International Garden Photographer of the Year is supporting the Muckin4Life Photo competition, which is now open. Take a photo of you, your friends, family, organisation or colleagues taking part in conservation volunteering and enter it in the contest. There are regional national, adult and young people winners and runners up. You could win up to £500 of high street vouchers and have your photo displayed at a prestigious photo exhibition at world famous Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. You can enter more than once - check all the details on the International Garden Photographer of the Year website – www.igpoty.com.

IGPOTY Press Release

MUCKIN4LIFE PHOTO COMPETITION - GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR ENVIRONMENT

International Garden Photographer of the Year is supporting the Muckin4Life Photo competition which is now open. Take a photo of you, your friends, family, organisation or colleagues taking part in conservation volunteering and enter it in the Defra/International Garden Photographer of the Year competition by searching for Muckin4Life on line.

There are regional national, adult and young people winners and runners up. You could win up to £500 of high street vouchers and have your photo displayed at a prestigious photo exhibition at world famous Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG), as part of the annual International Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition.

You don’t have to be an expert to take part, we want to see the fun and enjoyment that comes out of volunteering to help the environment. You can enter more than once - check all the details on the International Garden Photographer of the Year website – www.igpoty.com. Show us what it means to be a volunteer, and be as creative, arty or serious as you want.

To help you get started, here are Muck in 4 Life’s top tips for a picture perfect shot:
*       Hold tight! Make sure you hold the camera as still as possible when shooting so your photo doesn’t come out blurry.  Try balancing your camera on something solid like a wall or table.
*       Turn yourself into a human tripod! If there isn’t anything solid to balance your camera on, try turning yourself into a human tripod!  Stand with both feet firmly on the ground shoulder width apart, tuck your elbows into your sides, use both hands to hold the camera and squeeze the shutter slowly.
*       Get a little closer.   How often does a photo turn out badly because the photographer is standing too far away from the subject?
*       Try to get down on their level.  Pictures look better when you take the time to crouch down to really capture things.
*       Don’t forget the flash button! When it’s dark or when there is poor light.
*       Be your own producer.  Don’t be afraid to ask your subjects to move the way you want, and to place people in positions that look better.
*       Be creative.  Putting unexpected items and subjects in a photo will add to the charm.

The Muckin4Life competition is now open. The closing date for submissions is November 30 2009. Entries should be made online at www.igpoty.com

The current International Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition is on display at RBG, Kew, until September 13 2009.www.kew.org

Kew Gardens is a major international visitor attraction and its 132 hectares of landscaped gardens attract more than one million visitors per year. Kew is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year. For more details please contact Tarryn Barrowman, Bryony Phillips or Bronwyn Friedlander in RBG Kew press office, telephone +44 (0)20 8332 5607 or e-mail [email protected] .

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