La Cienega Valley Association

Protecting and preserving our acequia culture and agricultural traditions…



 Entries are closed for the 2nd Annual Photo Contest 
Click/Tap Here on October 20 to see Finalists and vote for Community Choice!

LC² Photo Contest Rules/Entry Form

SummaryRulesHelpCreditsEntry Form
Snowy House at Sunrise ~ Hannah Pollard

Snowy House at Sunrise ~ Hannah Pollard

The 2015 La Cienega and La Cieneguilla (LC²) Photo Contest is underway! Check this page frequently for contest updates or contact us at https://qualitycustomessays.com we sent you about the end of the competition and a rotation of winning photos from the 2014 contest. Contest prizes include cash and other awards! 2015 entries will generally be posted at LC² Photo Contest Entries within three days of receipt.

Select or click on each of the above tabs for Entries, Rules (contest rules), Help (frequently asked questions), Credits (volunteers and sponsors) and the Entry Form.

Term:
LCVA’s 2015 LC² (La Cienega and La Cieneguilla) Photo Contest begins by July 4, 2015 at 12:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) and ends on October 7, 2015, at 11:59:59 PM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). By submitting an entry, each contestant agrees to the rules of the contest and states that they are 18 years old or older.

Who may enter:
Current La Cienega and La Cieneguilla residents who are 18 years old or older, except for contest judges and the contest manager. Until winners are determined, only LCVA’s contest manager will know contestant identities. LCVA will determine winners’ eligibility in its sole discretion.

What to enter:
Five contest categories are drawn from subjects of special interest to LCVA:

  • LC² Experience: Events, objects and activities connecting residents to LC²’s history, tell what it means to be a resident and provide a sense of what it is like to live in LC².
  • LC² Living Off The Land: Events and activities associated with LC² acequia, farming and ranching traditions.
  • LC² Natural World: Animals, plants, landscapes, geological, climatological features or scientific processes and endeavors within LC².
  • LC² People: Individuals from all walks of life within LC².
  • LC² Altered Images: Photos within LC² manipulated for artistic purposes by applying digital and/or traditional special effects (i.e. colorizing, toning, collage, photo composites, panoramas, HDR, etc.).

Photos with reduced resolution and cropped photos are eligible in all categories. If a photo has a watermark, it will be disqualified. LCVA does not accept digitally or otherwise enhanced or altered photos, except for those entered in the LC² Altered Images category. Minor adjustments, including spotting, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast and slight color adjustment or the digital equivalents, are acceptable for all five categories. If judges determine that a photographer has altered his or her photo, they reserve the right to move the photo to LC² Altered Images or disqualify it.

For a photo in which a person is recognizable, you must secure a model release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parent or guardian and provide it to LCVA upon request. If one of your photos is selected as a finalist, you will be asked to submit the release at that time. A sample release is available at LC² Photo Contest Model Release.

Photos that have previously won an LC² Photo Contest category, grand prize or community choice award are not eligible. Photos must not, in the sole and unfettered discretion of LCVA, contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content. Photos that violate or infringe upon another person’s rights, including but not limited to copyright, are not eligible.

How to enter:
Please submit photos and requested information using the on-line entry form on LCVA’s website at the LC² Photo Contest Rules/Entry Form page. We do not accept photos submitted through the mail. Submit no more than five (5) photos per category. We do not accept more than one contestant per e-mail address. There is no entry fee.

High-quality scans of photos are acceptable. Digital photos should be taken at the highest resolution possible. Complete the on-line entry form for each photo submitted. Photos must be in a .jpeg or .jpg format. Files submitted may not be larger than 2 Mb and smaller than 800 pixels on the longest side. Finalists will be required to submit a photo with a resolution of at least 1000 pixels wide on the longest side, but a photo with a resolution of at least 3000 pixels wide on the longest side is preferred. LCVA may collect a photo’s metadata upon entry but will not publish it.

By entering the contest, entrants grant LCVA, and those authorized by LCVA, a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to display and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or subsequently developed, for any educational, promotional, publicity, exhibition, archival, scholarly and all other standard LCVA purposes. When displayed by LCVA, entries will include an entrant credit as feasible. LCVA will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses. LCVA will not reproduce and distribute an entry or derivative work of an entry for sale without the express written consent of the entrant.

Entry deadline:
All entries must be received through the LCVA website by October 7, 2015 at 11:59:59 PM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT).

Judging:
Judging of the annual contest will be conducted by LCVA board members and their designees. Winning photos will be announced at the LCVA community breakfast and the LCVA website on November 7, 2015.

LCVA will notify winners via contact information provided at the time of entry. LCVA may disqualify anyone who fails to respond to the notification within five business days.

LCVA will select five photos as finalists per category for a total of 25 finalist photos. Five category winners will be selected, one for each category. The grand prize winner will be chosen from the five category winners. The judges will then select an additional finalist photo from the category where the grand prize winner originated. The grand prize winner is not eligible for community choice voting.

Entrants that submitted the 25 finalist photos will be notified of their status by October 19, 2015 and the finalist photos will appear on the LCVA website on October 20, 2015. At that time, the public can vote on LCVA’s website for one community choice winner from the 25 finalist photos until November 5, 2015 at 11:59 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST). The grand prize winner, community choice winner and category winners will be revealed at the LCVA community breakfast and the LCVA website on November 7, 2015.

The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. LCVA reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at its discretion. In the event of a dispute regarding the winners, LCVA reserves the right to award or not award the prizes in its sole discretion. LCVA reserves the right to disqualify any entrant whose entry or conduct appears in any way to: inhibit the enjoyment of others; tamper with the competition; violate these rules; infringe on the rights of third parties; or act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Decisions of LCVA are final.

Please do not contact us about the status of entries or judging.

Prizes: LCVA will award seven prizes, as follows:

Grand Prize: Two-night stay at Buffalo Thunder Resort, courtesy of the Pueblo of Pojoaque
Community Choice: One Year Family Membership to El Rancho de las Golondrinas, courtesy of El Rancho de las Golondrinas
Category Winners (5): $50 Cash

Winners may receive additional noncash prizes. Winners must sign a release and license, declaration of eligibility, and will be responsible for paying any taxes they may owe on a prize.

When will the winners be announced?
The category winners, grand prize winner, and community choice winner will be announced at the LCVA community breakfast and the LCVA website on November 7, 2015.

How about the finalist photos?
The 25 finalist photos will be announced at the LCVA website on October 20, 2015.

What is the community choice winner?
Website visitors will select one winner from the 25 finalist photos by an online vote on the LCVA website until November 5, 2015 at 11:59 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST). The community choice winner will be announced at the LCVA community breakfast and the LCVA website on November 7, 2015.

What are the prizes?
Grand Prize: Two-night stay at Buffalo Thunder Resort, courtesy of the Pueblo of Pojoaque
Community Choice: One Year Family Membership to El Rancho de las Golondrinas, courtesy of El Rancho de las Golondrinas
Category Winners (5): $50 Cash

Will I be notified if I was NOT chosen as a finalist or winner?
No. Due to the large number of submissions, only the entrants of the 25 finalist photos will be notified of their status by October 19, 2015. If you do not hear from LCVA by October 19, 2015, then none of your photos are finalists.

How many photos can I enter into the contest?
You may enter no more than five (5) photos in each of the five categories with a total contest submission of twenty five (25) photos.

I share an e-mail address with another person. Can we both enter under the same e-mail address?
We accept one contestant per e-mail address. You can easily obtain a free e-mail address from a number of sites, including gmail.com, Yahoo.com and Outlook.com.

How do I submit my photo?
You can submit your photo, or a high-quality scan of your photo, using the on-line entry form on LCVA’s website at the LC² Photo Contest Rules/Entry Form page. Up to five entries can be submitted at a time via email using the instructions at the bottom of the on-line entry form. There is no entry fee. We do not accept entries submitted through the mail.

Do you accept non-digital photos?
Yes. We accept high-quality scanned images of non-digital photos. We do not, however, accept hard copies of photos.

Can I enter if I live outside La Cienega and La Cieneguilla?
Sorry, but no, the contest is limited to current La Cienega and La Cieneguilla residents.

Can an old photo be entered?
Yes please, as long as it meets all other requirements for entry.

Do I need release forms for people in my photo?
If they are recognizable, and especially if they are children, you need to provide a release form upon LCVA request. A sample release is available at LC² Photo Contest Model Release.

If you have a signed model release, please retain it in your personal files. If one of your photos is selected as a finalist, you will be asked to submit the release at that time.

I want to submit a photo of a stranger(s), that was shot spontaneously. There is no way I will be able to get their signature for a release. What do I do?
It is understandable that photographers taking pictures in public places may be unable to secure a release form, so please feel free to enter your photos in these types of situations. If you have any concerns about the eligibility of your photo, please contact us at [email protected] and provide a detailed description of the circumstances of your photo and we will review your query.

Can I enter a photo if I no longer have the negative?
If a photo taken on film does not have a slide or negative, it cannot be entered into the contest unless you have a high resolution digital scan.

What if my digital photo does not have a resolution of 3000 pixels or more on the longest side?
LCVA will still consider your photo as a finalist or winner in the contest as long as a photo with a resolution of at least 1000 pixels on the longest side is provided to LCVA. Providing a photo with a resolution of 3000 pixels or more on the longest side is strongly encouraged and preferred.

Can a photo’s resolution be reduced and can it be cropped?
Photos with reduced resolution and cropped photos are eligible in all categories.

Can photos be manipulated or enhanced?
Only photos entered into the LC² Altered Images category can be digitally or traditionally manipulated or enhanced.

What does it mean when you say photos in four of your five categories may not be “enhanced or altered”?
Contestants cannot construct photos from pieces of other photos. But minor adjustments, including spotting, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast and slight color adjustment or the digital equivalents, are acceptable for all five categories. If judges see that the photographer has obviously altered a photo, they have the right to disqualify it or move it to the LC² Altered Images category. If a photo has a watermark, it will be disqualified.

When submitting a photo, you will have an opportunity to describe any adjustments made to the image. Please be as descriptive as possible. This information will allow the judges to decide if your photo is best considered in LC² Altered Images or one of the other four categories.

Do you accept black-and-white photos?
Yes. Also, color photos changed to black and white are acceptable in all categories; however, please make sure that any additional adjustments you make to the image abide by the rules concerning enhancing or altering photos.

May I enter the same photo into multiple categories?
Please do not enter the same photo into more than one category.

What size should my digital image be for uploading with the online entry form?
Files submitted may not be larger than 2 Mb. Photo contest images are judged on computer screens, which have a maximum resolution of 72dpi. When uploading an image, entering a low-resolution file of at least 800 pixels on the longest side should be fine as long as it is large enough so that the visual integrity of the image is not compromised. Finalists will be required to submit a photo with a resolution of at least 1000 pixels wide on the longest side, but a photo with a resolution of at least 3000 pixels wide on the longest side is preferred.

Will you change the category if you think I put my photo into the wrong one?
Yes. If appropriate, LCVA judges will change the category of your submission. This will not affect your eligibility to win.

I entered my photo into another contest and it won. Can I enter it into this contest?
Photos that have won other contests, either online or in print, are eligible for submission if they have not previously won an LC² Photo Contest category, grand prize or community choice award.

Is it OK to enter a photo that has been on my website?
Yes, your photo is eligible for submission.

I’m 17 years old. Can I enter the contest?
We are sorry, but you will need to be 18 as of October 7, 2015, at 11:59:59 PM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) to qualify.

What rights to my photo do I retain?
You retain your rights to your photo. However, by entering the contest, entrants grant LCVA, and those authorized by LCVA, a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to display and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or subsequently developed, for any educational, promotional, publicity, exhibition, archival, scholarly and all other standard LCVA purposes. When displayed by LCVA, entries will include an entrant credit as feasible. LCVA will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses. LCVA will not reproduce and distribute an entry or derivative work of an entry for sale without the express written consent of the entrant.

Where can I send questions and feedback?
Please e-mail further questions to [email protected] or use LCVA’s Contact Us form.

LCVA thanks all of the LC² Photo Contest volunteers and sponsors for their generous contributions!

Judges

Marc Mras
Biography coming soon!

Maureen Scott
In 1985 I went back to college for another degree. I earned a BA in Fine Art from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA, in 1987. I studied photography and ceramics. In 1998, I took up furniture making, moving to NM in 2002, to study Fine Woodworking at one of the top schools in the country, Santa Fe Community College! I have been on the Fine Woodworking faculty at Santa Fe Community College from 2005 to 2013. As such, I have also been judging the furniture entries at the NM State Fair for the last several years. I have received awards for furniture, including several from juried shows. I have been an amateur photographer since I was kid, when my parents let me start using an old Argus manual 35mm camera. I have entered and received a few awards from photo contests over the years, particularly when I was still an art student. Nowadays, I have an amazing digital camera that “does it all” while I am left with a large assortment of camera bodies, lenses and filters that nobody wants anymore, because nobody uses film!

Mary Winter
Mary attended Layton School and Marquette University where she majored in Fine Art. She continued painting and drawing while forging a career in marketing and advertising for over thirty years. Working for financial institutions and casinos she directed art departments, produced print ads, billboards and TV commercials in California and Nevada. She worked with still and video photographers selecting and editing their work and produced award winning ads. Mary retired from that chapter and moved to La Cienega in 2006 to immerse herself in her passion for painting.


Contest Management

Bob De Young, Contest Manager
Bob De Young is the Managing Partner for Blue Lotus Works, LLC. He has more than 30 years experience in construction, energy, financial services, internet presence, manufacturing, power & utilities and retail businesses serving as an accounting, compliance, finance, information systems and operating management executive.

Sponsors

El Rancho de las Golondrinas
Pueblo of Pojoaque


Thanks everyone for your great photos! Entries are closed until the third annual LC² Photo Contest begins in July 2016! Check back daily to find out which 2015 LC² Photo Contest entries have been selected as finalists. Voting for one of the finalists to win the community choice award will begin no later than October 20!