For the first time in the illustrious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition's history, we're all invited to join a public vote for a winner in the new People's Choice Award. The new award category presents 50 incredible photographs, revealed for the first time and selected by the judges from the 41,000 international entries submitted in the 50th WPY competition across all its subject categories.
Among the fifty shades and shapes of wildlife wonder depicted you'll find beauty, magic, mischief, drama, savagery, technical brilliance and heaps of artistic talent. The People's Choice collection is now being showcased in the WPY community's online gallery. All you need to do is enjoy the photos and select the one that moves you the most, then vote.
You can only vote once though, but after you vote, if you tweet your favourite using the hashtag #MyWPY, you'll be entered into the People's Choice Award prize draw and could win a lavish edition of the 50 Years Of Wildlife Photographer Of The Year: How Wildlife Photography Became Art book (which will also be available to purchase later in the year). Voting closes on 5 September.
Great peacock moth caterpillar by young British photographer Leela Channer: one of the fifty images you can vote for in the new WPY People's Choice Award. Select the image to enlarge.
From today we'll also be posting one of the fifty photographs each day, every weekday on our WPY Facebook page, so watch that space to see how others are reacting to each entry.
The overall winner of the People's Choice Award will be annnounced in October alongside the 100 award winning images chosen by the judges and the winning image, plus the four runners-up, in the People's Choice Award vote will be presented on our website.
Tom Ang, one of the judges in this year's 50th competition
Tom Ang, member of the 2014 judging panel, says:
'If you’ve ever puzzled over why one image wins out over another, this is your chance to have your say. But with so many outstanding shots and just one vote per person, the pressure is on to cast it wisely.'
As you are about to find out, this isn't always easy!
