About the project
The photo contest of the Russian Geographical Society was held for the first time in 2015. And immediately made an application to become the largest Russian wildlife photo contest. In the first year, 25 thousand participants sent about 200 thousand pictures. And in ten years, the number of photos sent has increased to 730 thousand.
Any person can become a participant of the contest, regardless of place of residence, citizenship and age.
Regulations on the competition
37
thousands
photos
10
contests
since 2015
12
thousands
participants
more
2.5
millions rubles
prize for each competition
Categories
01/04
Landscape
Footage showing the beauty, harmony and diversity of Russia's landscapes.
More about categories
Landscape
01
Animal World
02
Macroworld
03
Natural phenomena
04
The winner in each category will receive
250 000
rubles
The holders of the 2nd place and 3rd place will receive award certificates.
How to participate in the competition
1
Register at photo.rgo.ru or log in with your existing login.
2
Go through authorization by sms-message.
3
Upload photos to the site. Maximum of 25 works.
4
In your personal cabinet, keep track of how your works are evaluated by experts, whether they make it to the semi-finals and finals.
A child who is under the age of 17 at the start of the contest, i.e. on January 20, 2025, can participate in the “The most beautiful country through the eyes of Children” contest. The main condition of the competition is that all the pictures must be taken in Russia.
Detailed instructions for registering and uploading photosHow we evaluate the work
We have tried to make the evaluation of participants' work as clear and transparent as possible
01
At the first stage, the photos are evaluated by the members of the Expert Committee - these are 18 professional, reputable photographers and photo editors.
Alexander Tyagny-Ryadno
Photographer, honorary member of the Union of Photographers of Russia, member of the Union of Journalists of Russia and the International Association of Art of UNESCO. More than 60 solo exhibitions around the world.
Pavel Matveev
Travel photographer. He shoots the most beautiful places in Russia and the world. He makes documentaries. He repeatedly went to sea on the “Kruzenshtern” sailing ship, took part in the expedition "Conquerors of the Cold". He is the author of two books about photography and creativity: Inspiration book, Inspiration book 2.0. Sony Russia Ambassador. Visited almost all the Kuril Islands.
02
Each work receives ratings from at least three experts on a 5-point scale.
03
The works with the highest average score advance to the semi-finals.
04
From among the semi-finalists, 10 finalists in each nomination are selected at an in-person meeting of the Expert Commission. The experts do not know the authors of the works. This ensures impartiality of the assessment.
05
Based on the results of audience voting and the choice of partners, selected works receive special prizes.
06
Members of the Jury determine the winners in each category.
Contest jury
The democratic nature of the competition also implies a special approach to the formation of the jury. In addition to famous photographers, the finalists' works are evaluated by people from other spheres of art - film directors, actors, art critics, who have their own views on the artistic value of photographs.
Among the landscapes and climatic zones of Russia, everyone can find those places that are close to his or her heart. I, for example, especially like the wild untraveled corners of Siberia, where one feels a sense of freedom and harmony, where there is no fuss and one can breathe fully.
President of the Russian Geographical Society.
At the jury meeting, each jury member selects the three best photos in each category. The votes are summarized. The works with the highest number of votes win.
Russian wildlife photographer. Best wildlife photographer of the year, according to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year – 2020 Award.
When you look at the wings of a butterfly or the shell of a sea urchin, you want to believe that this fantastic symmetry was created not by evolution, but by some higher power. But when you observe this harmony in action - a round dance of deer or whales - you want to believe in this higher power even more. There were works at the contest that could hardly be called photography. They looked more like paintings.
Theater and film actor, director, screenwriter.
I envy the contest participants. Russian nature has given them an incredible variety of subjects. But a special skill is to convey emotions and cultural peculiarities through photos. If the author succeeds in this, his work transcends everyday life and becomes art.
Italian wildlife photographer, member of the "Most Beautiful Country" jury.
Follow the progress of the competition in your personal account
In your personal account, you will be able to watch the progress of your work along the "roadmap" of the competition from the moment of uploading images to the announcement of the winners:
You will receive an electronic certificate of participation as soon as the first uploaded photo has been premoderated for compliance with the contest terms and conditions.
You will receive a notification and an electronic semi-finalist certificate if the reviewers score your work a 4+
You will receive an electronic finalist certificate as soon as the Expert Committee decides on the 10 best (in its opinion) photos in each category.
Photo album
"The Most Beautiful Country"
"The Most Beautiful Country"
All finalists' works are published in a colorful photo album. The finalist receives the album free of charge. Any participant of the contest can purchase it at online store of the Russian Geographical Society.
In addition, photos of finalists and winners are exhibited in Russia and around the world.
ParticipateFrequently Asked Questions
How do I enter the contest?
It is necessary to register on the site of the photo contest and upload photos to your personal user account.
How many photos can I submit for the contest?
Each participant has the right to submit no more than 25 photos to the Photo Contest. There are no restrictions on the number of photos uploaded per category. Thus, if you wish, you can upload all 25 photos in one nomination or divide them among several nominations.
Where are my uploaded photos displayed?
In the user's personal account.
When will the finalists of the contest be known?
After the end of acceptance of works and their selection by the Expert Commission.
When will the works of the Photo Contest participants appear in the "Gallery" section?
After completion of the final selection of works by the Expert Committee.
How can I find out if my work has been accepted into the contest?
If the works are displayed in your personal cabinet, it means that they are safely uploaded to the site. Works that comply with the rules of the Photo Contest and the subject of the nominations will be accepted. Photos of pets (dogs, cats, etc.) will not be accepted.
Regulations
on the XI Photo Contest of the Russian Geographical Society "The Most Beautiful Country" Read the regulations
How to contact us