Become a Competitor

Registration:
Walk-In - Friday, August 9, 2013, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Mail-Ins accepted July 15 through August 9, 2013.

1. An initial entry fee of $15 non-member, $10 Ward Museum member for up to three photos with an additional $3 for each additional photo; a maximum of 10 photos per person.
2. An entry form must be completed and accompany the entries. Each photo entered must be labeled on the reverse side of the photo with name of photographer, category to be entered, photo number to correspond with the entry form, and title of picture. Youth competitors must be 17 or under on August 9, and must write age on back of photo.
3. Photographers retain all rights to any photograph submitted but agree that if their photo wins Grand Champion, First in Category or Best in Youth, they will grant the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art the limited rights to display the photo in the museum’s galleries, and use it in the museum’s publications, advertising, and web site.
4. For photographs that have not won First in Category or Best in Youth, competitors must either provide a self addressed, postage paid return envelope with their entry or pick up their photographs between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 11. Competitors must have a copy of their entry form to remove their photos from the museum. It is understood that if competitors do not make the above provisions to retrieve their photos they will be considered abandoned and the Ward Museum has the right to use the printed photo for educational purposes with the understanding that the photo will not be reproduced under any circumstances.
5. One Weekend Admission Pass is given to each competitor at time of registration.

Entry Rules:

1. The contest is open to any amateur or professional photographer except contest judges, employees or board members of the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art and their immediate families.
2. All photos are to be submitted in printed format with a finished size of either 8"x10" or 11"x14".  Matting, mounting and framing are not allowed.
3. The entries are displayed on Friday 5-7 p.m., Saturday, and Sunday. Entries are judged on Saturday evening and hung in the museum for Sunday viewing. Division winning photographers, including Grand Champion, must provide the Ward Museum with a high resolution digital file, 240 dpi or better, of the winning photograph.  Winning entries remain hung in the museum for up to three months.
4. All photographs must have been taken within two years before the date of entry. All photographs must accurately reflect the subject as it appeared through the viewfinder. Nothing shall be added to the image, and aside from dust spots, nothing shall be removed. Normal processing of image files including minor dodging and burning, adjustments to color and contrast and minimal cropping are acceptable. HDR and focus stacking are permitted, so long as all manipulation is disclosed upon entry. Entrants must not infringe on the rights of another photographer or person, or submit images which involve the willful harassment of wildlife or damage to the environment by the photographer. Failure to comply with any of the contest provisions will result in disqualification of your entry.
5. There are three divisions: Professional, Amateur and Youth. The Professional and Amateur divisions are divided into the five categories listed below. A Professional is defined as a photographer who earns 50% or more of their income from the publication of his or her own images. Youth Division is for non-professional photographers, ages 17 and under as of August 9, 2013. Youth entries must fit into contest categories.
   Categories:
        - Birds
        - Plants and animals other than birds
        - Landscape/scenery
        - Threatened wildlife and environments
        - Nature macro/micro photos
6. Entries will be judged on basis of originality/uniqueness, creativity, content, composition, and photographic quality. All decisions by the judges are final.

Prizes: The following prizes are awarded. Grand Champion winning photograph is selected from all entries and is not be eligible for other prizes. The Best in Division winner is chosen from the Best in Categories for the Professional and Amateur Divisions.
 

Grand Champion:

• Rosette
• One year membership to Adobe Creative Cloud
• Wimberley Side Mount Tripod Head
• One year membership to the Ward Museum
• Four copies of Ward Museum journal
• Four multi-day tickets to the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival in 2014
• Photo on display in the Ward Museum galleries and published in Ward Museum journal

Youth
A Best in Youth will be chosen from all the youth entries.
Best in Youth:

• Rosette
• Adobe Photoshop Elements
• One year membership to the Ward Museum
• Four copies of Ward Museum journal
• Four multi-day tickets to the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival in 2014
• Photo on display in the Ward Museum galleries and published in Ward Museum journal

Second and Third place receive ribbons. Honorable mention certificates will be awarded.

Information on this page will be updated regularly as it becomes available so check back often. For more information, download the competition rules and registration guide, the entry form and optional membership form today.