World Meteorological Society calls application for 2021 Calendar Competition

Winning entries will feature in the WMO 2021 online calendar. They will be showcased on the WMO website and social media platforms and feature prominently in our World Meteorological Day 2021 celebrations. We will also promote them among other U.N. agencies and showcase them during the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development to be held from 2021-2030

Since it was launched in 2014, the World Meteorological Society Calendar Competition has gained in stature and recognition. The United Nations regularly features WMO photos. Some National Meteorological and Hydrological Services also run their own photo contests and feed these entries to WMO.

How to enter?

In order to participate in the World Meteorological Society Calendar Competition, candidates should take a striking photo that is related to the Ocean, the weather and climate and meets the submission guidelines. Photographers may submit multiple entries, but only one photo can be included in the final calendar. Candidates can also share their photos on their own social media profiles, use the #WMOphoto hashtag.

All candidates must fill out the mandatory online ENTRY FORM and attach their photo and submit via a dedicated page on the WMO website. This is obligatory. Don’t forget a short explanatory caption and location for your image and provide your social media handles.

Submission Guidelines

• All photos must be a minimum size of 4000×3000 pixels.
• All photos must be submitted in JPEG or TIFF format (with little compression to preserve image quality.
• Also, all photos must be in landscape (horizontal) format.
• Black and white photographs as well as colored photographs will be accepted.
• All photos must be clearly captioned, including a title, a location, and the date of the photograph.

How it will work?

WMO will make an initial selection of about 50 photographs, based on technical and artistic merit. We will then publish shortlisted photos on Facebook and Instagram, allowing our followers to vote for their favorites. The competition will also be promoted via Twitter and via other U.N. social media accounts.

The WMO jury will have the final say on the 13 photos for inclusion in the calendar (one for the cover and one for each month), based on the social media votes but also taking into account geographical balance. All shortlisted photographs will be showcased on WMO web and social media channels. It is therefore important that you include your own social media handles so that we can credit you appropriately.

Judging Criteria

• Technical quality, clarity, and composition
• Visual impact
• Novelty and flair for the unexpected