Week 2 article

Marwell Wildlife

Marwell Wildlife, near Winchester, is running its Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011 competition for its second year.

Last year’s competition saw 2,500 entries from around the UK. The aim of the competition is to entice amateur and professional photographers to go out into the great outdoors and capture nature in its most natural form.

It is open to both adults and juniors. Entries are split into three categories:

· Marwell Wildlife residents – images taken at Marwell Wildlife Park

· Native Wildlife – flora and fauna taken from around the UK.

· Funnies – amusing photographs of nature. This category is only open to adult entrants.

The winner will be granted the prestige of being named the Marwell Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011. They will also receive a wide range of prizes, including: A Canon Powershot SX200Is camera, The Flash Centre and Wild Arena gift tokens, your photograph taken in Marwell’s 2012 calendar and an annual subscription to BBC Wildlife magazine, plus lots more.

The judging panel is made up of personalities from professional photography and the Wildlife Park itself.

Among the competition’s judges are:

· Paul Simmons , Head of Marketing Communications at Marwell Wildlife

· Sophie Stafford, BBC Wildlife Magazine Editor

· Guy Edwardes, Professional Photographer

The winner of last year’s competition, Paul Cook, 42, from Glasgow, produced a beautiful portrait of a swallow flying after a damselfly; ‘A swallow’s tale – the chase.’ To submit an entry, visit www.marwell.org.uk/photocomp. Each entrant can submit a maximum of five images, costing just £5. Junior entries are free. The deadline is the 4th June 2011 and more information regarding the competition can be found on the website.



By Natasha Spencer