In conjunction with Virginia State Parks 75th Anniversary celebration, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will hold an amateur photography contest. Prizes totaling more than $8,000 will be awarded to winners in each category and the photographer will have their work used in various Virginia State Parks brochures and advertising for all to enjoy. Share your love of photography and Virginia State Parks by entering this contest.
(note if you get to this article from Facebook and use Internet Explorer, please start a new web browser and paste this link to reach the contest: www.virginiaoutdoors.com/content/photocontest - Access through Networked Blogs creates an unending sign in loop)
Eligibility
The Virginia State Parks 75th Anniversary Photo Contest is open to any amateur photographer except employees of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and their immediate families.
Categories
- People and Nature in Virginia State Parks
- Flora in Virginia State Parks
- Fauna in Virginia State Parks
- Seasons in Virginia State Parks
- Camping, Hiking and Picnicking in Virginia State Parks
Kids Viewfinder-(Kids 15 and under as of October 1, 2011 may enter)
- People and Nature in Virginia State Parks (15 and under)
- Flora in Virginia State Parks (15 and under)
- Fauna in Virginia State Parks (15 and under)
- Seasons in Virginia State Parks (15 and under)
- Camping, Hiking and Picnicking in Virginia State Parks (15 and under)
How to Enter
Each photographer may enter up to three (3) digital images per category. Printed photographs will NOT be accepted.
All images submitted must have been taken in any of the 35 Virginia State Parks in the last 5 years.
Contest submissions must be uploaded by clicking here. You must subscribe to the Virginia Outdoors site to enter (you will be prompted to sign up or sign in to the site as a form of authentication). Each entry must be submitted individually listing the category in which it is entered and any details on how and where the image was taken in the information section. Digital images should be submitted at the highest resolution in the original JPEG, TIFF or RAW file. Digital images that are grainy or show pixilation cannot be accepted for judging. Manipulation of exposure, cropping and some color correction is acceptable. It is not acceptable to remove or add features of an image.
High quality scans of non-digital photographs are acceptable if they meet all other requirements.
Files submitted must be a minimum of 2,048 px wide (3.2 megapixels).
All photographs should be taken of wild animals or plants in their natural settings in the wild.
Photos will be judged based on technical skill and artistic ability. Winning photos are those that show the photographer’s skill in composing an image and using a camera. Some of the factors to consider include use of lighting, depth of field, sharpness of focus, color balance, composition, framing, camera angle, originality, and choice of subject matter.
A panel of judges will be selected to make the final determination. All decisions are final.
Digital images must be submitted September 5, 2011 (Labor Day) through October 31, 2011. Winners will be notified by December 1, 2011.
Prizes
Best of Show Grand Prize: Whether it's one of our new model family lodges or unique facilities like the Douthat Lodge, Hungry Mother Lodge or the Potomac River Retreat, our lodges are perfect for extended family gatherings, group meetings or executive retreats. The Best in Show photograph will win a week's stay at one of these facilities at the park of your choice, pending availability and any time during the year. Our family lodges accommodate from 15-18 people depending on facility.
This prize is valued at $2,000 and requires completion of a Federal W-9 form. The winner will receive a 1099 form for tax year 2011 in early 2012.
People and Nature in Virginia State Parks: Taste of Tidewater - Enjoy 3 nights each in a cabin at First Landing and Chippokes Plantation state parks. This package also includes a kayak trip up to 4 people at York River State Park, a behind the scenes tour of bird banding between March 12 and May 12 at First Landing State Park, and a tram or Terragator ride to False Cape State Park.
Flora in Virginia State Parks: Naturally NOVA - Enjoy a camping trip in Northern Virginia in a 21' Trailer Rental plus 7 nights at a beautiful Virginia State Park campground. The prize includes free delivery and set up at Westmoreland, Lake Anna or Shenandoah River state parks and is sponsored by Road Trip Rentals.
Fauna in Virginia State Parks: Photo Shoot Heaven - Enjoy three nights in a family lodge at Kiptopeke State Park on the beautiful Eastern Shore of Virginia. Included is 3 days of exclusive use of the photo blind at Taylor Pond. The lodge sleeps up to 16. Prize good from Labor Day through the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend
Four Seasons in Virginia State Parks: East Meets West - First enjoy 2 nights in the Northern Neck's Belle Isle State Park's unique Bel Air House including a paddling excursion or guided hike. Second enjoy two nights in central Virginia at James River StatePark. Wrap up the prize with three nights in a 2 bedroom cabin at Hungry Mother State Park including a guided hike at nearby breath-taking Grayson Highlands State Park. Cabin stays include up to 6 people and must be used between Labor Day and the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend. Pieces of this package may be scheduled separately or together.
Camping, Hiking and Picnicking in Virginia State Parks: Naturally NOVA - Enjoy a camping trip in Northern Virginia in a 21' Trailer Rental plus 7 nights at a beautiful Virginia State Park campground. This prize ncludes free delivery and set up at Westmoreland, Lake Anna or Shenandoah River State Parks and is sponsored by Road Trip Rentals.
All of the above prizes are valued at $1,000 and require completion of a Federal W-9 form. Winners will receive a 1099 form for tax year 2011 in early 2012.
Kids Viewfinder-(Kids 15 and under as of October 1, 2011 may enter)
The best photograph in each of the five categories will receive the following prize: A Bass Pro Kid's Pack valued at $100 and a Lifetime Virginia State Parks Naturally Yours Passport Plus for a lifetime of visits to our Virginia State Parks.
For all entries
Honorable Mention Prizes: The judges may select an undetermined number of outstanding runner up photographs in any of the categories. Photographers of the honorable mention photos will be provided with a Naturally Yours Passport Plus annual parking pass to our Virginia State Parks.
Other Information
All entries must be original, may not have won previous prizes and must not infringe on any third party rights. Submission of entry constitutes entrant’s consent (or that of their parent/legal guardian should they be a minor) to allow Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation use of images in future publications and advertising. For any photo in which a person is recognizable, the photographer must secure a model release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parents or legal guardian and provide it upon request.
