LANSING, Ill. (July 31, 2023) – The Forest Preserves of Cook County are again accepting submissions for its annual photo contest. Local residents are invited to submit up to five photos taken in a Cook County Forest Preserve. Winners of the contest will be announced in September.
Fifteen photos were selected as winners in last year’s contest. Those photos can be viewed here.
“We’re looking for your very best photos of Forest Preserves of Cook County landscapes, close-ups of plants, insects, birds and other wildlife, images that highlight the seasons and shots of people enjoying the outdoors or participating in our recreational offerings,” said the Forest Preserve website.
Winners of the contest will have their photos shared on the Forest Preserves’ Facebook page and will be included in the annual calendar. Winners will also receive a “Forest Preserves prize package.”
Photographs must be submitted between August 1 and 15 and meet the following requirements:
- Each photographer may submit up to five photos. Please note that drone photos will not be accepted.
- All photographs must be taken in the Forest Preserves of Cook County (this includes Brookfield Zoo or Chicago Botanic Garden).
- Photographs must be in a digital format such as JPEG or TIF at a minimum resolution of 3600 x 2700 pixels at 300 dpi and a maximum file size of 24MB at time of submission.
- Each photo must include a caption (in the body of the email or as the name of the image file) with the location and approximate date (e.g. Eggers Grove, March 2019; Poplar Creek Trail, Fall 2021).
- Photos must be free of watermarks and graphics. (All photographers will be credited appropriately.)
- Photos included in the calendar will be horizontal (vertical photos should be cropped before submitting).
According to the Forest Preserves, identification of plants or wildlife should be included in the caption of submissions, if possible (e.g. Turkey Vulture flying over Beaubien Woods, July 2019).
The Forest Preserves urge participants to keep a safe distance and not disturb wildlife when taking photos. Any photos that show evidence of feeding, audio playback or approaching wildlife too closely will not be accepted.
More information about the contest is available at fpdcc.com. Submissions should be sent to [email protected].
Related
- View the 2022 photo contest winners from the Cook County Forest Preserves (September 24, 2022)
