Celebrating Diversity Through Nature: Queer Nature Photography Awards
Launching the 2nd, 2026 edition: NOW open for submissions!
Welcome to the Queer Nature Photography Awards, where we celebrate the vibrant intersection of queerness and biodiversity. In a world where nature flourishes in all its diverse forms, our mission is to highlight the importance of embracing and honoring this diversity that is often still unseen and at times, misunderstood.
We invite photographers from all over the world to participate in this second bigger edition! Trough your lense we want to reveal how nature challenges conventional norms and inspires us to embrace a broader understanding of identity and existence. Your photograph can tell a powerful story of connection, resilience, and the intricate web of life that surrounds us.
We hope to recieve your submission! Find more practical info below
Warm regards,
The Narwhal Rainbow Alliance team and our Allies
WHY THE QUEER NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS?
Nature is queer, but many people do not know this. That's a shame because by spreading this knowledge people can better understand that 'being queer' is natural and this (bio)diversity should be celebrated.
Queer nature and animal stories have the potential to:
-
Contribute to the self-acceptance of queers
-
Contribute to the acceptance of queers by non-queers
-
Reach new targets groups and involve them more in stopping the current extinction wave by combining queer nature stories with the state of nature.
The Queer Nature Photography Awards gives a stage to our colourful world and offers a fresh perspective on queer topics.
Although a growing amount of initiatives and momentum behind this topic, many people remain unaware of this part of diversity. We believe that Photography can be key in continiously celebrating the diversity of life.
WHAT OTHERS SAY:
"Long overdue, these awards are a great way to make wildlife photography more inclusive and to fully honor the wonders of nature!"
EMPOWERING QUEER NATURE
‘’An image speaks louder than a thousands words.’’ However the topic of queer ecology, queer animals and queer nature has long been underrepresented. Making content about queer animals and nature scarce.
The Queer Nature Photography Awards hold the potential to celebrate queerness in nature whilst creating more content that can help in raising the awareness around queer nature. Whether it is diversity in nature in regards of same-sex behaviours, gender fluidity, rainbow families or any other remarkable diversity in nature that shows their is so much more than the binary.
OUR AWARDS CRITERIA
A jury with varying backgrounds (from biology to anthropology to photography), will score your pictures based on three criteria:
-
Power of the Image (visual and aesthetic appeal);
-
Story (mood; emotion; relevance; subject; impact): how does this relate to the queer community?
-
General characteristic (originality; style; context; photographic vision)
We ask you to send in your pictures with a paragraph explaining the story of the picture (relevance; subject; impact). What do we see? And how does this relate to the queer community? For inspiration check out the Top 10 of 2024.
It is up to your own interpretation and that of the jury's to judge what ''Queer Nature'' relevance means to them in regards to the photo. The link with the rainbow community can vary from Eg. different genders in Fungi to a lesbian animal couple, etc. Your pictures have to be of good quality for print and publishing. For this edition we will continue to focus on non-human nature (see FAQ below). Meaning we do not want to see humans on the photos.
When participating in the award you agree that this image can be used by the Narwhal Rainbow Alliance and her partners in the promotion and exhibitions of the awards - always with full credentials to the creators.
Disclaimer: A biologist will do a small check on certain claims, it will however be challenging to validate certain claims. The Narwhal Rainbow Alliance holds the right to withdraw the award if any false claims were made by the photographer that could have been foreseen.
HOW DOES JOINING THE COMPETITION WORK? (Photographers)
Thank you for your interest in participating in the Queer Nature Photography Awards 2026! We are delighted and looking forward to seeing your work!
How does participating work?
1) Take your shot(s)
2) Create a paragraph text how this relates to the topic of Queer Nature
3) Submit
We kindly ask you to send your picture(s) to us via wetransfer (or another tool) for optimal quality retention by mail to info@narwhalrainbowalliance.com. Please do so before the 31st of May by the latest. There is a maximum of 3 pictures per participant. We also kindly ask you to send in your picture(s) with a paragraph explaining the story of the picture (relevance; subject; impact). What do we see? And how does this relate to the Queer Nature and the Queer community? Please make sure it is easy to trace which paragraph belongs to which picture.
About the jury process: The jury will select a top 10 that will be exhibited during the awards event. At the event itself the top 3 will be announced. We are currently still searching for other sponsors but are delighted to share that the number 1 will win a cheque of €1500,- and will be published through different media channels.
PROUD TO PARTNER WITH
.png)
.jpeg)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is the goal of the Queer Nature Photography Awards?
The awards were created to celebrate scientific diversity in nature, also known as 'Queer Nature'. We want to show that variation in sexuality, gender, family structures and more is the standard in the animal and plant kingdoms, thereby challenging human biases.
2. Who can participate in the competition?
The competition is open to everyone: from professional photographers to passionate amateurs and students.
3. What kind of photos are you looking for?
We are looking for images that capture the 'Wondrous Diversity of the World'.
Think of:
-
Mating Behavior: Interactions between individuals of the same sex.
-
Rainbow Families: All family forms in nature that differ from the traditional male-female parent pair.
-
Fluidity: Species that change sex or are hermaphroditic.
-
Botanical Diversity: Plants and fungi that break through the binary boundaries of nature.
4. What is the link between nature and the LGBTQ+ community?
Through the concept of 'Queer Ecology,' we look at the intersectionality between social themes and nature conservation. It shows that the protection of biodiversity is inextricably linked to the freedom to be who you are.
5. How are the entries judged?
The jury looks not only at the technical quality of the photo but primarily at the Image Building and Framing. We are looking for images that convey an inclusive message and invite the viewer to look at the world through a new 'lens'.
6. When is the deadline and the award ceremony?
Submissions close 31st of may. The awards event will be held end of July. More info soon.
