Entries are being accepted through July 31 for the Audubon Community Nature Center’s 2018 Nature Photography Contest. “Poppies,” by Lynda Younker of Ashville, N.Y., was an earlier finalist.

Brazil, Spain, Australia and the Czech Republic are just some of the countries whose residents have submitted entries to the Audubon Community Nature Center 2018 Nature Photography Contest.

“Most of the people who’ve entered so far found out about us by googling,” said contest coordinator Kim Turner, explaining that Audubon has received photographs from around the world. “Right now, we’d love to see more coming from closer to home!”

In 2017, contest winners came from as nearby as neighboring Cattaraugus County in New York and as far away as Hawaii.

The contest supports Audubon’s mission of connecting people to nature.

“Not only is the photographer outside, experiencing nature first hand as they seek out compositions and subject matter, but the viewer then also connects through viewing the work,” Turner said. “Successful photographs draw the viewer into the shot, inviting them to explore visually, and hopefully build upon their own relationship with nature.”

Area residents are invited to submit work that best fits within the concept of this year’s theme, Natural Wonders: Big and Small.

First place winners in both the Adult (ages 18 or older, or out of high school) and Youth (ages 8 to 18, or still in high school) divisions will receive prizes of $300 cash plus $75 gift cards to Delaware Camera (cameraspot.com). Second place winners will receive $100 plus $50 gift cards to Delaware Camera.

Nature photographer Bill Smith will judge the entries after the July 31 submission deadline.

The Audubon Community Nature Center will make and frame prints of the winning photographs that will be on exhibit at the Nature Center for one year.

Winning photos and 12 finalists, six in each division, will be displayed indefinitely on the contest website (acncphotocontest.com) along with the photographer’s name and city/state/country.

To foster artistic development, winners and finalists can opt in to receive a personalized critique from the judge.

For more information, visit acncphotocontest.com.