Headlands Birding Festival Bird Photo Contest
Share your best bird photos taken during the festival!
Submit your favorite moment, and you could be featured in our official calendar or on our website.
Submissions Open: Friday, September 18 – Sunday, October 4
Winners will be announced the week of October 12
Contest Categories
Best Overall Photo
A memorable bird photo that stands out for creativity, clarity, and overall visual impact.
Top Calendar Photos
Photos selected to be featured in the official Headlands Birding Festival calendar.
Best bird in habitat photo
A photo showing a bird in its natural habitat and its surrounding environment.
Funniest bird photo
A lighthearted photo capturing a funny, unexpected, or amusing bird moment.
Please double-check your email address when submitting your photos.
Prizes & Recognition
Prizes for the Festival Bird Photo Contest are designed to celebrate participation and creativity rather than competition.
Contest Winners will receive great Headlands merchandise!
- The Best Overall Photo will be featured on social media and will be used for next year’s festival promotion on the website. The winner will also receive a free 2026 festival t-shirt*.
- The Best Bird in Its Natural Environment photo will be featured on social media and the website. The winner will also receive a free 2026 festival t-shirt*.
- The Funniest Bird Photo will be featured on social media and the website. The winner will also receive a free 2026 festival t-shirt*.
- The Top 13 Photos (one for each month plus the cover) will be featured in a special Headlands Birding Festival calendar. Each of the photographers whose images are selected for the calendar will receive one free copy of the printed calendar.
*T-shirt prizes are subject to available sizes. This year’s festival shirt features custom artwork by a local artist and is available in limited quantities. If the winner’s preferred size is unavailable, an equivalent festival merchandise prize will be provided.
The festival reserves the right not to award a category if there are insufficient qualifying entries.
Photos may also be highlighted on the festival website or social media as part of our celebration of birds and community.
Judging Criteria
All photo entries will be reviewed by a select panel of experienced birders and photographers. Photos will be judged with an emphasis on creativity, observation, and enjoyment of birding — not just technical perfection. Youth and first-time photographers are encouraged to participate.
Bird Identification & Observation
- Does the photo clearly show a wild bird seen during the festival?
- Did the photographer capture an interesting behavior, pose, or moment?
Creativity & Composition
- Is the photo visually engaging or fun to look at?
- Creative framing, perspective, or timing is encouraged — there’s no single “right” way to take a great photo.
Storytelling & Moment
- Does the photo tell a story or capture the excitement of birding at the festival?
- Photos that show curiosity, patience, or a special connection with nature will stand out.
Technical Quality
- Focus, exposure, clarity, and overall image quality
- Does the image allow the bird to be easily seen and appreciated?
Judges will consider both photographic skill and an understanding of birds in their natural environment.
Submission Rules
To ensure a fair and enjoyable contest for all participants, please review the following guidelines:
- Photos must be taken during the Headlands Birding Festival
- Images must feature wild birds observed at the festival
- Each photographer may submit up to five (5) photographs. There is no need to select a contest category when submitting your photos.
- All eligible photographs will be considered by the judges for Best Overall Photo, Best Bird in Natural Habitat, Funniest Bird Photo, and selection for the festival calendar. The judges will determine which award or recognition, if any, is most appropriate for each photograph.
- A photograph may be selected for both a category award and the festival calendar.
- Basic editing is allowed (cropping, exposure, color correction), but composite images or heavy manipulation are not permitted
- AI-generated images will not be accepted. Standard photo editing and processing are permitted, but images created wholly or substantially using generative AI are not eligible.
- Submissions must be the original work of the entrant
- Contest is open to ticketed festival attendees only (verified via General Registration ticket)
- Original File Requirement. Contest administrators may request the original image file, including available metadata, to verify eligibility. Screenshots, images downloaded from social media or other websites, and images that cannot reasonably be verified may be disqualified.
By submitting a photo, participants confirm they have read and agree to these rules.
Photo Rights & Usage
Photographers retain full ownership of their images.
By entering the contest, participants grant the Friends of Headlands Beach State Park a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use submitted images for festival-related purposes, including:
- Festival website and social media
- Promotional materials for future festivals
- Educational or community outreach content
Photographers will always be credited when images are used. Photos will not be sold or used for commercial purposes outside of festival promotion.