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Nature Photo Competition

 Did you take an outstanding nature photograph?

Send it to us! Competition will open soon

The Kuusamo Nature Photo Competition consists of three main categories: Category Hannu Hautala, Category Art of Nature, and Category Instagram Competition for Children and Youngsters. The main categories will open soon.

The competition is open to everyone. Previously published images as well as images that have been submitted to other competitions are eligible. The images must be the original work of the photographer and she/he must be the sole owner of all rights of the photographs. If there are identifiable people in the photographs, the photographer must have permission from those people to publish the images.

Kuusamo Nature Photo 2022 winners

Kuusamo Nature Photo 2022 palkitut

Category Hannu Hautala

1. Anne Vertanen – Demoiselle DamselflyBeautiful demoiselle.

An image that scored winning points evenly from the entire jury, and whose power is based on clear straightforwardness and tasteful exaggeration of colour saturation. The warm yellow of the wingtips gives a nice complementary colour contrast to the prevalent blue of the image. A rich carpet of light balls creates an interesting background layer without breaking or losing the main subject.

 

 

2. Tuomo Björksten – Syksyn värit

Colours in the autumnal forest. A charming view of a sparse mixed forest in autumn, which is beautifully shaped by the soft light, and whose picture elements are balanced in the image area. In this photo as well, the slightly exaggerated colour saturation, still within the limits of subtlety, works effectively.

 

3. Tommi Alatalo – Muuttohaukka

Morning mist in taiga forest. An often-seen subject photographed from an iconic location, but the flying silhouette of a falcon above the fog-enclosed canopy electrifies the atmosphere. The foggy landscape, which is usually the main subject, becomes the background in this image. The wedge shapes of the wings and tail go together well with the spruce trees emerging from the fog.

 

4. Pasi Parkkinen – Neuvottelu

Ravens chatting on the snow. The natural expressiveness and mutual communication of the birds has been perfectly captured at just the right moment. There is a good rhythm in the image, and the plumage of the black birds is well brought out in the steady light of a cloudy day.

 

5.  Anna Välimäki – Aamunavaus

The beauty of an autumn morning at its best. A fine, engaging view on the popular subject of morning mist. The entire image area is full of interestingly arranged levels, the tonal range of which changes wonderfully from the blue-grey of the shadows in the foreground to the warm yellow and magenta red of the centre and background.

 

Honourable Mentions

A view into the kingdom of the perches. The perfect composition of the image elements is supported by the rhythm and the impression of movement created by the “layout” of the fish shoal. The view is crowned by the wonderfully gradient turquoise of the water across the image area. A delicious fish photograph, which, however, caused a slight dispersion in the jury’s score distribution.

 

A frozen and beautiful, but slightly desolate view from the beach in early winter. The juxtaposition of the snow-capped stone and the folds of icy slush against it contains strong symbolism, supported by the misty greyness of the empty horizon.

 

Gentle warmth and play. A fine, somewhat different wolf image, showing not the bloodthirsty beast of the forest, but a sensitive cohabitant of ours. The delicate morning light and the lightly pastel colour scheme of the image, together with the white spots of cottongrass, perfectly support the atmosphere that reflects the relationship of the wolves in the photograph.

  • The competition is open to everyone. Previously published images as well as images that have been submitted to other competitions are eligible. The images must be the original work of the photographer and she/he must be the sole owner of all rights of the photographs. If there are identifiable people in the photographs, the photographer must have permission from those people to publish the images.

    By entering the competition, a photographer agrees to follow the competition rules.

    The competition is open during 15 May-31 July 2021. Detailed instructions for submitting images are found under each category.

    The Instagram Competition categories are open during 15 May–26 August 2021.

    The awarded images will be gathered into an exhibition that will be on display at Kuusamo Hall in September. Afterwards, the exhibition will also tour various nature centres owned by Metsähallitus.

  • Entries to the competition can only be submitted in digital format online. A maximum of five (5) entries can be submitted to each category. The entries can be uploaded at the category page. The upload link will close on 31 July 2021 at 23.59 (11.59 PM).

    Check each category page for details on how to take part in the competition.

  • The competition jury comprises Jonna Kalliomäki (Chair), Paavo Hamunen and Mika Honkalinna (permanent jury members), and Terhi Tuovinen (changing jury member).

    By entering the competition, a photographer agrees to follow the competition rules. The jury can disqualify an image that breaks the rules even after the selection and announcement of the winning images. The decisions of the jury will be final.

    The results will be announced at our website and our social media outlets. They will also be widely covered in the media.

  • The organiser of the competition i.e. the Kuusamo Town Department of Culture has the right to use the awarded images free of charge for the purpose of Kuusamo Nature Photo news coverage and marketing in both print and electronic media, and also in the touring exhibition presenting the results of the competition. In addition, Kuusamo Nature photo may show any non-awarded photos free of charge in a multimedia presentation about the competition, which will be shown when the winners are announced at Kuusamo Hall.

    The results of the competition and the winning images will be published on Kuusamo Nature Photo website and other social media outlets, as well as in various newspapers and on their websites and on other news channels. Images entered into the competition or their rights will not be sold to a third party, nor will the images be used commercially without a separate consent from the photographer.