I’m pleased to announce the opening of the Naturescapes 2015 Photography Contest and Exhibition!

We started accepting entries on March 1st. The contest is now in its eleventh year and is co-sponsored by the Hill Country Photography Club and the Hays County Master Naturalists.

Goals of the contest and exhibit include increasing public awareness of the importance of protecting our natural world and giving photographers at all levels of experience a chance to capture, share, and receive recognition for beautiful and inspiring images. Suggested subjects include natural scenery, wildlife, plants, and people and pets in the natural environment.

The contest is open to resident and visiting photographers of all ages. A $100 prize will be awarded for Best in Show, $75 for the best Youth Category photo, and $75 for the best Natural Waterscape photo. Up to four $50 Awards of Excellence will be presented for the next most outstanding photographs. Additional Awards of Merit will be presented at the discretion of the contest juror.

We’re very pleased to have Carla Ellard as our juror. She received her Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Texas-Austin and a Bachelor of Science in Photography at East Texas State University (now A&M-Commerce). Carla has been the Curator, Southwestern & Mexican Photography, at the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University since 2013, where she started as Assistant Curator in 2000.

Please visit the contest’s web page for complete information.

Here is the contest’s promotional postcard. It features one of last year’s beautiful award winners, Sunflower and Bud by Rose Epps.

Naturescapes 2015 Postcard

Naturescapes 2015 Postcard

Grab your cameras, go outside, and take some photographs! Please help us spread the word about the contest and I hope to see your entries soon!