Wildlife photographers

Wildlife Photographer of the Year – 16 July-22 September
We’re excited to announce that the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is returning to the Museum this summer for the first time in over a decade. It will be on show, for free, in the Main Court from 16 July to 22 September, so make sure you get down here to see it.

This global showcase of the very best nature photography has inspired us to launch a little wildlife photography competition of our own…

In celebration of the swifts that return to nest in the Museum’s tower each spring, we are running the Summer Swifts photo competition. Send us your best photograph of this summer’s swifts on the wing, either around the Museum’s tower or near you, and the winning image will be put on display alongside Wildlife Photographer of the Year in the Museum from mid-August. Not bad eh?

The picture below is not from Wildlife Photographer of the Year, but is my hastily-grabbed effort to capture the swifts. I imagine many of you can do better. Email your entries to communications@oum.ox.ac.uk by 15 August and we’ll let you know who’s won shortly after. Needless to say the images must be your own and not break anyone’s copyright, and you grant us permission to print and display them in the Museum until 22 September. Good luck!

Wait, there’s more… To coincide with Wildlife Photographer of the Year here we’re also offering a unique adult Day School titled Imaging Techniques in Modern Natural History – a Hands-On Guide. This takes place on Saturday 20 September and costs just £60.

It’s a practical course in digital imaging that will give you access to the Museum’s imaging equipment and specimens to learn about electron microscopy, 3D laser scanning, multiplane microscopy and macrophotography, as well as a poke around behind the scenes. Places are limited so for more info and to book email education@oum.ox.ac.uk pronto.

Scott Billings – Communications coordinator