FAQ

• Is there a limit on the number of photos I can submit?

No, you can submit as many as you like. Some people are uploading photos of hundreds of sites. However, we recommend you upload your best-quality photographs to increase your chances of winning.

• Can I use Photoshop or a similar program to post-process my photos before submitting them? Can I edit photos with AI?

You can use Photoshop or similar editing programs. The photos can be edited or processed using any software. But please avoid the temptation to overprocess.

If the photo is fully AI-generated, it will surely be disqualified. Please try not to upload such images for the contest. You can upload slightly AI-edited images, but do not overprocess them: this is a photographic contest, not a computer art one

• What are the guidelines on image size?

Please submit images that are as large as possible and do not “downsize for the web”. We value high-resolution images for many purposes including print. While images below 5 megapixels may be accepted for national contests, they will not be considered for a prize as they lack usability at larger sizes, especially in print. Please note we won’t contact you and ask you to submit larger-resolution photos.

• Can I edit Wikipedia myself to add my photo to an article that doesn’t have images?

Yes, we’d be delighted! As your competition entry is already on Wikimedia Commons, it can easily be re-used on Wikipedia just by embedding the photo on the page.

• • I am not the world’s best photographer. Do you still want my images?

Yes, please! Even if you don’t win in the international contest, your contribution can still give you the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped document your local environment and natural heritage, and that you have made your images freely available for future generations. Besides, some local organizers might offer special nominations and/or prizes for the highest number of photos uploaded.

• Nature protected areas are too large, how to decide what to photograph?

The most useful pictures are those of wide views and representative biotopes. You can also submit photos of representative or rare species (animals, plants, etc.) taken in protected areas, but these photos should be properly identified. If you submit such photos, you are expected to describe them so that we know that a photo was taken in a nature reserve (and not on somebody’s own balcony).

• My camera does not include the coordinates automatically

Though we (as Wikipedians) would like to have the exact location included in the picture, we understand that it is not always doable: one might easily scan the only printed photo they have left from some trip, for example, or have an older device. In this case, you should add the coordinates of the part or protected area (that would be usually the center of it).

• What shall we do if some areas have an entrance fee?

Photos from the area which have an entrance fee are treated equally with all other photos. We are not going to force someone to pay for a chance of taking photos. On the contrary, people who are going to pay for entrance will do this anyway, and we encourage them to take pictures there.

• Are photos of flora, fauna, and other natural objects (e.g. caves and beaches) eligible for the contest?

These natural objects are an essential part of natural heritage sites’ ecosystems. We encourage you to upload photos of them if they are taken in a protected site. Please note that your photo will be more likely to win if it depicts a common representative for the particular area and includes coordinates.

• Can I put a watermark on my photos?

Photos with watermarks are not prohibited by rules but have a lower chance to win. Please take note that you might be asked to re-upload your picture without a watermark, in case it is chosen as a winning one. Please find more information about watermarks usage on Commons here.

• Are photos of former protected sites eligible for the contest?

It is up to local organizers to decide on including former nature heritage areas in their lists of eligible sites. Please check the lists published by each participating country. The international WLE team does not have any objections against it as WLE’s mission is to draw attention to nature and the importance of its protection, helping to build a free database of photos of protected areas (including those that had such status before).

• How many of my photos can win on the international level?

On the international level, no more than two photos from one author will be selected in the top 20. As our goal is to diversify the winning images and showcase more natural monuments from various regions and authors, this year we put this limit.