Calling all amateur photographers! The York County Beautification Committee invites you, our citizens, to share your most beautiful photos of pollinators (ex: flowers, trees, bees, birds, butterflies!) for the chance to appear in the 2021 Beautiful York County calendar. Photos are judged by the York County Beautification Committee based on the quality of the image and its adherence to the calendar’s theme. Thirteen winners will be selected to appear in the calendar – one for each month and the cover - with each winner receiving $100! All York County citizens are eligible to participate (submissions must be made by individuals who are not photographers by trade, and business photos are not accepted). Submissions must include an address for verification of residency. Addresses will not be listed in the calendar. Individuals submitting on behalf of a minor should list both their name and the minor’s name.
The deadline to submit your photos is Thursday, October 1. This contest is open only to York County residents. Photos must be original pieces, and must not contain watermarks, screen credits, or other embellishments. Up to two photos may be submitted from each individual. Each photo submission should include:
- Citizen’s name and address (Individual’s name is required, no business names will be included).
- A short description of what type of pollinator is shown in the photo.
- Location in York County where the photo was taken (this information will be included in the calendar, but will not include specific addresses unless they are public areas).
- An email address and telephone number where the citizen can be contacted.
Only digital JPEG photos will be accepted. Photos must be landscape (horizontal) format (no larger than 11 inches wide x 9 inches tall) and at least 300 dpi. Vertical photos and files larger than 20 megabytes will not be accepted.
Online submissions may be made here. Individual’s whose photo is chosen for the calendar will receive a photo credit and two copies of the calendar to share.
By entering the contest, you agree to give the York County Beautification Committee rights to publish your photo in the 2021 calendar and to use it to promote the calendar and contest in the future in print and social media.
Helpful Hints:
- Use the highest resolution setting on your digital camera.
- Photograph pollinators in their natural environment/native habitat.
- Photos should reflect the beauty of the areas where York County citizens live.
FAQ
Can I mail a CD/DVD/prints? Sorry, but no. With the volume of entries we receive, the time it would take to go through loading or scanning files makes this impractical for us.
Can I send a link to my online gallery? Only photos directly submitted will be considered. Entries containing links to online galleries will be disqualified.
Are black and white photographs acceptable? Yes, as long as they apply to the standards set above.
I don’t have Photoshop, how do I adjust the file size? There are other applications that you can use, but explaining how to use them is outside our scope. Much information about photo editing can be found online.
How do I make my files 300 dpi? You will need some photo editing software, such as Photoshop. The photos must be 300 dpi at approximately 9×11 in size.
My photo is a vertical, can I enter it? Our calendar is oriented in landscape format So, all calendar images are run horizontal. So, we cannot accept photos that are vertical.
I can’t decide which photo to send, can I send more? Individuals may submit two photos only.
Can more than one person from the same household enter? Yes.
Is there an age limit? No, but work by minors must be submitted by an adult. See the rules above.
Can I add an artistic signature to my photo? Sorry, no. This calendar is to showcase the work of amateur photographers.