Hi @Igor_Doncov and @Tom_Nevesely - sorry just now seeing these comments 
I get this question a lot and I totally get it. Entering a photography competition can feel like a gamble. You put your heart and soul into your work and there is no guarantee of winning. Also the space seems full of scams and money grabs! But I truly believe that entering the Natural Landscape Photography Awards is one of the best things a landscape photographer can do, not just for their career but for their personal growth and connection to the photography community.
Let’s be real. Exposure is not a paycheck. But it can do other things. It puts your name out there, helps you get recognized, and most importantly it makes you part of something bigger than yourself.
Natural Landscape Photography Awards is not just a competition. It is a movement. We are building a space where honest, skillful, and thoughtful landscape photography is celebrated. When you enter and your work stands out, you are not just getting into a contest. You are becoming part of a larger conversation about what landscape photography can and should be.
This exposure is also practical. Winners and finalists get published in our high-end fine-art coffee table book, which goes out to collectors, galleries, and industry leaders who actually care about authentic photography. Past winners have used this as a stepping stone to gallery representation, print sales, and more opportunities.
Beyond that, we make sure the best work gets seen. Our winners and finalists have been featured in CNN, The Atlantic, PetaPixel, FStoppers, Der Spiegel, and Digital Camera World, which means people all over the world—photographers, collectors, and publishers—are seeing their images.
And beyond media exposure, we take things a step further. Photographers who stand out in NLPA are often invited onto my podcast where we talk about their journey and creative process. We also feature some of the best photographers in articles for OnLandscape, a publication dedicated to high-quality landscape photography. These opportunities help photographers tell their stories and connect with an even wider audience.
Winning is not everything. The process of selecting and refining images for a competition pushes you to be better. It forces you to think about your work critically, to consider composition, post-processing, and storytelling in a way that casual sharing on social media does not. The very act of curating your work for a competition entry makes you better at being more selective about your work and it forces you to be honest with yourself on what images are best. I had a very lengthy conversation with Tony Hewitt about this on my podcast.
Because NLPA has strict guidelines about truthful representation, you have to rely on your skills as a photographer. No composites. No excessive manipulation. No AI tricks. This encourages photographers to hone their fieldcraft and post-processing techniques in a way that enhances the image without misleading the viewer.
It is also a great way to see where you stand. Getting selected as a finalist, or even making it into the top percentage of images, means you are competing at the highest level with some of the best natural landscape photographers in the world. That kind of benchmarking is invaluable. We also do something no other competition does - we offer feedback on every image submitted by way our certificates that show you how well the image did, how far it made it in the process of judging, and if you made it to the main judging, how each judge evaluated the image. We know it’s not perfect, but it’s better than hearing nothing back!
This is what really sets NLPA apart. There are plenty of photography contests out there, but most of them are either pay-to-win or they do not really care about the photographers themselves. NLPA is different.
We are a competition created by photographers for photographers. Every judge, every organizer, and every person involved actually cares about the craft of landscape photography. This means that when you enter, you are not just submitting to a faceless contest. You are becoming part of a global community of photographers who value the same things you do—authenticity, skill, and a deep respect for the natural world.
Being recognized in NLPA also helps photographers build connections. Many of our past winners and finalists have gone on to collaborate with each other, get invited to photography groups, and form lasting friendships with other like-minded artists.
Getting recognized in NLPA is more than just an award. It is a career milestone. It tells galleries, and clients that your work stands out on its own merit. No gimmicks. No excessive editing. Just skill, vision, and storytelling through photography.
It also opens doors to new opportunities. Some of our past winners have used their success in NLPA to launch workshops, secure sponsorships, and expand their careers in unexpected ways. Whether your goal is to sell prints, teach, or simply gain recognition for your work, this kind of achievement carries weight.
At the end of the day, competitions like this are exciting. There is a rush in putting your work out there, in seeing how it stacks up against some of the best photographers in the world. It is a challenge, a chance to push yourself, and a way to celebrate what we all love—capturing the natural world in an honest and beautiful way.
If you are thinking about entering, my advice is simple. Go for it. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Even if you do not win, you will grow as a photographer, connect with an amazing community, and maybe even find yourself inspired in ways you did not expect.
Final thoughts - most people attach too much feeling to competitions and should embrace the fun and positive rewards of entering in of itself. I’ve never won a competition but I do enjoy trying to figure out which of my images are best and why, and that’s made me a better curator of my own work. Anyways, hope that helps…
