Many of us have an outlet which allows us escape from the stresses of our everyday lives and partake in something we thoroughly love and enjoy. For some, this may be something as simple as reading a book or walking their dog, but for others, they use this spare time as a time to express themselves and get creative. Many of us own a camera of some sorts, and will often carry this with us during social events as a means to capture some memories in the form of an image. In some cases, we may not be too fussed with how we look in the image and the way in the composition has been captured. That is unless you are passionate about photography. Photography has quickly become a popular pastime with many people, and with new models of digital cameras on the market at the moment, it really couldn’t be easier to take a decent photograph and use computer software to tweak certain aspects of the image to make an impressive piece. However, in a lot of cases, great photography comes from some sort of training-whether it is from higher education or teaching yourself, but the more you practice and try new things, the better your photography will become.

If you’re serious about photography, one of the best ways in which you can get your work viewed by many, and possibly turn it into a career is through entering a photography contest. There are a wide range of photography contests which can be found both on the internet and through reading photography publications. Some are designed as a means to seek out fresh, new talent, and also as a way for many aspiring photographers to win some cash for their efforts. If you are looking to enter a contest, you firstly should research into the different photography contests which are out there and which ones are best sited for your level of expertise, whether you are a beginner to the art or a keen photographer who has practiced the craft for a number of years. The next thing you should look into is what type of photography contest it is-some are specialist contests focusing more on work which is based around wildlife and nature, others may be looking for something much broader.

One of the best resources for photography contests is photocompetitions.com. This provides you with all of the main, official contests which occur throughout the year with details on how long the competition has been open for, what the deadline for entries is and also the categories that the competition is focusing on. This allows you to easily find the contests which are relevant you and the work you produce, as well as giving you the great knowledge that you are entering a legitimate competition which you will gain exceptional acknowledgment for were you to win. Alternatively, you can visit your local magazine store and ask to be shown to the arts aisle. Photography magazines are usually run by either avid photographers and/or members of a photography association, and so will be looking to put on official and recognized contests. Creative publications such as this will often put on a contest a few times a year, so there are plenty of chances to try your hand at winning a contest. If you are lucky to be shortlisted or even win, your work will also be seen by all subscribers of the magazine.

Getting your work shown to the world is often one of the hardest things you can try to do as an artist, but by taking part in a photography contest, you will have a much better chance of not only having your work viewed, but also have some feedback from outside parties. By researching into contests which are related to your subject matter, you could soon see yourself a winner of a great prize.

By Jason Kay



Promote your photography by entering a photo contest. See a current list of contests at http://www.photographycontest.ws