The 8th Close-up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) is open for entries!

The competition reveals the hidden wonder of the world through close-up, macro and micro photography.

It is open to anyone of any age from any country using a camera, mobile phone or microscope to make images.

There are 11 categories: Animals, Insects, Butterflies & Dragonflies, Arachnids, Invertebrate Portrait, Underwater, Plants, Fungi & Slime Moulds, Intimate Landscape, Studio Art and Young (for under 18s).

Get featured in our celebrated shortlist galleries (60+ places for each category). And go on to make the Top 100 winners gallery. In both cases your pictures will be shown to millions of people around the world through newspapers, magazines, websites, newsletters and social media.

Pictures from CUPOTY have been published in The Guardian, Der Spiegel, The Daily Telegraph, Amateur Photographer, NaturFoto, Outdoor Photography, Roots NL, Nautilus and National Geographic Kids among others and featured on over 70 websites and many top newsletters such as Morning Brew, 1440 and Nice News.

The photographer who takes the best picture, decided by our expert jury, wins the £2,500 (approx. $3,300) cash grand prize, The Macro Kit £1,350 prize bundle, trophy and Close-up Photographer of the Year title.

The jury is made-up of world-class photographers and editors:Karine Aigner, Nigel Atherton, Sue Bishop, Tracy Calder, Renee Grinnell Capozzola, Matt Doogue, Guy Edwardes, Wim van Egmond, Marit van Ekelenburg, Viktoria Haack, Jamie Hall, Ross Hoddinott, David Maitland, Sarah Marino, Piotr Naskrecki, Bart Somers, Henley Spiers, Georgina Steytler and Jake Wilton, with more to be added.