2021 Friends of Blackwater Photo Contest > Register & Apply

Archive Mode. Call 2021 Friends of Blackwater Photo Contest ended on 12/31/21, 11:59 PM. Call settings are read only. See Current Open Calls


Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Photo Contest

The Friends of Blackwater (FOB) are hosting a digital photo contest from October 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021 to showcase Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and raise funds for refuge projects. Visitors are invited to submit photos taken between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2021 in refuge areas open to the public. David Harp and Nikhil Bahl will judge the digital submissions. Winners and honorable mentions will be announced in February 2022.  1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will receive monetary awards and will be invited to exhibit framed prints of the winning submissions at the Blackwater NWR Visitor Center in time for the Eagle Festival in March 2022.  Submission criteria are detailed under Rules & Regulations; for common questions, see the FAQ.

Entrant Categories, Fees & Awards

  • Adult: Age 18 and older as of October 1, 2021. 
  • Fees: $30 for up to the first three (3), $10 for each additional photo.  Maximum of 6 photos total.  
  • Awards in each photo category: 1st Place- $100, 2nd Place- $75, 3rd Place- $50.
     
  • Youth: 13 to 17 years of age as of October 1, 2021.
  • Fees: Free to enter. Use code YOUTH2021 at checkout. Maximum of 3 photos total. 
  • Awards in each photo category: 1st Place- $50, 2nd Place- $25, 3rd Place- $15.

Photo Categories

  • Wildlife (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, spiders, insects, etc.)
  • Flora (plants, wildflowers, lichens, fungi, etc.)
  • Landscapes and Waterscapes 

Judging Criteria

  • Technical excellence (sharpness, lighting, composition, exposure)
  • Accurate representation of Blackwater NWR
  • Originality/creativity
  • Interest

Image Submission Criteria

  • Digital image format- JPG/JPEG
  • Minimum of 960 pixels on the shortest side 
  • Maximum of 4800 pixels on the longest side
  • Less than 4 MB in size

The following ArtCall video offers a tutorial on how to resize photos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cLfrF2x_OA        


Photo Entry
The following ArtCall video offers a tutorial on how to submit photos for the ArtCall.org call site.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7QnOh5WBhM