Wildlife Photographer of the Year launches LUMIX People's Choice Award

Newly named from 2018 to reflect LUMIX's recent Associate Partnership with the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition in London, the annual award recognises exceptional competition entries as chosen by the public. Admirers of wildlife photography around the world can choose their favourite from 25 images, pre-selected by the Natural History Museum from over 45,000 submissions from 95 countries.

Shortlisted images are currently on display at the highly-acclaimed Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, until the voting ends on 5 February 2019. The winner will then be showcased until the exhibition closes on 30 June.

The top five LUMIX People's Choice Award images will also be displayed online, joining the 100-strong winning portfolio chosen by the esteemed panel of judges.

Igniting curiosity about the natural world through the power of photography, Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the longest-running and most prestigious competition of its kind. Seen by millions of people all over the globe, the awarded images showcase nature photography as an art form, whilst reminding us of the urgent need to protect our planet and the species we share it with.

Ian Owens, Director of Science at the Natural History Museum and member of the judging panel, says, 'Inspiring audiences to connect with the natural world is at the heart of what we do as a Museum, and that's why we’re so proud to run this competition. The LUMIX People's Choice Award is special to us because it gives the public the chance to choose the winner, and I'm looking forward to seeing which of these beautiful photographs emerges as the favourite.'

Mike Owen, Professional Imaging Marketing Manager from Panasonic UK, adds, 'We are proud to support the Natural History Museum and its Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The LUMIX People’s Choice Award is viewed and voted for by the general public, and having this engagement in such an important photographic and environmental milestone is hugely important to everyone at Panasonic.'

Vote for the winner of the LUMIX People’s Choice Award here.

Renewable energy company Ørsted is also an Associate Sponsor for the exhibition, open until 30 June.

Website: www.wildlifephotographeroftheyear.com      

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wildlifephotographeroftheyear  

Twitter: @NHM_WPY

Instagram: nhm_wpy

Lumix UK channels

Website: https://www.panasonic.com/global/consumer/lumix/index.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LumixUK/

Twitter: @LumixUK

Instagram: lumixuk

#WPYPeoplesChoice  

Sponsors

About Panasonic and LUMIX

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, the company has expanded globally and now operates 591 subsidiaries and 88 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of Euro 61.4 billion for the year ended March 31, 2018. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. Learn more about Panasonic here.

Since the first LUMIX digital single lens mirrorless camera, the LUMIX G1, was launched in 2008, Panasonic is the only manufacturer to have devoted 10 years to the development of this innovative camera system. Panasonic will continue to focus on developing high-end digital cameras that meet the stringent standards of professional photographers and video creators. Find out more about Panasonic's line-up of cutting-edge digital cameras.

About Ørsted

The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore wind farms, bioenergy plants and innovative waste-to-energy solutions and provides smart energy products to its customers. Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs 5,600 people, including over 900 in the UK. Ørsted's shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Orsted). In 2017, the group's revenue was DKK 59.5 billion (EUR 8.0 billion).

Notes to editors

• Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the Natural History Museum's annual showcase of the world's best nature photography and wildlife photojournalism on one global platform. Seen by millions of people all over the world, the awarded images shine a spotlight on nature photography as an art form, whilst challenging us to address the big questions facing our planet.   
• Wildlife Photographer of the Year Highlights: Volume 4, with a foreword by chair of the jury Rosamund Kidman-Cox, was published by the Natural History Museum on 17 October 2018, priced at £6.99
• Wildlife Photographer of the Year gifts featuring images from the People’s Choice shortlist are available now from the Natural History Museum online shop.
• New for 2018, Wildlife Photographer of the Year has an updated visual identity. Designed to celebrate the outstanding photography, the monochromatic look emphasises the incredible imagery awarded in the competition.
• The Natural History Museum exists to inspire a love of the natural world and unlock answers to the big issues facing humanity and the planet. It is a world-leading science research centre, and through its unique collection and unrivalled expertise it is tackling issues such as food security, eradicating diseases and managing resource scarcity. It is the most visited natural history museum in Europe and the top science attraction in the UK - we welcome more than 4.5 million visitors each year and our website receives over 500,000 unique visitors a month. People come from around the world to enjoy our galleries and events and engage both in person and online with our science and learning activities and through innovative programmes such as citizen science and family festivals.