Photo Contest 2013

Share Your Best Sightings!

Contest Deadline: June 30, 2013

Share your special moments at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Pictures should be taken during the past 2 years and must be taken in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. All amateur photographers are invited and encouraged to submit digital photos.

There are five Adult Categories and a special Youth Category.

  • Birds
  • Any other wildlife (not birds)
  • Plants and plant-like organisms
  • Landscapes or nature scenes
  • Connecting People & Nature: People enjoying the Refuge. All entries in this category must be accompanied by a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Photo Release Form signed by the individual or guardian indicating their consent for full use of this photo and their understanding of the contest rules.
  • Youth — any subject. The photographer must be 17 years old or younger.

Each participant may enter up to 5 photos total. Winners will be announced at the annual Fall Festival in September 2013.

Download the flyer and the rules (PDFs).

Wildlife photographer and photo contest judge Jim Gilbert has developed some valuable tips for photographers (see green box to right) based on his years of experience in the field. An added bonus is this link to some of his photos from the Refuge for inspiration!

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Gallery

 

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Jim Gilbert’s Photo Tips

Is the focal point of your photo clear? Unless you have a creative reason not to, try to find an angle of view that minimizes distractions in front of and behind your subject. Check the edges of the frame for unwanted intrusions.

Making sure that your subject is in sharp focus, in particular the eyes (if it has them), is usually a good idea.

The first and last hour or two of the day almost always throw the most attractive light on your subject. The lower, softer light and warm colors usually make for a more attractive photo than the bright, harsh light of mid day. Overcast but still bright days can be your friend — soft light without highlights that are too bright or shadows that are too deep all day long. Just keep the sky out of the frame.

Think about how the direction of the light is hitting your subject. Often you can get a better photo by moving around to find the angle of light that looks best. This is easier with subjects that aren’t about to flee the scene, but even with wildlife it’s usually better to risk moving to get good light than sitting still and getting unattractive photos.

Take time to think about composition. Does the photo look better with the subject dead center or off to the side? Don’t shoot so tight that the subject is nearly touching the edges of the frame, or is getting cut off by them.

When shooting wildlife, try to get on the same eye level as your subject. A direct connection is usually more compelling than shooting up over head or down at your feet. Don’t be afraid to get dirty.

When working with image processing programs like Photoshop, resist the urge to turn the saturation way up. It’s easy to increase an effect just a little more and a little more until it’s too much. Natural colors look natural.

Don’t think you need an SLR and expensive lenses to make good photos. Compact cameras can yield great photos when you play to their strengths.

Always bring your camera.

Photo Contest Winners

2012


Birds - First Place
David Kenny
Birds - Second Place
Larry West
Birds - Honorable Mention
Robert Lin
Wildlife (other than birds) - First Place
Jim Mulvey
Wildlife (other than birds) - Second Place
Dan Dugan
Wildlife (other than birds) - Honorable Mention
John Deep
Plants (and non-plant organisms) - First Place
Allyson O’Connor
Plants (and non-plant organisms) - Second Place
Michele Budd
Plants (and non-plant organisms) - Honorable Mention
Ginnie Scott
Landscape - First Place
Richard Harris
Landscape - Second Place
Jim Mulvey
Landscape - Honorable Mention
David Kenny

2011


People - First place
Mayra Henry, Winter at the Swamp
Wildlife - Honorable mention
Thomas Gorman, Groundhog - Pleasant Plains Road
Wildlife - Second place
Mary Kate Duffy, Dragonfly
Wildlife - First place
Robert Lin, Spring Peeper
Plants - Honorable mention
Margaret Whiting, Leaf
Plants - Second place
Dorothy Smullen, Pickerel Weed
Plants - First place
Marianne Ofenloch, Flag of the Great Swamp
Landscape - Honorable mention
Brendon Duffy, Sunrise
Landscape - Second place
Jim Mulvey, Wintry Wonder – Great Swamp 1-12-11
Landscape - First place
T.C. Chiang, Sentinels – A Pair of Trees
Birds - Honorable mention
Jim Mulvey, Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk
Birds - Second place
Christine Barton, Baby bird
Birds - First place
Robert Lin, Blue Winged Warbler

2008


 
 
 

2007


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

2012 Photo Contest Winners

The winners of the Friends of Great Swamp 2012 Photo Contest were announced at the Fall Festival. Thirty photographers submitted 133 photos in six categories. All youth entrants were recognized with gift certificates — Liem Ho, Caitlin Moy, Samantha Moy, and Patrick Spurlock. There were too few entrants in the People and Recreation category to judge, so gift certificates were awarded to Katie Perkins and Stephanie Underhill for their photos in this category. The other winners are listed with their photographs above.

Photo contest judges Jim Gilbert and Jonathan Rosenberg presented 2012 winners with gift certificates to the Friends Nature Shop.

Winners and selected entries will be featured in the Great Swamp photo frames in the Visitor Center.

Thank you to all photographers who entered the 2012 Photo Contest.