Contest Closed
The Contest
The ROM Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest returns for the ninth year! Whether you’re an amateur or professional photographer, ROM invites you to share your captivating images of the natural world for a chance to win some amazing prizes and have your photograph on display at the Museum.
Open to all residents of Ontario, read on to find out about this year’s incredible prizes and how to enter.
Contest generously supported by:
Youth Category (Age 13-17)
Contest Period:
November 25, 2023 to March 25, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST
How to enter:
Share your wildlife image from your unlocked Instagram account and include @ROMtoronto & #ROMwpyJR
Grand Prize:
- Canon R50 courtesy of Henry’s. The EOS R50 camera makes photography fun, simple, and convenient with intuitive photo functions that capture beautiful images automatically, just as you imagine them.
- One-year ROM Curator’s Circle Membership. Enjoy unlimited free access to exhibitions and galleries all year long, attend exclusive previews and events, Member-only discounts, plus so much more.
- The winning photograph will be displayed at the ROM
Honourable Mention Prizes (x2):
- One-year ROM Family Membership. Enjoy unlimited free access to exhibitions and galleries all year long, attend exclusive previews and events, Member-only discounts, plus so much more.
Download Full Youth Contest Rules (PDF)
Adult Category (Ages 18+)
Contest Period:
November 25, 2023 to March 25, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST
How to enter:
Share your wildlife image from your unlocked Instagram account and include @ROMtoronto & #ROMwpyON
Grand Prize:
- Canon R7 courtesy of Henry’s. The perfect all-around camera for dedicated professionals and advanced hobbyists alike.
- One-year ROM Curator’s Circle Membership. Enjoy unlimited free access to exhibitions and galleries all year long, attend exclusive previews and events, Member-only discounts, plus so much more.
- The winning photograph will be displayed at the ROM
Honourable Mention Prizes (x2):
- One-year ROM Family Membership. Enjoy unlimited free access to exhibitions and galleries all year long, attend exclusive previews and events, Member-only discounts, plus so much more.
Download Full Adult Contest Rules (PDF)
Judges
Paul Eekhoff | ROM Senior Photographer
Prior to joining ROM as Senior Photographer in 2020, Paul devoted most of his career to creating still-life and object photography for a variety of Canadian and International clients such as Hearst Magazines, Hudson Bay, Roger's Media, Smart Papers, and Teknion. This also included producing stock images for Masterfile Inc. and Getty Images. In fact, Paul was the first-ever Getty Images photographer to be published on the cover of The Washington Post magazine - an honour that was enthusiastically recognized by the editors at Getty Images.
During the early days of digital photography, Paul was a member of the Olympus Visionaries group of photographers. This selected group of photographers worked closely with Olympus Japan and America in the development and promotion of Olympus digital cameras in the United States and Canada.
Paul now devotes his time photographing for ROM and continues to produce entomological images that are available for private collection and may be viewed at pauleekhoffinsectart.com.
Photo © Ron Clifford Photography
Mark Peck | ROM Technician, Ornithology
Mark Peck is an award-winning wildlife and nature photographer. Mark will be introducing the WPY exhibit and the role of photography in conservation while sharing his expertise throughout the community.
Mark is a technician in the ROM Department of Natural History and is in charge of overseeing the ornithology collection. He serves as a committee member and ROM liaison for the Ontario Bird Records Committee, and as a consultant for Ontario Birds / Ontario Field Ornithologists. He is also the co-coordinator of the Ontario Nest Records Scheme and Program Director of the Toronto Ornithological Club. Mark wrote the text for the recently published: The Extraordinary Beauty of Birds, Designs Patterns and Details by Deborah Samuel.
Vincent Luk | Co-Founder of Hello Foto Inc.
Co-Founder of Hello Foto Inc, Vincent Luk has considerable experience working with local communities and organizations in sharing their stories through different visual mediums. His award-winning photography and video work have taken him across the globe, and his photographs have been exhibited in numerous galleries around Toronto.
As the Program Manager and instructor for the Fleming College Environmental Visual Communications Post-Graduate Program based at ROM. Vincent mentors future wildlife photographers and videographers who are passionate about environmental issues.
David Coulson | Conservation Photojournalist
David Coulson is a visual storyteller based in Toronto, Canada. His work explores the complex and indivisible relationships between people and planet and has taken him around the world documenting the challenges, successes and resilience of conservation initiatives. Through words, photography and film, David hopes to reveal our profound connections to the earth, our shared home, and the urgent need to protect it.
David has been recognized by the Magenta Foundation as a 2019 emerging photographer. He has been featured in Beside Magazine, Canadian Wildlife, and Canadian Geographic, and has worked with organizations such as the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Ontario Nature, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and ROM. Currently, David is hoping to inspire and train the next generation of concerned storytellers as an instructor at Fleming College’s Environmental Visual Communication Program, based out of ROM.
Last Year's Winners
Photo credits:
Top Left: #ROMwpyON Grand Prize Winner: Leopard Love © Yaron Eini; Top Right: #ROMwpyJR Grand Prize Winner: Late Lunch © Beckett Robertson; 2nd row left: Serenity ablaze © Ted Trafford; 2nd row right: Bad Hair Day © Adam Kunsken; Bottom row left: Clouded Sulfur © Leigh Ayres; Bottom row right: A Winter Titmouse © Theo Linsley.