WMO Launches 2027 Calendar Photography Competition on ‘Your Weather, Your World’ Theme

GENEVA: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has officially launched its 2027 Calendar Photography Competition, inviting photographers from around the world to capture the beauty, power and influence of weather, climate and water through the theme “Your Weather, Your World.”

The annual competition, regarded as one of WMO’s most anticipated public outreach initiatives, offers amateur and professional photographers alike an opportunity to showcase remarkable images illustrating how weather and climate shape everyday life and the natural environment.

Winning photographs will be featured in the official printed WMO 2027 Calendar and displayed across the organization’s digital platforms, including its website, social media channels, educational publications and promotional campaigns. Selected images will also be highlighted during World Meteorological Day 2027 celebrations and promoted through other United Nations agencies, providing photographers with significant international recognition.

Although the competition does not offer cash prizes, WMO says winners will receive global exposure by having their work featured in one of the organization’s flagship publications.

Theme Celebrates the Relationship Between People and Nature

According to WMO, this year’s theme, “Your Weather, Your World,” celebrates the countless ways weather, climate and water influence people, communities, ecosystems and landscapes across the globe.

The organization is encouraging participants to submit compelling photographs that capture dramatic weather events, breathtaking cloud formations, seasonal landscapes, changing climates, water resources and everyday moments shaped by natural forces.

From powerful thunderstorms and snowfall to peaceful sunrises, rivers, forests and agricultural landscapes, photographers are encouraged to present unique perspectives that highlight the beauty and importance of Earth’s atmosphere and environment.

WMO noted that each year’s competition receives entries from an expanding number of countries, reflecting growing international interest in weather photography and environmental awareness.

Winning Photos to Receive Global Recognition

The selected photographs will become part of WMO’s official communication and awareness campaigns throughout 2027.

In addition to appearing in the printed calendar, winning images will be published on the WMO website, official social media platforms and public outreach materials. The organization also plans to showcase the photographs during World Meteorological Day events and promote them through partner organizations within the United Nations system.

The competition offers photographers an opportunity to gain international recognition while contributing to global awareness about weather, climate resilience and environmental conservation.

Judging Based on Creativity and Technical Excellence

Entries will undergo a two-stage evaluation process.

Initially, a panel of WMO judges will review submissions based on several criteria, including how effectively the image represents the competition theme, overall technical quality, clarity, composition, visual impact and originality.

Following the initial selection, shortlisted photographs will be displayed on WMO’s Facebook and Flickr platforms, where members of the public will have an opportunity to vote for their favourite images.

The final decision, however, will remain with the WMO jury, which will select 13 winning photographs for inclusion in the 2027 calendar.

All shortlisted photographers will receive credit whenever their work is displayed on WMO’s digital platforms. Participants are also encouraged to include their social media accounts with their submissions and share their entries using the official #WMOphoto hashtag.

Submission Requirements

To ensure high-quality reproduction, WMO has established several technical requirements for entries.

Photographs must be submitted in landscape orientation with a minimum resolution of 4,000 × 3,000 pixels and saved in JPEG or TIFF format with minimal compression.

Both colour and black-and-white images are eligible.

Each photograph must include a descriptive title along with the location and date where it was taken.

Importantly, WMO has announced that any photograph generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI) will be automatically disqualified. Only original photographs captured by the entrant using a camera or photographic device will be accepted.

Minor editing adjustments such as cropping, sharpening, contrast enhancement and slight colour corrections are permitted, provided they preserve the authenticity of the original image.

Entry Deadline and Participation

Photographers may submit up to three photographs, although only one image per photographer can ultimately be selected for the calendar.

Entries must be accompanied by the official WMO entry form and submitted via email to calendar@wmo.int.

The deadline for submissions is 16 August 2026, while competition results are expected to be announced in September 2026.

The competition is open to individuals and groups worldwide regardless of nationality or age. Participants under the age of 18 must provide written permission from a parent or legal guardian, while photographs featuring children under 16 require parental authorization.

Copyright Protection for Photographers

WMO emphasized that photographers will retain full copyright ownership of their submitted images.

By participating, entrants grant WMO a non-exclusive, non-commercial licence to reproduce and display the photographs for educational, promotional, exhibition, archival and public awareness purposes, with proper credit always given to the photographer.

Images that have previously won awards or been published commercially are not eligible. However, photographs previously shared on personal websites or social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn or Flickr may still be entered.

Background

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is the United Nations’ specialized agency responsible for international cooperation on weather, climate, hydrology and related environmental sciences. Established in 1950, WMO works with national meteorological and hydrological services from around the world to improve weather forecasting, strengthen climate resilience, support disaster risk reduction and promote sustainable water management.

The organization’s annual calendar photography competition has become one of its most successful public engagement initiatives, bringing together photographers, scientists, weather enthusiasts and environmental advocates from across the globe.

Each edition highlights the remarkable diversity of Earth’s atmosphere and landscapes while raising awareness about climate change, extreme weather events, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

As climate change continues to intensify floods, droughts, heatwaves, storms and other extreme weather events worldwide, WMO says visual storytelling has become increasingly important in helping communities understand the close relationship between people and the natural environment.

Through the 2027 Calendar Photography Competition, the organization hopes to inspire photographers to document the beauty, power and fragility of the planet while encouraging greater public appreciation for weather, climate and water resources. The initiative also supports WMO’s broader mission of promoting scientific knowledge, climate action and international cooperation to build a safer and more resilient world.

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