Amateur shutterbugs are invited to enter
TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The Friends of Council Grounds State Park (CGSP) are once again sponsoring a photography contest for amateur photographers, for the seventh consecutive year. Winning photos will be displayed locally, shared on the Friends Facebook page, and be used on greeting cards sold at the CGSP office and in future promotional materials for CGSP or the Friends group.
“Last year we had more entries than any other year,” said Laurie Nikolai-Svetlik, one of the Friends of CGSP. “A total of 79 photos from all across Wisconsin and 1 from Kansas.”
“I expect even more entries this year since Park use has been up during COVID while people are getting outdoors more,” she added. “I hope they are taking photos while they are at the Park! There are great photo opportunities year-round, especially with the opening of the new Northwest Trail. Turkeys, deer, squirrels, and a great variety of birds and plants are found there quite often.”
Submissions started being accepted on July 1 and are limited to one entry per person in one of four categories: Plants, Wildlife, Landscape, or People Using the Park. [Please do not submit photos where faces may be recognized.) All photos must have been taken within the boundaries of Council Grounds Park between August 1, 2019, and July 31, 2021 (a two-year period).
Only amateur photographers may enter, so anyone who sells their own photos, is hired to do photography for individuals or a company, or makes money from their photography is not eligible to enter. This contest is geared toward the casual, less experienced photographers who just enjoy snapping photos of the things they see or learning photography. Last day to submit a photo is July 31, 2021. Photos must be color photos, not digitally altered or enhanced or panoramic, in .jpeg format, and should be emailed to: [email protected]
Go to the Friends of Council Grounds State Park Facebook page or email [email protected] to get the complete rules. The rules are posted on the Park kiosks. The Park service and Merrill Chamber of Commerce offices will also have copies of the rules available to pick up.
Between August 1 and August 14, a panel of judges from the Friends group will select the top three photos in each category. Photographer names will not be revealed to the judges, and any category with less than eight entries may be canceled.
From August 15 through September 15, the public is invited to vote for their favorite of the three finalist photos in each category. Those finalist photos will be available for viewing and voting at the Friends of Council Grounds State Park Facebook page, at the Park station at CGSP, and also at the T.B. Scott Library, and votes can also be submitted by email to [email protected]. Duplicate votes will be eliminated.
“Last year was the first year we tried on-line voting on our Facebook page or by email,” Svetlik said. “It was a great success, and I appreciate the fact that everyone stuck with the rule of one vote per category-per person.”
Votes from the general public will decide the final first and second place winners in each category.
First place winners will receive a 2022 Wisconsin State Park vehicle sticker/entrance pass, and second place winners will receive Council Grounds merchandise valued up to $15.