September 10 – October 10, 2026
The Biom Association, in collaboration with the Split Photo Club, is launching the "Along the Paths of Shepherds and Pastures" photography contest. The contest focuses on pastoralism – a traditional and sustainable form of livestock farming that has evolved over centuries in harmony with natural cycles, thereby significantly contributing to biodiversity conservation, pasture maintenance, the reduction of fire risks, and increased resilience of the landscape to climate change.
The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 the International Year of Pastures and Pastoralists, an entire year dedicated to promoting meadowlands, pastoralism, and the people who sustain this way of life through their work. The aim is to draw attention to the importance of their role in nature conservation, sustainable food production, and the livelihoods of rural communities. Pastoralism is a form of livestock farming based on extensive grazing, and the adaptation of herd movements to the seasons, the availability of forage and water on pastures, and full respect for the characteristics and conditions of the landscape.
Submissions should consist of photographs depicting pasture maintenance through extensive livestock farming as a living practice that still exists today, whether in Croatia or anywhere else in the world. These may include images of pastures and grazing herds, shepherds at work, or scenes from their daily lives alongside the pastures. They may also feature traces testifying to the pastoral way of life – such as livestock trails, pens, watering holes, ponds and wells, shepherd shelters, and other details illustrating the relationship between people, animals, and the landscape. We invite the photographers to capture the knowledge and skills of shepherds, and the everyday moments related to their unique lifestyle – ranging from wide shots of herds in the landscape, to portraits of shepherds, as well as motifs related to pastoralism, and stories that bring this way of life closer to contemporary audiences.
The competition is open to everyone, from professional photographers to photo amateurs and photography enthusiasts. Participation is free. Cash prizes will be awarded for the three best-rated photos: €700.00 for first place, €500.00 for second, and €300.00 for third.
The competition winners and the selection of photographs for the exhibition will be determined by a jury, comprising Maja Prgomet (master photographer, photojournalist), Andrea Musa (academic painter, hiker, and mountaineer), Jurica Galić Juka (photographer, travel writer, and adventurer), Mićo Samardžija (photographer, designer, and President of the Knin Photo Club), and Marko-Lorenzo Blaslov (documentary photographer and hiker).
You can find detailed conditions for participation at the link: https://www.biom.hr/dogadanja/foto-natjecaj-putovima-pastira-i-pasnjaka-10-rujna-10-listopada/
Mosaic of Life
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