2022 Migration Celebration Nature Photography Contest
Official Rules and Requirements
The Nature Photography Contest is a Migration Celebration program, which is a Fish and Wildlife Service event from the Texas Mid‐coast
National Wildlife Refuge Complex and is underwritten by Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuges.
Email: [email protected]
2022 PHOTO CONTEST SCHEDULE
April 1, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
Contest deadline; all digital entries and forms must be submitted by this date
See Contest Rules, pages 1-3
April 16, 11am to 2pm
Migration Celebration Kick-off Dinner—a lunch pick-up event; details on the refugefriends.org site
No entries will be displayed this year
April 23-24
Migration Celebration
Check website for updates
Beginning June 1
Photos displayed on Friends website
Photos might be displayed at Mid-coastal office sites
CategoriesTexas Nature Photography Categories
For categories 1-6 below, all digital entries must have been taken in the state of Texas. No digital entries of domestic, farm, ranch or zoo animals are allowed. No digital entries of cultivated vegetable garden plants are allowed. It is the intent of this contest to focus on plant and animal species seen in the wild. Digital entries taken in your backyard of native plants, or bird, butterfly or other species that ‘visit’ are acceptable. The focus of each picture shall be the subject of the category. The committee reserves the right to move a picture into its appropriate category, but only if the entrant has not submitted the maximum photos in the appropriate category.
See rules for category 7.
1
Wildlife Vertebrates of Texas. Includes images of mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles or other vertebrates photographed in their natural habitats. Does not include digital entries where birds are the primary subject.
2
Wildlife Invertebrates of Texas. Includes images of insects, mollusks, crustaceans, millipedes, worms, or other invertebrates photographed in their natural habitats.
3
Birds of Texas. Includes images of birds photographed in their natural habitats.
4
Plant Life or Fungi of Texas. Includes images of flowers, trees, and other flora in their natural habitats or images of mushrooms or other fungi. Does not include broad landscape or scenery digital entries.
5
Landscape/Scenery of Texas. Includes images of landscapes, scenery, skyscapes (such as sunsets, sunrise, or night sky), seascapes, or pondscapes in Texas where elements of land, water, sky or other natural elements are the primary subject. Excludes close-ups or small focal points of nature. Ships, buildings or other man-made structures should not provide the main focus in this category.
6
Nature-themed Photo/Digital Art. Includes nature as art, a single or composite image that has been digitally manipulated, or an image greatly manipulated with digital filters, HDR digital entries, etc. The photographer
must note the digital techniques used to create the picture. This category is intended to show how the elements of nature can be expanded to create unique photographic images that become art. Note – this is the only category in which significant digital manipulation is allowed.
7
Photos from Around the World. The digital entries in this category must comply with all the Rules stated in categories 1-6 above, and the rest of these Rules, but can be taken anywhere in the world, except Texas.
Contest RulesRequirements
Notes
1. Limits on entries
1. A maximum of nine digital photographs per entrant.
2. A maximum of three photographs per category, per entrant.
2. Photo Alterations
Categories 1-5
3. Photo Alterations Category 6
4. Dates when digital entries may be taken
Digital entries entered in the 2022 contest may be taken between April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
5. Size of digital entry for printing
Each photo shall be cropped so that it will be 8x10 or 10x8 inches when printed and taken as 300DPI.
6. Digital copies of digital entries
7. Advertising Rule
No addition of any advertisement, such as business cards, shall be added to any event photographs or displays. Anything added will be removed and not returned to the entrant.
8. Email electronically
Email your photos and entry form electrically to [email protected]. You may send your photos by multiple emails with attachments, if necessary.
Other Rules:
Awards and RecognitionWinning entries are awarded custom contest ribbons as follows:
In addition, each first place winner will receive a $25.00 gift card and the best of show winner will receive a
$50.00 gift Card.
Privacy Statement
Address, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses collected on the contest entry form will be used only for purposes related to the photo contest and for contacting photographers about use of digital entries.
Official Rules and Requirements
The Nature Photography Contest is a Migration Celebration program, which is a Fish and Wildlife Service event from the Texas Mid‐coast
National Wildlife Refuge Complex and is underwritten by Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuges.
Email: [email protected]
2022 PHOTO CONTEST SCHEDULE
April 1, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
Contest deadline; all digital entries and forms must be submitted by this date
See Contest Rules, pages 1-3
April 16, 11am to 2pm
Migration Celebration Kick-off Dinner—a lunch pick-up event; details on the refugefriends.org site
No entries will be displayed this year
April 23-24
Migration Celebration
Check website for updates
Beginning June 1
Photos displayed on Friends website
Photos might be displayed at Mid-coastal office sites
CategoriesTexas Nature Photography Categories
For categories 1-6 below, all digital entries must have been taken in the state of Texas. No digital entries of domestic, farm, ranch or zoo animals are allowed. No digital entries of cultivated vegetable garden plants are allowed. It is the intent of this contest to focus on plant and animal species seen in the wild. Digital entries taken in your backyard of native plants, or bird, butterfly or other species that ‘visit’ are acceptable. The focus of each picture shall be the subject of the category. The committee reserves the right to move a picture into its appropriate category, but only if the entrant has not submitted the maximum photos in the appropriate category.
See rules for category 7.
1
Wildlife Vertebrates of Texas. Includes images of mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles or other vertebrates photographed in their natural habitats. Does not include digital entries where birds are the primary subject.
2
Wildlife Invertebrates of Texas. Includes images of insects, mollusks, crustaceans, millipedes, worms, or other invertebrates photographed in their natural habitats.
3
Birds of Texas. Includes images of birds photographed in their natural habitats.
4
Plant Life or Fungi of Texas. Includes images of flowers, trees, and other flora in their natural habitats or images of mushrooms or other fungi. Does not include broad landscape or scenery digital entries.
5
Landscape/Scenery of Texas. Includes images of landscapes, scenery, skyscapes (such as sunsets, sunrise, or night sky), seascapes, or pondscapes in Texas where elements of land, water, sky or other natural elements are the primary subject. Excludes close-ups or small focal points of nature. Ships, buildings or other man-made structures should not provide the main focus in this category.
6
Nature-themed Photo/Digital Art. Includes nature as art, a single or composite image that has been digitally manipulated, or an image greatly manipulated with digital filters, HDR digital entries, etc. The photographer
must note the digital techniques used to create the picture. This category is intended to show how the elements of nature can be expanded to create unique photographic images that become art. Note – this is the only category in which significant digital manipulation is allowed.
7
Photos from Around the World. The digital entries in this category must comply with all the Rules stated in categories 1-6 above, and the rest of these Rules, but can be taken anywhere in the world, except Texas.
Contest RulesRequirements
Notes
1. Limits on entries
1. A maximum of nine digital photographs per entrant.
2. A maximum of three photographs per category, per entrant.
2. Photo Alterations
Categories 1-5
- All photographs should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared.
- Digital entries that have been digitally altered beyond standard optimization will be disqualified. Acceptable digital alterations are adjustments to color, contrast, brightness and sharpness; removal of dust and scratches; cropping; black and white conversions; and use of HDRI/HDR (high dynamic range imaging).
- Focus stacked images are not accepted.
- Not acceptable are photo composites (combination of two or more digital entries that are not of the same scene; the addition, duplication, deletion or moving of objects in the digital entries; or the use of artistic digital filters and effects. Examples of artistic filters and effects NOT accepted are watercolor, neon glow, posterizing, stained glass, and others which do not show the scene in its natural way.
3. Photo Alterations Category 6
- Digital entries digitally manipulated with post-processing techniques are acceptable. Images may be greatly manipulated with digital filters, HDR techniques, etc., to create a graphic or artistic effect. Stacked images are allowed.
- Examples of artistic filters and effects that ARE accepted are watercolor, neon glow, posterizing, stained glass. These effects may alter how the image would look in its natural way. You may also use photo composites or double exposures such as the combination of two or more digital entries that are not of the same scene (in this case, all locations must be stated).
4. Dates when digital entries may be taken
Digital entries entered in the 2022 contest may be taken between April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
5. Size of digital entry for printing
Each photo shall be cropped so that it will be 8x10 or 10x8 inches when printed and taken as 300DPI.
6. Digital copies of digital entries
- Save all digital entries as jpeg files of a maximum of 8 megabytes. Submitted jpeg files should be for the photo as printed (8:10 or 10:8 aspect ratio). No water marks or other text on the photos.
- Rename each digital photo. Preferred digital file name format is:
[Photo name], [Category name]. Do not use your camera-assigned photo name such as IMG_2345 or DSC_4567.
7. Advertising Rule
No addition of any advertisement, such as business cards, shall be added to any event photographs or displays. Anything added will be removed and not returned to the entrant.
8. Email electronically
Email your photos and entry form electrically to [email protected]. You may send your photos by multiple emails with attachments, if necessary.
Other Rules:
- Use of entries: Entries may be used by Texas Mid-coast NWR Complex or the Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuges according to the uses described in these rules. By entering digital entries in the Migration Celebration Photo Contest, entrants grant Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuges and the Texas Mid-coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex royalty-free and non-exclusive right to use with full credit given to the photographer, as follows: (i) on Migration Celebration, Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuges, or refuge publications, websites, display panels, or promotional products, (ii) in promoting the Migration Celebration Photo Contest, and (iii) for display at refuge facilities or other displays that promote the contest. Entrants waive the right to inspect or approve the final use of their photographs by the entities and for the uses stated above. Additional permission will be requested for using photographs for purposes other than listed above.
- All submitted digital photographs remain the property of the photographer unless otherwise indicated on the entry form.
- Judging: The contest will be judged by a professional nature photographer(s). Photographs will be evaluated on image impact, technical excellence, and originality/creativity.
- The Migration Celebration Photo Committee has the right to disqualify entries not complying with the Official Contest Rules and Requirements. The decision of the Committee is final.
- All photos that place: First, Second, and Third and assorted photographs (up to 50 photographs) may be printed and displayed by US Fish and Wildlife offices, electronically, and possibly at other events that promote USFW, Migration Celebration and/or this contest.
Awards and RecognitionWinning entries are awarded custom contest ribbons as follows:
- Best of Show
- Contest Category Awards—first place, second place, third place, and honorable mentions
- Youth Participation Awards—a ribbon is awarded to all youth participants
In addition, each first place winner will receive a $25.00 gift card and the best of show winner will receive a
$50.00 gift Card.
Privacy Statement
Address, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses collected on the contest entry form will be used only for purposes related to the photo contest and for contacting photographers about use of digital entries.
