Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden invites any and all amateur photographers to enter our sixth annual Shutterbug Photography Contest. We received more than 400 entries for last year’s contest and we hope that even more of you will enter our 2009 Shutterbug Contest. The contest winning photos will be displayed in the Visitor Pavilion at the Garden in early 2010.

The First Place winner in each adult category will receive a one-year membership to the Garden and a gift certificate to the The Garden Store. The winners in each youth category will receive a Garden gift package. Other winners will receive free passes to the Garden.

Stay tuned for information on the 2010 Shutterbug contest coming soon!

RULES

1. Contestants must be amateur photographers. Professional photographers are not eligible. The Garden considers you a professional photographer if you earn more than 20% of your annual income from the sale of your photographs or photography services. Eligible photos should not be published or accepted for publication by any publisher, media or other print or electronic means.
2. Each contestant may submit only one original photograph in each subject category. Photos may be in color or black & white, and they must be submitted as 8” x 10” prints (not electronic files). Children under 12 may submit their photos in any size print.
3. If a photo was submitted in a previous year it may not be re-submitted.
4. Photographs should not be mounted or matted.
5. All photographs must be taken at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.
6. Garden staff members and contractual partners, and their immediate family members are not eligible.
7. Entries must be submitted to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, 6500 South New Hope Road, Belmont, NC 28012 no later than Dec. 31, 2009.
8. Each photograph must be accompanied by a completed signed entry form attached to the back of the photograph. Make photocopies of the form to enter in more than one subject category.
9. Entries will be judged in adult amateur and youth entrant categories and in seven subject categories - Plants, Wildlife, Water, People, Architecture/Artwork in the Garden, Events/Celebrations and Orchids & Tropical Plants.
10. The decisions of the judges are final.
11. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden reserves the right to mount and display any photo. The Garden also reserves the right to publish any photo in Garden materials (including print and electronic) with photo credit. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden also reserves the right to forward any photo to the media with credit if requested for use with publicity or editorial articles regarding the Garden.
12. Entries may be picked up at the Garden Admissions desk beginning May 1, 2010. Any entries not picked up by June 15, 2010 may be disposed of by Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.