Nikon used its stage at The Photography & Video Show 2024 to announce that it has partnered with the popular photo competition to launch the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards.
Among the prizes will be a safari trip to Kenya, and a Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera.
Free to enter, the competition is open to the public until 31 July 2024. The shortlist will be announced in September, and the final winners announced in November.
The judging panel of leading photographers includes Nikon Creators Roxy Furman, Lara Jackson and Cameron Whitnall, all of whom have a rich understanding and passion for wildlife photography and conservation.
They will be joining regular judges including renowned wildlife photographers and Nikon Ambassadors Daisy Gilardini and Charlie Hamilton-James.
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Show visitors crowded the Nikon stage (B600) to hear the announcement, made by competition founder Paul Joynson-Hicks.
“With Nikon on board, it raises the level of the competition and turns it into something that has real value,” he said.
“The Nikon brand is a serious one, and for us it’s absolutely perfect. For a few years, nobody really took the Comedy Wildlife Awards seriously, either as a competition or a real entity.
“But partnering with Nikon takes us to the next level and we’re very happy about that.
“One specific thing we talked about with Nikon was targeting the next generation and this obviously makes sense, as it will be the one moving into a world populated with less wildlife.
“And if we can get more of that generation into photography, using the Nikon brand and using our competition, that momentum should hopefully help to pull people in.”
Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards competition categories:
- Alex Walker’s Serian Mammals
- Spectrum Photo Birds
- ThinkTANK Fish and other Aquatic Species
- Insects
- Reptiles/Amphibians
- Nikon Young Photographer (up to 25 years old)
- Nikon Junior Category (up to 16 years old)
- Amazing Internet Portfolio Category
- Video Category
- Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award
Prizes range from a once-in-a-lifetime safari in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, to a Nikon Z30 camera. Other prizes include a Nikon Z8 camera kit, and the Nikon Young Photographer winner bags an Apple iPad loaded with the latest Affinity Photo editing software.
One of the best mirrorless cameras on the market, the Z8’s super-responsive subject tracking (switching between eyes, face, and upper body, depending on distance) and its ability to shoot full-resolution raw files at 20fps will make it the ideal tool for capturing animals at their most candid.
“We give 10% of our profits to charities which do conservation projects, so we don’t just give it to a big organisation,” awards founder Paul Joynson-Hicks also told showgoers at the Nikon stand. “What’s left goes then towards the business and the photographers.”
“And you don’t have to be in the Maasai Mara or the Serengeti to get a winning image; one of our winners was shot in Glasgow.
Quoting novelist Mark Twain’s line that laughter is the human race’s one really effective weapon, Joynson-Hicks added: “Comedy wildlife obviously has a natural childlike enthusiasm to it, and children tend to respond very positively.
“We have published four books, which are always best sellers at Christmas. They are perfect for keeping in the loo, and for little children to like and helping them start getting into photography.
“Our last winner added 15,000 followers in one day, which is another benefit of entering the competition. Laughter is a really effective weapon and we want to use that weapon as a source of good, for wildlife and conservation.”
Stefan Maier, Nikon Europe’s senior general manager, marketing, said:
“We are thrilled to be partnering with The Comedy Wildlife team this year to become The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards.
“Utilising the natural affinity between our brands to celebrate global wildlife, we look forward to generating vital awareness surrounding conservation.
“Nikon has spent more than 100 years not only pioneering imaging technology, but also empowering creators and image makers around the world as they perfect their craft.
“We’re therefore thrilled to combine forces, providing a platform for talented creatives to not only tell stories that make an impact – but that put a smile on people's faces, too.”
To view the full gallery of winning and highly commended images head to the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards website.
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