North Woods Conservancy accepting submissions to annual photo contest

Poster for North Woods Conservancy's annual photo contest courtesy North Woods Conservancy.

CALUMET -- The North Woods Conservancy (NWC) is accepting submissions to its annual contest for non-professional photographers between Aug. 14 and Sep. 30, 2017. Explore the land and waters of Keweenaw-based NWC’s natural areas -- Seven Mile Point, Conglomerate Falls, Gratiot River North, Dore Woods and Merganser Pond. Then share your experiences by submitting your photos and their stories to NWC’s photo contest.

Photos taken from October 2016 through September 2017 are eligible. Winners will be announced in early October. First prize is $50, second is $25 and third is $15 plus a 2018 basic NWC membership for each winner. Winning photos will be displayed in print and online media. Details and information on locations of the natural areas are available at northwoodsconservancy.org.

NWC hopes to schedule several photo walks in late August and September. Locations and times will depend on the weather. If you are interested, please contact John Dodge at nwc@pasty.net after Aug. 14. To view entries from previous contests, go to https://north-woods.smugmug.com/.

NWC Photo Contest winning photos on display at Keweenaw National Historical Park's Visitor Center

Thimbleberries. Photography by Ann Marie Dodge. First place in the Wildlife category of the North Woods Conservancy Photo Contest. (Photo © Ann Marie Dodge and courtesy North Woods Conservancy.)

CALUMET -- The North Woods Conservancy’s (NWC's) photo exhibit highlighting winning photos from its "Get to Know the North Woods" Photo Contest opened August 24 in the Keweenaw National Historical Park’s Visitor Center in Calumet. The exhibit continues through the month of September.

The photo contest and exhibit celebrate the Upper Peninsula’s great north woods, a unique overlap area of plant and animal species characterized by biological abundance, diversity, dynamism and beauty. The contest, created for non-professional photographers, encouraged the public to explore the north woods through visiting NWC’s five Keweenaw County Natural Areas and taking pictures of their visit. iPhones, as well as traditional cameras, were encouraged. A double blind selection process was used for selecting winning photos. The judge was Eric Munch, a well-known Keweenaw professional photographer.

Top winners are: WILDLIFE -- Thimbleberries (1st place) by Ann Marie Dodge, and Bufo Amongst the Balsam (2nd place) by Alex Helman; SCENERY -- A Sliver of Sun (1st place) by Ann Kopka Ryan, and Beautiful Day at Seven Mile Point (2nd place) by John Robert (Jay) Dodge; and PEOPLE PLAYING -- Father and Daughter on Beach (1st place) by Ann Marie Dodge, and The Triple Threat (2nd place) by Ann Kopka Ryan.

All photos submitted are viewable as a digital image show within the exhibit.

Now is also the time to think forward to the 2016 NWC Photo Contest and plan a visit to one or all of the NWC’s five Natural Areas: Dore Woods, Merganser Pond, Gratiot River North, Conglomerate Falls, and/or Seven Mile Point, to take pictures this fall or winter to submit in next year’s contest! Details for 2016 will be available at www.northwoodsconservancy.org.

North Woods Conservancy launches 2015 Photo Contest TODAY, July 1

CALUMET -- North Woods Conservancy (NWC) is launching their 2015 Photo Contest today, July 1. This contest is 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. Photos must be taken in 2015 at one of NWC's Natural Areas: Conglomerate Falls, Dore Woods, Gratiot River North, Merganser Pond and Seven Mile Point.

NWC welcomes Digital photos of the following:
  1. Wildlife (plants, animals, bugs and birds)
  2.  Scenery (landscape, skyscape, natural features)
  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 show 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! Photos can be submitted online from July 1 to August 3, 2015.

The purpose of the contest is to encourage visits to the NWC Natural Areas by members and non-members alike. Get out there and explore these beautiful areas! Also, trying to take good photos makes you look at things more deeply.

THERE ARE PRIZES!  $50 for 1st, $25 for 2nd, and $10 for 3rd. Prizes will be awarded for each category, and for Adult and Youth (under 18) divisions. The entry fee is only $2 for each photo you submit.

Also, the winning photos will be displayed in August at the Calumet Visitor Center (Union Building) at Keweenaw National Historical Park in Calumet, and later in a traveling display and on the NWC Web site.

Click here for details on how you can participate.

Learn about NWC natural areas by clicking here.