Wildlife in habitats appearing completely free from human influence. Even close to home, the frame must feel entirely wild. We celebrate wildlife living quietly beyond the footprint of people. From Ants to Zebras.
Character-driven close-ups focusing on individual character and anatomy. Any animal is fair game here.
Raw biological action: hunting, territorial disputes, or caring for young.
Dedicated space for avian life — ensuring birds don't crowd out other biological behavior.
Life in or on the water: rivers, wetlands, ponds, and coastlines.
If your frame contains any man-made object (a brick, a wire, a fence, a road, or plastic), it belongs in Coexistence. If the frame is 100% natural, it belongs in Neighbors.
Wildlife within the human environment. From city centers to rural farms, we celebrate the resilience of nature adapting to the structures we build.
The domestic: wildlife at bird feeders, on porches, or in backyards and balconies.
Infrastructure: wildlife dwarfed by bridges, skyscrapers, harbors, and industrial sites.
The urban pulse: animals navigating transit stations, crosswalks, and sidewalk life.
Liminal spaces: abandoned lots, railway verges, cemeteries, and suburban woodlots.
Moments where human life intersects with nature — exploration, stewardship, and the everyday rhythms of life. All categories require a meaningful connection to the natural world.
People directly engaging with nature — hiking, climbing, surfing, swimming, or simply being present.
Conservation work, wildlife rescue, environmental restoration, and those protecting the natural world.
Nature encountered within human spaces — moments where people and the natural world intersect in built environments. Images must include a visible interaction or relationship between people and the natural world.
Extreme close-ups of the overlooked details. At the millimetre scale, entire worlds reveal themselves. Focus stacking allowed.
Plants, mosses, lichens, and botanical structures.
Rocks, ice, sand, and natural textures.
Close portraits of insects, spiders, and other minuscule life.
Landscapes and the visual character of your 100km territory. From ground-level views to aerial perspectives. Panoramas allowed.
Classic landscapes photographed from the ground — mountains, fields, and coastlines.
Patterns and landscapes photographed from above. Responsible drone practices required.
Weather and atmosphere — storms, aurora, and celestial events.
RAW Pets is a fully independent competition dedicated to domesticated animals and the lives we share with them. While the RAW Awards focus on wildlife within your 100 km territory, RAW Pets exists outside that system — with its own judging, its own identity, and its own winner. This is not about wilderness or rarity. It is about personality, character, and connection. "If it's tame, it's game."
No restrictions on subject or style.
Portraits, action, humor, quiet moments — everything is welcome.
RAW Pet Photographer of the Year (Pet POTY) is awarded to the single best image.
This title is completely separate from RAW Photographer of the Year.
Entries in RAW Pets are judged independently and do not compete against wildlife categories.
A fully separate competition for photographers aged 17 and under. The 100km rule was made for you — you know your territory better than anyone.
Junior entries are not judged against adult work. No entry fee. Just your photographs.
Learn More Enter FreeWildlife in natural habitat.
Urban wildlife encounters.
Landscapes and skies.
People and nature.