Loon Project Photo Contest Official Rules

1. Eligibility: The contest is open to any photographer except employees of Maine Audubon and members of their immediate families (parents, spouses, children, or siblings living in the same household). Maine Audubon volunteers are eligible.

2. Theme: All photos must include a loon and must have been taken in Maine. There is no time limit to when photos were taken.

3. Format for Submissions: Photos must be the property of the contestant, and images should contain only the subject matter as originally seen through the viewfinder. Basic development procedures like cropping, lightening and darkening are allowed, but multiple exposures, digitally stitched photos and images containing any manipulated or added content will not be accepted and should not be entered.

Preference is for digital submissions sized to be at least 9 x 12 inches, roughly 1024 x 768 pixels, 300 dpi if possible, JPG, BMP, TIF or GIF file formats are acceptable. Entrants may send their digital copies:

• by e-mail to: loonphotocontest@maineaudubon.org. Each photograph should be emailed separately.
• CDs containing scanned images (or original digital images) can be mailed to: Maine Audubon, Loon Photo Contest, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd., Falmouth, ME 04105.
• by uploading them to the Maine Audubon Loon Photo Contest group pool on Flickr (users are encouraged to geotag their uploads with date and location information).

Note: To capture the required high-resolution image, set your camera at the highest level of quality possible; on some cameras, this setting is called “super fine.” Read your owner’s manual for instructions. This setting will create larger files (meaning fewer pictures will fit on your memory card).

4. Entry Procedure: Each contestant may submit a maximum of FIVE entries per person. Each contestant must fill out our online entry form once to provide their names and contact information. Flickr users should specify their Flickr user name in the entry form so that contest administrators can match entrants' names and contact information with submitted photography. Emailed photos, as well as photos sent on a CD, should include the photographer’s last name as part of the file name for each entry.

5. Ethics: The goal of this contest is to raise awareness of loons and their habitat through the sharing of photographic images. It is critically important that photos taken for this contest (or for any reason) be taken from a distance that respects loons’ need for privacy and does not disturb them in any way.

• It is against federal law to harm or harass any migratory bird, including intentionally or accidentally startling or spooking a loon on the water or on its nest.
• Loons may not be trapped or handled in any way.
• Be patient while photographing loons. Let loons swim toward you.
• Use a zoom lens and/or watch loons from a blind to minimize disturbance.
• If at any time a loon appears agitated (repeatedly calling or splashing in the water) back away until the loon calms down. Do not attempt to go closer.
• Stay away from loons on their nests, and if loons exhibit the "hangover position" (heads hung low over the edge of the nest), leave the area immediately. No photos of nesting loons in this position will be accepted, since this posture is indicative of photographer-induced stress.

6. Judging: Photos will be screened by Maine Audubon staff.  The top photos will be passed on to a panel of loon biologists and professional photographers.  Photos will be judged on the basis of creativity, photographic quality, and effectiveness in conveying the unique character of the common loon. The judges’ decisions are final.  These photos will also be presented in an on-line "people's choice" contest, where the public will be able to vote for their favorite.

7. Prizes: The top two finishers in each division (judges and people's choice) will receive an 8x10 photograph archivally framed by Casco Bay Frames and Gallery, Back Cove, Portland. All awardees will also be recognized in Maine Audubon's newsletter Habitat.

8. Deadline: The contest is open as of July 1, 2010. The deadline for receipt of entries is 5 p.m. on September 15, 2010. Entries received after this date will not be considered.

9. Rights and Permissions: Photographers retain copyright to their submitted photographs. By submitting one or more entries, contestants agree to have their submitted photographs used in educational and promotional materials for Maine Audubon (both on-line and printed materials) for up to two years, including possible publication in a 2011 or 2012 calendar.