National Geographic opens Your Shot NL August photography contest

National Geographic invites photographers in the Netherlands and Belgium to submit images of mountains for the August edition of its Your Shot NL competition. Participants must post their photos on Instagram without watermarks, include the hashtag #YourShotNLbergen and tag @NatGeoNL. Submissions are accepted until 31 August, after which the editorial team selects a collection to be featured on National Geographic’s website, Instagram channels and magazine.

A separate guide advises photographers on developing a personal visual style. It recommends experimenting with varied subjects, lighting and techniques, studying diverse artistic influences, and reviewing one’s own work over time to identify recurring patterns. The guide warns against fixing a style too early and encourages using inspiration from photography, film, painting and architecture to broaden one’s perspective.