Amphibian Survival Alliance · Inaugural 2026 Contest
The First World Amphibian Photography
Contest
Where every image honors the animal first.
Submissions closed July 6, 2026 · Judging underway
Photo: Cynthia Bandurek
Our Philosophy
No image is worth compromising the welfare of an amphibian
The Amphibian Survival Alliance is launching the first photography contest dedicated entirely to the world's amphibians — and we're doing it differently. Built from the ground up around a single principle: the animal comes first. Every submission includes a detailed ethical field practices declaration, and every image is evaluated not just for beauty but for how it was obtained.
We are looking for photographs that tell a conservation story, demonstrate genuine respect for wildlife, and showcase technical skill — all without compromising the welfare of the subject, its microhabitat, or its population. If you share that commitment, this contest is for you.
Contest Categories
Two ways to enter, one fee for both
Choose Standard Entry, Storytelling Portfolio, or enter both — your single $25 entry fee covers everything you submit.
Standard Entry
Submit up to 10 individual images. Each photo is assigned to one of the three image categories below.
Up to 10 imagesStorytelling Portfolio
Tell a complete visual story about amphibian conservation, species survival, or habitat threats through 5 to 10 images and a written narrative. Where photography meets advocacy.
5–10 images + written narrativeWithin Standard Entry, each photo is tagged as one of:
Portraits of Amphibians
Artistic close-ups that capture character, color, and detail. Wild or captive images accepted — captive subjects must be disclosed in your caption.
Wild or captive (disclosed)Amphibians in the Wild
Images showcasing amphibians in their natural habitats, behaviors, and ecological interactions. This category celebrates the animal in its world, undisturbed.
Wild onlyConservation in Focus
Document the people, places, and efforts behind amphibian conservation — from fieldwork and habitat restoration to research and community engagement.
Wild or captive (disclosed)Photographers under 18
Are automatically entered into Youth judging in addition to their main category — no separate entry needed. Submit through either entry type above; parental consent is required.
Prizes & Recognition
Recognition that reaches the conservation world
Winners are featured across ASA's website, social media, and partner publications — reaching researchers, conservationists, and advocates on six continents.
Grand Prize
$1,000
Best image overall, selected from category winners
Category Winners
$200
Best in each remaining category (4 winners)
Honorable Mention
Ethical Amphibian Photography Award
Special honorable mention for photographs that combine exceptional ethical field practices with powerful conservation storytelling.
Prize payments are subject to US sanctions and financial regulations. All entry fees directly fund ASA's global amphibian conservation initiatives.
How It Works
From lens to legacy in four steps
Step 01
Pay Your Entry Fee
$25 USD per photographer covers your full submission, whether that's a Standard Entry, a Storytelling Portfolio, or both. Your fee directly funds amphibian conservation.
Step 02
Submit Your Images
Upload your photographs with titles, captions, and complete our ethical field practices checklist.
Step 03
Review & Verification
Selected finalists will be asked to submit original RAW files for authenticity verification.
Step 04
Winners Announced
Winners announced November 9, 2026. The winning images will be featured across ASA platforms and partner publications, reaching a global conservation audience.
What We Look For
Images that honor the subject
Our judges evaluate every image through the lens of ethics, storytelling, and craft. Here is what matters to us.
Ethical Field Practices
Evidence that the image was obtained without disturbing the animal or its habitat. The welfare of the subject always comes first.
Natural Behavior & Context
Authentic moments that capture how amphibians live, interact, and exist within their ecosystems — not staged or manufactured scenes.
Conservation Value
Images that highlight amphibian diversity, species rarity, conservation challenges, or ecological relationships worth protecting.
Composition & Creativity
Artistic composition, originality, and visual storytelling that brings a fresh perspective to how we see amphibians.
Technical Quality
Sharpness, lighting, focus, exposure, and color accuracy — the craft behind the image.
Educational Impact
The power to inspire awareness, appreciation, and action for amphibian conservation in anyone who sees it.
The Jury
Judged by experts in conservation and photography
Our panel brings deep expertise in amphibian biology, conservation photography, and ethical wildlife practices.
Contest Rules
Everything you need to know before you enter
The complete rules for the 2026 World Amphibian Photography Contest. By submitting your entry fee and photographs, you agree to all terms below.
Entry Details
- •Entry fee: $25 USD per photographer (non-refundable). One fee covers your full submission across all entry types.
- •Entry types: Standard Entry (up to 10 images across Portraits, In the Wild, and Conservation in Focus) or Storytelling Portfolio (5 to 10 images plus a written narrative). You are welcome to enter both at no additional fee.
- •Entry period: Monday, May 11, 2026 – Monday, July 6, 2026.
- •Organizations and teams: Multiple photographers from a single organization are warmly encouraged to each enter individually so every photographer is recognized for their own work. Organizations may sponsor entry fees on behalf of their photographers; the entry itself is still submitted in the photographer's name, with their personal ethical field practices declaration.
Eligibility
- •Open to photographers of all nationalities and skill levels.
- •Entries are submitted by individual photographers. Each entry must be the photographer's own original work, accompanied by their personal ethical field practices declaration.
- •Entrants under 18 must have consent from a parent or legal guardian, and are automatically entered into Youth judging in addition to their main category.
- •Prize payments are subject to US sanctions and financial regulations. We cannot award prizes to residents of sanctioned countries, including but not limited to: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, Belarus, Venezuela, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, and Zimbabwe. Sanctions can change — if you are unsure about your country's status, please verify before entering. Entry fees are non-refundable.
Image Requirements
- •JPEG format (.jpg), maximum 10MB per image.
- •AI-generated images are strictly prohibited.
- •Minimal post-processing only (cropping, exposure correction, color balance). No composites, no object removal, no artificial backgrounds.
- •Each image must include a title and a caption (50–100 words) describing the species, context, location, conservation impact, and whether the subject was wild or captive.
- •Finalists must provide unedited RAW files upon request.
Ethical Requirements
- •Every submission includes a mandatory ethical field practices declaration.
- •No handling, repositioning, or relocating amphibians for photographs.
- •No habitat disturbance — cover objects must be returned exactly as found.
- •Breeding sites and aggregations must not be disturbed.
- •Flash photography must be minimized with diffusers; avoid flash with nocturnal species.
- •Captive subjects must be clearly disclosed. Captive animals presented as wild will be disqualified.
- •Biosecurity precautions (gloves, equipment cleaning) should be followed.
Judging Process
- •Each entry is evaluated by our jury panel across six criteria: ethical field practices, natural behavior and context, conservation value, composition and creativity, technical quality, and educational impact.
- •Selected finalists will be asked to submit original RAW files for authenticity verification.
- •All judging decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
Rights & Usage
- •You keep your copyright. Photographers retain full ownership of their submitted images.
- •By entering, winners grant the Amphibian Survival Alliance a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use submitted images for contest promotion, educational purposes, and inclusion on ASA's website, social media, and print materials, with appropriate credit to the photographer.
Data Protection
- •Personal information provided by entrants will be used solely for the administration of this contest.
- •Your information will not be shared with third parties without explicit permission.
Disqualification
- •Images may be disqualified for: habitat destruction, staging or relocation of animals, unsafe handling, disturbance of breeding aggregations, misrepresentation of captive animals as wild, failure to disclose photography methods, AI-generated content, or failure to provide RAW files when requested.
- •All judging decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
- •Entry fees are non-refundable in all circumstances, including disqualification.
Your lens can make a difference
Every entry funds amphibian conservation. Every ethical image raises the standard for wildlife photography worldwide.
Questions? info@amphibians.org
Photo: Vincent Prémel