Wings of Hope Bird Photography Contest

Hope, the child whose survival in 2014 became the foundation of Knowing Hope, is now twelve years old, thriving, and a budding bird photographer herself. The European robin at the top of this page is one of hers. Wings of Hope is our first contest and fundraiser inspired by her, and every entry directly funds medical care for children like her.

Your photograph could be the reason a child gets the care they need.

Wings of Hope Bird Photography Contest
Presented by Knowing Hope Inc.

Wings of Hope is our inaugural bird photography contest and fundraiser. Together, we celebrate the beauty and artistry of bird photography while raising funds to help children who need us most.

Photographers of all experience levels are invited to submit their finest bird images across four categories while supporting lifesaving medical care for children. Anyone who loves photographing birds can enter. The novice division is for those who haven't sold prints, won photography awards, or worked professionally as a photographer. The advanced division is for photographers with professional experience, as well as for those who have placed in other photography contests or sold their work.

Both novice and advanced photographers may enter any of the following categories:
Birds in Flight: Birds in motion, from takeoff to landing, soaring, hovering, or diving.
Perched & Portrait: Birds at rest, emphasizing character, detail, plumage, or expression.
Behavior & Interaction: Birds feeding, nesting, courting, bathing, or engaged in any natural behavior.
Juvenile & Nesting: Chicks, fledglings, eggs, nest building – any image focused on young birds or early life.
Each photograph must be assigned to a category, but an entry may include photographs from any combination of categories. Multiple photographs in the same category are allowed.

Contest Guidelines:
Open to photographers age 16 and older
Up to 10 entries per photographer
Each entry may include 1-4 photographs
Photographs may be entered in any combination of categories, including multiple photographs in the same category
AI-generated images are not permitted
Basic photographic adjustments are allowed, but photographs may not have elements added, removed, or substantially altered
All photographs must be the entrant’s original work

Entry Fees
$15 for 1 photo • $30 for 2 photos • $40 for 3 photos • $50 for 4 photos.
You may submit up to 10 entries, with each entry containing 1–4 photographs.

Eight category/division winners will receive prizes. Available prizes include a Cotton Carrier harness, Vortex binoculars, a Delkin CFexpress 128GB Type B memory card, a Wimberley Monogimbal Head, a Think Tank camera backpack, and a 1-year KelbyOne Pro Membership.

Entries will be judged by our three talented judges, Duade Paton, Marina Scarr, and David Lindo. Each judge will provide brief comments on the winning selections.
Duade Paton is an Australian bird photographer, educator, and YouTube creator who is passionate about inspiring others to enjoy and photograph birds. He is a proud member of BirdLife Australia and contributes photography to the organization's magazine.
Marina Scarr is an award-winning nature photographer, moderator on @best_birds_of_ig, and certified Florida Master Naturalist based in Sarasota, Florida. She is known for her striking avian photography, with images published in National Wildlife, Nature's Best Photography, and Living Bird.
David Lindo is The Urban Birder - a British broadcaster, author, and speaker known for engaging city dwellers around the world with nature through birds. He is a judge for the Bird Photographer of the Year and The British Wildlife Photography Awards, and was recently named the 7th most influential person in wildlife by BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Each photograph will be evaluated on a 1–5 scale in four areas:
Technical Quality: Sharpness, exposure, focus, and post-processing quality.
Composition & Artistic Merit: Framing, balance, and visual storytelling.
Moment & Impact: Uniqueness of behavior and emotional or storytelling power.
Overall Impression: Final holistic score of the image as a whole.
We are incredibly grateful for Duade, Marina, and David's willingness to share their expertise and serve as judges.

Photographers retain full copyright of their submitted images. By entering, participants grant Knowing Hope Inc. permission to use submitted images for promotional and fundraising purposes, with photographer credit.

Every entry fee helps provide life-changing medical care for vulnerable children in Asia through Knowing Hope, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your participation supports children living with chronic and catastrophic illnesses who might otherwise face relinquishment to an orphanage or be forced to abandon treatment because their families cannot afford the care they need.

$50 — a blood transfusion
$75 — a transfusion and one month of chelation medicine
$100 — chemotherapy treatment
$125 — a dose of surfactant for a premature baby

Learn more about Knowing Hope and the story behind Wings of Hope at Knowinghope.org

Share your favorite shots with #WingsOfHopeContest

Every photograph submitted helps lift a child toward the care they need. Enter today, and give a child wings of hope. Creating an account is fast and free - you'll upload your photos and pay the entry fee once you're ready to submit.