If you spend any time at all outdoors with a camera, you should try your luck in one (or all) of these contests. Even though the competition may be daunting, it’s always worth a try, and there are some really nice prizes up for grabs.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition Held by BBC Wildlife Magazine and the National History Museum in London, this prestigious competition is now in its 45th year. They welcome pros, amateurs and youths to enter in the 9 main (3 for youths) and 3 special categories. The cost to enter is 20/3 images, and the jury picks one winner and one runner-up in each category. The winners in the adult categories are awarded 500, and the runners-up 250.

Those under 18 may submit up to 10 photos, at no cost, in the youth categories (“10 years and younger”, “11-14 years”, and “15-17 years”). Acceptable subjects are wild animals, landscapes and plants, and the winner and runner-up in each category are awarded 250 and 100, respectively. The “Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year” gets to spend a day out with an acclaimed wildlife photographer, and also receives a cash prize of 500.

In the three special awards, the requirements are a bit more specific. For The Gerard Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife award, you need to submit photos of species listed as critically endangered, vulnerable or near-threatened on the 2008 IUCN Red List. The Eric Hosking Award is open to photographers aged 18-26, and participants are required to enter a 10-image portfolio. The One Earth Award focuses on conservation, and they are looking for images that encourages respect for nature. The winner of each category is awarded 1,000.

The prize of all prizes, The Wildlife Photographer of the Year, is awarded to the single image the jury finds most striking and memorable of all category winners. The award is presented at a special ceremony at the National History Museum in London, where the winner is presented with a check for 10,000. All winning and commended images will also be part of an exhibit at the museum, which then tours all over the world. The 2009 deadline is March 27.

Windland Smith Rice International Awards Held by Nature’s Best Magazine and the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History, this contest is named in memory of conservation advocate and photographer Windland Smith Rice. The 16 categories are open to professional, amateur and youth photographers, and include Animal Antics, Creative Digital, Indigenous Cultures, Oceans, and more. One in particular caught my attention: the Camera Club category, where a group of photographers submit up to 20 photos (no more than 3 each, though). The entry fee is $25/20 images, and prizes include cash, your photo(s) printed in the Awards 2009 Collector’s Edition of Nature’s Best Photography, and possible inclusion in the annual exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. The 2009 deadline is May 4.

National Wildlife The 39th edition of this annual contest is open to amateur, professional and youth photographers, and for a fee of $15, you may enter up to 20 images in the 7 different categories. They are looking for photos of wildlife, of course, but also backyard habitats, people and nature, landscapes, and plants. The category winners receive $1,000 each, and two Grand Prize winners (one amateur and one professional) are awarded $5,000 each. The 2009 deadline is July 20.

The Great Outdoors Photo Contest Sponsored by Photo District News and National Geographic, this contest is open to everyone (except residents of Arizona, New Jersey, and Vermont) and the categories are: “Scenes of the Natural World”, “Parks & Safaris”, “Beaches”, “Underwater”, “Islands”, “Plants”, “Animals”, “Insects & Gardens”, and “Outdoor Sports & Activities”. With so much to choose from, you’re bound to find at least one category that fits your style. For amateurs, it’s $12/image or photo essay to enter (a photo essay consists of up to six images that convey a story around a particular theme, and you can submit as many photos and photo essays as you like. Prizes include gift certificates, a five-night stay at the Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya Hotel in Mexico, camera equipment, and more. The deadline is April 20, 2009, but for an extra $10/image, you can enter until May 4.