Win $100 Gift Certificate: Enter PhotoWorkshop's Cell Phone Photo Contest!

Got any cool cell phone pictures? Time to cash in--you might win $100 gift certificate from Unique Photo. Here's the contest info:

Announcing the first PHOTOWORKSHOP.COM Facebook Fan Site Photo Contest!

Assignment: "I Can't Believe I Took this with My Phone!" Upload your images here. The winning entry will receive $100 in merchandise from Unique Photo. Upload as many images as you like but they must have been taken with a cell or smart phone. Along with the winning image, a selection of the best submissions will appear on PHOTOWORKSHOP.COM and be announced in our Double Exposure newsletter. The contest is now open and will end February 15. So quit talking on your phones and start using them the way they were intended! To submit your entries:

1. Go to the Facebook Fan page and join our group if you are not already a member.
2. During the upload process, be sure you note in the 'status' or 'comment' area that your upload is intended as a cell phone entry.
3. Finally, BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO DOUBLE EXPOSURE so as not to miss the massive exposure on PHOTOWORKSHOP.COM that we'll be giving to the winning image and top submissions received.

And that's it! We'll announce the winner a few days after the contest closes and that lucky (and talented) person can start their 'shopping spree' on the Unique Photo web site.

International Foundation for Electoral Systems Contest

WASHINGTON – Jan. 20 - The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is accepting submissions for its 2011 Photography Contest. Entries will be accepted until March 11 at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.

Since 2009, IFES, the world’s premiere election-assistance and democracy-promotion NGO, has sponsored this annual democracy-themed contest to highlight the many ways people around the world demonstrate a sense of civic responsibility and call to action. The contest seeks photographs of individuals taking part in elections or other activities that embody the values of democratic governance and civic engagement.

The competition is open to amateur and professional photographers and will be divided into two categories:
·         The Public Category is open to all photographers who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry.
·         The IFES’ Choice Category is open only to current IFES employees.

One winner and up to 10 finalists will be chosen in each category. The winner of each category will receive $600 (USD).

Previous contests have drawn hundreds of entries from talented photographers from around the world. Outstanding entries are exhibited at IFES’ headquarters in Washington, displayed online at www.ifes.org, and frequently featured in IFES publications and outreach materials, including the annual IFES wall calendar.

Full contest rules and entry information are available online at http://photocontest.ifes.org.  Previous contest entries can be viewed on IFES’ Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/international_foundation_for_electoral_systems/sets/

First Annual Cherry Blossom Photo Festival Announced

Washington, DC [January 5, 2011] – FotoDC and the National Cherry Blossom Festival have joined to co-produce the first annual National Cherry Blossom Photo Contest focused on cherry blossoms and the nation’s greatest celebration of spring.

The contest, which runs from February 11 – April 9, 2011, will accept entries in three categories: Landscape, People, and Festivities, taken during this year’s Festival, March 26 – April 10, or taken within the previous two years.  Winners of each category will receive $500 in prize money, exposure on the popular FotoDC and National Cherry Blossom Festival websites, and recognition through a special winners’ celebration. In addition, winners and the top 100 images will be exhibited in print or projection form during FotoWeek DC’s annual festival in November 2011.

This important collaboration with the National Cherry Blossom Festival is among the first photography projects undertaken by FotoDC since the organization became a year-round operation.  “We wanted our initial FotoDC projects to be a launch pad for us as we move from a once-a-year festival to year-round programming.  The dramatic profusion of cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin and the excitement of Festival activities make the perfect platform for contestants.  I have high expectations for our entries,” said Theo Adamstein, FotoDC founder.

President of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Diana Mayhew, is enthusiastic as well.  “We are excited to see the essence of the Festival captured in the contest – spring and beauty in our natural environment, unparalled entertainment and culture, and the spirit of the community.  The partnership between our organizations and first annual contest will showcase all the wonderful photographers who join us each year,” she said.

Details regarding the First Annual Cherry Blossom Photo Contest will be available on February 10, 2011, with submissions beginning on February 11.

Founded in 2008, FotoWeek DC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has evolved from a city-centric photography festival to FotoDC, a multi-season tribute to photography in all its forms. FotoDC celebrates the transformative power of photography through the exhibition of inspiring and provocative images, diverse programming, and collaboration with the local and international community.  FotoWeek DC continues to play a central role in FotoDC programming, with its annual festival in November.  For further information visit www.FotoWeekDC.org.

What does coastal living mean to you?

Answer that question with a beautiful photo (and a brief caption) and you could be on your way to Hawaii! Nautica (the clothing designers), Travel & Leisure and Food and Wine magazines are sponsoring the Nautica Coastal Life Contest and they're looking for photos that define what the "coastal experience" means to you. First prize is a 7 day, 6 night trip to Hawaii and a $1,500 Nautica shopping spree!

From their site:

"Nautica embodies the passion and spirit of coastal living.  We believe that the water's edge is the best place to be - to relax, reconnect, and renew - by yourself, or with friends or family.

Is your idea of the perfect day watching waves tumble to shore, peddling your bike along the harbor at sunset, reeling in the biggest catch, or ordering a fresh buttery lobster roll?

Then you love the authentic coastal experience, and we want to hear about it."

You can read the official rules (there are a lot of them, so read carefully) on their site.

Contest tip: Whenever you enter a contest with a specific theme, try running your potential entry photos past someone in your family or a few friends and ask them what theme they bring to mind. If you show a photo of someone fishing on a pier and your friends say, "Living near the ocean!" then you're absolutely on the right track. Keep things as focused on the theme as you can and you're on the right path. Also, try word associations for the theme. In this case, "coastal life" may create a list that includes: beaches, bonfires, clambakes, sunrise, sailing, sailboats, etc. Use that list to go through your files and find images the match the words.

Capture the Heart of America Contest: Deadline October 1st

If you happen to live in or have traveled in the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area of Iowa (basically the northeast quarter of the state) and have some great shots, here's a contest for you! But hurry up and send the photos--the deadline is October 1, 2010. Categories include: Farm Life, Farmscapes, Festivals & Fairs, Heritage Area Sites and Images of the Past (pre 1950s). The contest is open to both pros and amateurs. Click on the links below to get the full lowdown.

Contest Details

• Entries for the Capture the Heart of America 2010 Photo Contest must be taken within the 37 county Heritage Area.
• Submissions must be postmarked no later than October 1, 2010.
• Participants may submit a maximum of three entries per category.
• Photo Categories include (see guidelines for description): Farm Life, Farmscapes, Festivals & Fairs,  Heritage Area Sites,  and Images of the Past (pre 1950s).
• Voting for "Best of Show" will be open to the public November 1-7, 2010.

Awards

• Best of Show: A 20x30 museum style gallery wrap and Adobe Photoshop CS5 software ($950 value)
• 1st Place (in each category): An 8x10 ChromaLuxe™ easel back print
• 2nd and 3rd Place (in each category): exclusive Silos & Smokestacks merchandise

How To Enter

• Printable Entry Form/Guidelines
• Online Entry Form
• Model Release Form

Past Winners

• 2009 Winners
• 2008 Winners
• 2007 Winners

For additional information please email photocontest@silosandsmokestacks.org.

Daily, Monthly & Yearly Contests at Digital Image Cafe

I've always felt that one of the best ways to improve your photography and to get more out of your picture taking is to join some type of photo community--whether it's a local camera club, taking an adult-ed class in your hometown or an by joining an online community. Online communities are especially appealing because you can participate when you have time and join only activities that are important to you. You can come home after a long day of working (or shooting!) and post your newest images for others to see and enjoy (and critique) and (what else?) talk with others about cameras.

One of the most interesting online communities I've come across is the Digital Image Cafe. One of the neat features of the Cafe is their online-gallery hosting service that comes with membership ($29/year); you can post up to 100 of your images in your own gallery. They also host a number of great contests, including Photo of the Day, Photo of the Month and Photo of the Year contests. And the prizes (that include some of my books) are great--in 2009 they gave away $69,000 in prizes! (In fact, Digital Image Cafe was one of the primary sources for photos for my book Winning Digital Photo Contests (Lark Photography Book -- so you never know where entering a contest can lead!) Plus, every month they give away Lark Photo books just for belonging to the community. There is a full list of member benefits on their site.

Audubon's "Birds in Focus" Deadline is September 7th!

Before I tell you about the contest (and the fast-approaching deadline) let me tell you that this amazing photograph was made by Rob Palmer and was not only published on the cover of Audubon magazine, but was also featured in my book Winning Digital Photo Contests. It was actually one of the first photos I chose for the book and the minute that I saw it I knew I wanted it in the book! The intensity of this moment, so perfectly captured, is what bird photography is all about. (Photo Copyright Rob Palmer.)

OK, now, if you're a bird photographer and you haven't already entered this year's Audubon contest (which is co-sponsored by Nature's Best Magazine--a wonderful nature magazine that features some of the best work in the world, beautifully reproduced), then now is the time: the contest closes on September 7th. One interesting note here is that there is a fee if you enter online, but if you mail prints, it's free to enter. So read the details and see which works best for you--but keep the deadline in mind.

Here's the info, direct from the contest site:

Each participant can submit up to 10 photos, so you have 10 chances to win. Your winning entry will appear in the January-February 2011 issue of Audubon and in Nature’s Best Photography.
Deadline: September 7, 2010
Categories:
Professional (18 or older who has made $5,000 or more in past year on photography)
Amateur (18 or older who has made between zero and $4,999 in past year on photography)
Youth (13 to 17 years old as of May 15, 2010)
Two ways to enter:
1. Submit your digital photographs online and pay a fee: CLICK HERE
2. Mail paper prints for free: CLICK HERE

No purchase necessary. Contest begins 05/15/10 and ends 09/07/10. Must be at least 13 years of age and a legal resident of the U.S. or Canada (excluding Quebec) to enter. Entrants under the age of majority must get permission from their parent or legal guardian to enter the Contest and provide payment information. See Official Rules for complete details and how to enter without paying the entry fee. Void where prohibited.