Mother Nature is in everything that we touch; she is in everything that we see. She inspires us every day. A force to be reckoned with, she can be both cruel and kind in equal measures. There are so many words to express her, yet not a single word can capture her.

Photography speaks without words, connecting us through powerful imagery. Nature is so expansive that there is never a moment where one is not inspired to photograph her. She has so many dimensions to explore. Whether it be by land, air or sea, her beauty can be captured in her landscapes, wildlife, flora and fauna, vegetation, marine life, people or simply her breathtaking sunrise or sunset.

Nature, like any other subject, is captured from the perspective and lens of a photographer; each having a unique story to share. Nature in all her magnificence – past, present and future – is the theme for the eleventh season of HIPA’s competition. Inspire us with your masterpieces.

The Eleventh Season presents the community of photographers with a popular genre of photography characterised by exploring, identifying and capturing the personality and emotion of people and creatures around them.

Portrait photography has catapulted the careers and subsequently worldwide fame of many iconic photographers and the faces they have photographed. This is the opportunity for you, as a photographer, to portray what is hidden behind the faces of people and creatures on this planet and convey the uniqueness through your lens.

Returning for the sixth consecutive season will be the Portfolio category. This category once again demonstrates its strength throughout the years of competition, challenging photographers to showcase their storytelling skills through a series of photographs.

Similarly, the General category – an all-time favourite – is back to allow photographers with an outstanding eye for visual composition to express themselves through black and white or coloured submissions.