demonstrate impact or just stopping someone in their tracks while combing through photos, is the ability to capture a powerful expression in the eyes. This can be the difference between an average wildlife photograph and an exceptional one. You can have incredible light, a perfect background, and even unique behavior, but if there’s no expression coming from the subject it will reduce the overall impact. It can be a fleeting glance at just the right time or a direct and powerful gaze. Expression creates emotion and that usually begins with eyes, which is the theme of Wild Art Photographer of the Year’s (WAPOTY) next contest that I’ll be judging. The contest opens on March 1st and will last through the entire month. I know there will be some stunning imagery submitted and I can’t wait to see what comes in from across the globe. This category lends itself to variety and I expect the content to be wide-ranging in scope from insects up to the largest mammals. Like most, I was very excited to see the remarkable work that was recently featured in the “Wet” top 100 and have high hopes for “Eyes” as well. Please remember that eyes should be the centerpiece of the image when preparing your submissions.

WildArt POTY is actively supporting conservation initiatives throughout the competition and I’ve chosen to support the American Bird Conservancy’s Golden-winged Warbler program. The Golden-winged Warbler is one of my favorite birds in the United States and it was quite common years back, but it’s now suffered one of the steepest population declines of any songbird in North America. This is especially true near my hometown in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Funds raised will go toward localized habitat sustainment of known breeding sites utilized by Golden-winged Warblers in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains once they arrive each Spring from Central and South America. You can learn more about the American Bird Conservancy here.

Best of luck to all and I look forward to being captivated by your best work!

Josh Galicki. March 2021.

enter eyes

Here are a couple of examples of Josh’s eye-catching work to illustrate what this category is looking for.