Are you under 18? Do you photograph birds? If so, you qualify for the Young Bird Photographer of the Year Award, sponsored by the Cameron Bespolka Trust and the British Trust for Ornithology. This award is a part of the Bird Photographer of the Year contest, an international competition to encourage awareness of bird conservation and encourage bird photography as an art form. In addition to qualifying for the youth award, young birders who submit photos are also part of the full competition and could win the grand prize of £5000 as well.
The young birder component of the competition is made possible through the Cameron Bespolka Trust. Cameron Bespolka was a young birder and photographer who was tragically killed in a car accident when he was only 16. This competition is dedicated to encouraging more people to explore the world of birds and photography that Cameron loved.
The entry deadline is Jan 9, 2016. The first place young birder award recipient will win a pair of Swarovski 8×30 binoculars, plus £350 (~$530 at current rates); the second place winner will receive £200 (~$300); and the third place winner will receive £100 (~$100).
You can find more details (and many beautiful photos taken by Cameron Bespolka) here.