Back to Nature Photo Contest

2023 Back to Nature Photo Contest

Brought to you by BREC's Conservation Department

This photo contest was originally designed to get residents out into Satellite Conservation Areas they may have never explored before. It has now been expanded to include more categories including photos taken at BREC’s Bluebonnet Nature Center and professional photographers are welcome to enter.

2023 Theme: Community

Just like us, the great outdoors is filled with different communities and interactions between plants and animals. Each different organism plays a role in the ecosystem, just like we do in our own communities. Bees and butterflies pollinate flowers, fungi and beetles decompose organic matter, squirrels spread acorns around that lead to new oak trees, and so much more. When you go to one of our conservation sites and take a closer look at the flora and fauna around you, what interactions will you capture?.

Categories

  • Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center: Photos must be taken at BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center within the last year.
    • Youth (15 and under)
    • Adult (16+)
  • Satellite Conservation Areas: Photos must be taken at one of the approved Satellite Conservation Areas within the last year. See Rules and Guidelines for the list of parks.
    • Youth (15 and under)
    • Adult (16+)
  • Professional: Photos can be taken at Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center or one of the approved Satellite Conservation Areas within the last year. See Rules and Guidelines for the list of parks.
  • Grand Prize (All age ranges): Selected from all qualifying submissions. See Rules and Guidelines for the list of parks.
  • People’s Choice: selected by likes on Facebook. See Rules and Guidelines for the list of parks.

Deadline

Photo submission Deadline is March 30 by midnight.
Winner will be contacted by April 15

How to Enter

To submit your photo, email them to conservation@brec.org in the form of a jpeg. Be sure to include “Photo Contest Entry” in the subject and include the following information in the body:

  • First and Last Name
  • Phone number
  • Email address (this is how we will contact you to confirm entry and winners)
  • Physical address
  • Photo title
  • BREC Conservation Area where the photo was taken
  • Date photo taken
  • Category of entry.

Contest registration is in the form of photo entry. You will receive a confirmation email once your photo has been officially submitted. You may enter multiple categories but only submit one photograph per category.

Rules and Guidelines

Who May Enter:

This contest is open to anyone so long as they enter the correct contest category depending on age. Youth are considered any individuals 15 years or younger by April 1, 2023. Individuals of any age may enter the Professional category. Professional Photographers as defined for this competition, are individuals who earn 50% or more of their income through selling their photographs or photography services. BREC employees are not eligible for contest entry.

How to Enter:

Contest registration is in the form of photo submission. Contest registration is in the form of photo submission. This contest is free to enter. All photos must be submitted no later than midnight, March 30, 2023 via email. Please send to conservation@brec.org with all the required information that is listed above. If you do not include all of the required information your submission may not be complete. You will receive a confirmation email once your photo and information has been reviewed. By submitting your photo you are agreeing to all contest rules and guidelines. Your photograph must be in digital format, preferably a JPEG and must be high enough resolution to be blown up to 18”x24” without pixilation. You may only enter one photograph per category but non-professionals may enter both categories. Photos with copyrights, text or watermarks on them will not be accepted for any category.

Photograph Requirements:

Your photograph must have been taken at one of the approved BREC Conservation Areas within the last year (March 15, 2022 or more recently). Photos with copyrights, text or watermarks on them will not be accepted for any category. If taking pictures of individuals you must have them sign a consent form and have it readily available upon request. You must create a title for your photograph and include it in your submission email. Your photo must have been taken at Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center or an approved Satellite Conservation Area. If any of the above requirements are not met your photo will be disqualified. If entering the Satellite Conservation Area Category the following parks are acceptable:

If entering the Satellite Conservation Area Category the following parks are acceptable:

Your Rights and Releases:

By submitting a photo you are agreeing to all contest rules and regulations and ensuring that the submitted photo is your original work. Any photos found to contain copyrighted material will be removed from the contest. Upon request, each entrant must be prepared to provide a signed release from all persons who appear in photograph submitted, authorizing BREC and authorized parties to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the entry in connection with and promotion of BREC and the contest, in any media now and hereafter known. If any person appearing in any photograph is under the age of majority the signature of a parent or legal guardian is required on each release. Failure to provide releases could result is disqualification. An example release can be found in the link below.

Minor Photo Release Form

Upon submitting your photo you are agreeing to the following terms. You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant BREC and authorized parties a royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any BREC purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion of BREC and BREC Conservation programs and initiatives. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. BREC will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.

Judging:

Photo entries will be judged based on creativity, quality, originality, answering the theme question and overall impact. Judging will be conducted by a randomly selected panel of BREC staff, excluding Conservation staff. Judges are provided the photograph, title, category of entry and BREC park where taken only, in order to create an unbiased selection. The judging panel will choose the top 2 finalists for each category and the overall grand prize winner. The People’s Choice winner will be chosen based on Facebook likes gained. All submitted photos will be entered into this category. Photos will be uploaded onto BREC’s Conservation Facebook page and contestants have 1 week, (7 days) to get “likes” for their photo. Shares do not count but are welcome to help promote your picture. BREC will notify all of the winners via email. Prizes will be handed out during the Bioblitz event. Anyone not present will be encouraged to pick up their prize at the administrative offices on Florida Blvd. after that date.

Prizes

  • TBD

Sponsors

Acadian Frame and Art
Mo's Art Supply
BREC's Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center