Welcome to the Missouri River Bird Observatory’s 9th Annual Photo Contest
Sponsored by Wood & Huston Bank!
At MRBO, we believe that birds provide people with awe, happiness, and connection to the natural world. This connection benefits both adults and children in many ways. One of the goals of this contest is to inspire as many people as possible to photograph beautiful images of birds that can be shared with others. At the same time, we are able to raise funds in support of MRBO’s on-going education and outreach programs. View previous entries in our Flickr gallery.
For all amateur photographers, this is an opportunity to contribute to conservation education in Missouri and have a chance to win cash prizes!
You can submit photographs any time between July 1st and August 31st, 2024. This year, we have first place through fourth place prizes, a MRBO Director's Choice, as well as one Conservation Grand Prize. To enter your photograph in the Conservation Grand Prize category, you will need to provide a conservation description. For example: why the photo is valuable to you in a conservation context, or why you think the photo would help others learn about the conservation of a species. All other photos can simply be entered with a title only.
Photography Contest Prizes
- Conservation Grand Prize: $1,000
- First Place: $500
- Second Place: $250
- Third Place: $150
- Fourth Place: $100
- MRBO Director's Choice: $200
All proceeds from contest entry fees benefit the Missouri River Bird Observatory’s education program. Entry fees are $25 per photo. Photographs will be used in MRBO printed and social media, in traveling slideshows and presentations, and in video productions. All use of photographs will be for the purpose of furthering bird conservation. Please read the submission guidelines and contest rules below.
Scoring
Photographs submitted to the Conservation Grand Prize category will be judged on composition (1/3), technical and artistic quality (1/3), originality (1/3) plus your conservation description (0-20 points). (Please note that entries into the Conservation Grand Prize category are also eligible for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place categories). Photographs are judged anonymously (i.e. the judges will not know the name of the photographer). The decisions of the judges will be final.
Photography Contest Rules
- Photographs must have been taken in Missouri.
- All photos must contain bird life (i.e. contain at least one bird). The bird or birds depicted must be wild birds depicted in a natural setting (i.e. no domesticated or pet birds; no birds in hand captured as part of banding operations or birds in rehabilitation facilities).
- Images must not be enhanced or digitally altered beyond standard optimization (minor cropping and color correction). You may be required to provide MRBO with RAW image files in the timeframe provided upon request (generally within 7 days).
- Photographs must have been obtained ethically. MRBO adheres to the National Audubon Society’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography. Please read this guide prior to contest submission.
- Current and former employees of MRBO are not eligible to enter.
- Contest is open only to amateur photographers. Those who make more than $5,000 a year from their work as a photographer are not eligible.
- All submitted images may be used by MRBO, with credit given to the photographer, in future publications, presentations, videos, slideshows, social media, etc.; the photographer also retains the rights to use/publish each photo.
- By submitting a photograph, you affirm that you are the sole author and own all rights to the photo.
- Deadline for photo submission is 11:59 p.m. CST, August 31st, 2024. The submission system will not allow any photos after that time.
Photo Contest Judges
- David Stonner, Missouri Department of Conservation photographer; David Stonner Photo Journal
- Eric Ward, Vice President for Public Programs, Linda Hall Library
- Tina Casagrande, The New Territory founder and publisher: https://newterritorymag.com
- Krystol Anton, Center for Sustainability, Johnson County Community College
- Jian Xu, 8th Annual MRBO Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner