FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oregon Wild Announces Sixth Annual Outdoor Photo Contest

“Endangered Places” category takes on twist, features people

Contest organizers hope to build on success from first five years, encourage younger photographers to submit photos.

The conservation group Oregon Wild announced today that it is accepting submissions for the sixth annual Oregon Wild Outdoor Photo Contest. The submission window runs through September 30 and information on how to submit photographs can be found at http://www.oregonwild.org/photo-contest. Submissions will be accepted in five different categories, including Endangered Places. This year, Oregon Wild is asking photographers to focus on places where all they can hear is the click of the camera shutter.

In years past, the Endangered Places category featured old-growth forests, the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Proposal, and the Siskiyou Wild Rivers area of southwest Oregon. In recognition of the fact that development, ATVs, mining, and logging continue to make a quiet outdoor experience harder to find, the Endangered Places category will not feature just one place. Instead, organizers are asking photographers to turn their lens to all places in Oregon where traditional recreation like fishing, hiking, and camping can still be enjoyed.

“We could have picked just one spot to feature as this year’s Endangered Place, but we hear so often from our members about places across the state where solitude and a sense of wilderness are gone,” said contest coordinator Sean Stevens. “We want the winning photo to show off a beautiful Oregon landscape and the way people have always enjoyed it.”

This year’s categories for the Outdoor Photo Contest are:

• Wildlands—any image taken of federal public land in Oregon
• Wildlife—photos taken of native Oregon species in their native habitat, including fish
• Waters—photos taken of pristine, undeveloped waterways in Oregon
• Endangered Places— photos must be taken in Oregon and showcase the places where people can still enjoy traditional and quiet recreation. Photos must include a person or persons enjoying traditional recreation. Examples of traditional recreation include: hiking, camping, swimming, hunting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, etc. (additional category details)
• Kids—Any photograph that meets the above criteria taken by a youth age 12 or under on the day the photograph was taken

“Out of all our public programs, this one is especially rewarding,” said Oregon Wild Executive Director, Regna Merritt. “To see all the amazing places in our awe-inspiring state captured in so many interesting ways by such talented photographers is really exciting.”

Contest winners will be announced at an unveiling event in the fall. Over $2,000 in prizes will be given away to winning photographers, with prints of the winning photos auctioned off to support the conservation mission of Oregon Wild.

Last year’s winning photographs were: Aspens at Hart Mt. National Wildlife Refuge by Greg Vaughn (Wildlands), Astoria Sea Lion by Gary Sheldon (Wildlife), Sparks Lake by Jody Ellis (Waters), Port Orford Cedar at Vulcan Lake by Brizz Meddings (Endangered Places), and Nehalem Bay by Olive Paternoster, age 4 (Kids). View last year’s winning photographs.

The 2010 Oregon Wild Outdoor Photo Contest is brought to you by:
Pro Photo Supply
Lensbaby
Laurelwood Art
All Star Rafting and Kayaking
1859 Magazine
Outside Magazine
OMSI

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