Annual Photo Contest

Category: Habitat; Photographer: Tom Stearns; Award: 1st Place
Photographer: Tom Stearns

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge 12th Annual Amateur Photo Contest

View the photos from past contests

The 2021-2022 Photo Contest is now closed to submissions, and preparing for judging. We should have the results in October/November, so stay tuned!

Cash Awards for Contest Winners:

1st place: $50
2nd place: $30
3rd place: $20

Guidelines:

Photos must be taken on the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Basom, New York, between September 1, 2021 and August 31, 2022. Click here to see a map of the Refuge boundaries.

Photographers may enter only one (1) photo per category

  • Refuge Wildlife – mammals, fish, insects, reptiles, etc. No birds.
  • Refuge Birds all bird species.
  • Refuge Habitat/Scenery depicts a view or views of natural features of a landscape, or an area or environment in which an animal or plant normally lives.
  • Young Nature Photographer young photographers aged 14 years old and younger. Photo subject should be wildlife, birds, or habitat from Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.

NOTE: Photographers over 14 years of age may enter three (3) photos/ Wildlife, Birds, and Habitat.
Photographers 14 years and under may enter four (4) photos/ Young Nature Photographer, Wildlife, Birds, and Habitat. 

Official Contest Rules (photos may be disqualified if ANY of these rules are not followed) 

  1. Photographers must be non-professional; “professional” defined as anyone who’s livelihood is earned by photo submissions and/or sales.
  2. All entries must be taken in public areas or during events at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge between September 1, 2021 and August 31, 2022.
  3. All entries will be judged as submitted. Both black & white and color photos are eligible. 
  4. A photo cannot be entered into more than one category.
  5. No personal information/watermark is permitted on an image. 
  6. Electronic submissions ONLY. All entries are to be submitted online on the Friends of Iroquois photo contest submission web page.
  7. Digital manipulation of images should be minimal and convey a strong sense of realism. 
  8. All entries must be submitted by August 31, 2022

The photos and prizes will be awarded at the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge Annual Meeting in November, 2022 – or by mail if meeting restrictions are still in place.

Reproduction Rights and Liabilities

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and FINWR reserves the right to use all entries for the purpose of promoting and supporting the national wildlife refuge without compensation to the photographer; however, the copyright will remain with the photographer. Credit and notification will be given to the photographer when possible. 

By submitting your entry, you agree to all the contest rules listed above.