North Woods Conservancy invites non-professional photographers to enter 2016 Photo Contest: Photowalk is May 29

Thimbleberries. Photography by Ann Marie Dodge. This photo took First Place in the Wildlife category of the 2015 North Woods Conservancy Photo Contest. NWC's 2016 Photo Contest begins this month. (Photo © Ann Marie Dodge and courtesy North Woods Conservancy.)

CALUMET -- It's time for the North Woods Conservancy (NWC) 2016 "Get to Know the North Woods" Photo Contest for non-professional photographers of all ages. You don’t have to have a fancy camera. You don’t have to be an expert on the plants and animals of the Keweenaw. Digital photos must be taken in Fall-Winter of 2015, or in 2016, at a North Woods Natural Area:  Conglomerate Falls, Dore Woods, Gratiot River North, Merganser Pond or Seven Mile Point.

Photos can be submitted online from May 31 - September 26, 2016. The three categories are 1. Wildlife (plants, animals, bugs and birds); 2. Scenery (landscape, skyscape, natural features); and 3. People Playing (people enjoying NWC Natural Areas). The photos should tell a story about the photographer’s personal experience at the area visited. For example, does the photograph tell us something that surprised you? Puzzled you? Amazed you? Made you smile? If you can tell your story through a photograph, this contest is for you!

PRIZES! $50 first prize, $25 second prize, and $15 third prize plus a 2017 membership in NWC for each prize winner. The winning photos will be displayed in print and on-line media.

Photowalk May 29 at Seven Mile Point

Beach at Seven Mile Point. In 2001 the North Woods Conservancy (NWC) purchased this ecologically sensitive parcel, located on the north shore of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Allouez Township, for protection and limited public access. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

As part of the contest, the Conservancy's John Dodge will lead a photowalk at 1 p.m. next Sunday, May 29, at the Seven Mile Point Natural Area. There is a short path down to nearly 2,000 feet of gorgeous Lake Superior shoreline, including sand and cobble beach, and the 1.1 billion year old bedrock point itself. Meet at the parking area for Seven Mile Point at 12:45 p.m.

Directions: from US 41 or M 26: follow Five Mile Point Road (7.0 miles from Ahmeek, 4.8 miles from Eagle River) and turn west on Sunset Bay Road. After 0.8 miles (at the Sunset Bay Campground entrance), turn left on Seven Mile Point Road and proceed 1.2 miles to the NWC gate. The parking area is located about 300 yards beyond the gate. For more information, contact John Dodge at 906-281-4865 or nwc@pasty.net.

How to participate

Go out and take some photos in the NWC natural areas! Choose up to ten photos that tell the best stories to enter into the "Get to Know the North Woods" contest. Each photo entered into the contest:

a. Must be uploaded as a JPEG file of 5MB or smaller.

b. Must be a minimum of 1600 pixels on the longest side. Higher resolution (more pixels) is encouraged in order to produce good quality display photos. iPhone photographers should upload using "Actual Size."

c. Must have been shot by the person entering the contest during the time period September 1, 2015, to September 26, 2016.

d. Must be suitable for family viewing, as determined by the North Woods Conservancy.

You will need an entry form for each photo. Click here for the entry form to cut and paste from the NWC Web site. See also more details, instructions and judging criteria on this same NWC Web page.

For more information contact John Dodge or Ruth Mohr at nwc@pasty.net.