But First;

Your webmaster would like to change out the slide show of last year’s Christmas photos with new ones for the website’s home page. I would like to have 3-4 photos from each member. The subject would be photos taken at Fontenelle Forest in spring. The present spring or past springs. You can send you photo files to webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org . I hate deadlines, so let’s choose the end of April 2024. This will give us a lot of time to get our photos taken/processed and sent to me. I have already received photos from two members. I will edit only for size to fit the slideshow format. Some photo files can be quite large.

2024 Photo Contest Rules

Contest Rules for 2024 have been approved by majority votes at the March 21, 2024 photo club meeting. These rules are also posted on the website menu under “Photo Contest 2024”.

2024 Photo Club Contest Information and Guidelines

Guidelines for the 2024 Annual Fontenelle Forest Nature Association

Photography Club Show

Bellevue University Hitchcock Humanities Center / Criss Auditorium

Hello to All Fontenelle Forest Nature Association Photo Club Members:

Set – Up – Saturday, May 25, 2024, 10:00 AM

Critique and Awards Presentation – Thursday, June 20, 2024, 7:00 to 9:00 PM

Take Down – Saturday, June 29, 2024, 10:00 AM

Questions – Contact Contest Coordinator: Donna Gray – Email: djg618@yahoo.com

Who:  Any member in good standing of the Fontenelle Forest Nature Association Photo Club.  (***Only Fontenelle Forest Photography Club members who are up to date regarding Club dues are eligible to enter photographs. If you are unsure of your status, check with Club Treasurer Kathleen Crawford Rose.***)

The show contest coordinator and current President of the club reserve the right to remove an entry not following the rules set forth in the category descriptions below.

“Novice Class”:  This is open to club members who have NOT won a first, second or third place in any individual category, or Overall Show award in prior years’ photography club shows.

If there are less than five entries in any novice category, those entries will be automatically transferred to the advanced categories.

“Advanced Class”:  This is open to club members who have won a first, second or third place in any individual category, or an overall show award in the prior years’ photography club shows.

No exceptions for class designation.  If any member new or old feels they belong in the advanced class, they are welcome to enter their photos into this class.

Categories:

Scenic/Landscape: 

Continental US, outside continental US, any nature themed image where the focus or subject IS NOT man made objects, including urban, city, pets, and Humans.  Must be a nature-based photo taken by a club member.

Animals: 

Any living creature (not a bird), wild or domesticated, including pets. Not humans.

Birds:

Any bird, wild or domesticated, including pets. Not humans.

A minimum of ten bird or animal photos are necessary to have a separate category. If there are less than ten bird or animal photos, all photos will be included in the Animal category.

Flora:

 A photo where the following are the main subject of the photo – any flower, plant, fungi or tree.

Anything Goes: (Combined category – Novice & Advanced)

Any photograph not meeting the requirements of the 3 categories listed above.   Also, any photo that is over enhanced or un-naturally manipulated will be entered into this category.

* Photos may be moved to another class up to the point of judging for awards if the Contest Judge, Photo Contest coordinator or club president feel an entry was categorized incorrectly at check-in.  These contest rules are their guide, and any corrections to classification are final.

Prints can be color or black and white.  Prints that have been previously designated as award winners – including honorable mention at previous FFNA club shows are not eligible for entry. Members may enter a total of four photos in the contest. Watermarks or any feature that could identify the photographer are prohibited on the photos entered in the contest.

How to Present Your Prints 

• Prints are to be either framed (wood, metal or plastic frames) with or without a mat or printed on a metal or mat board surface. A wire hanger must be attached to the back.   

• Size of frame: Minimum outside dimension of the shortest side of the presentation will be no shorter than 5 inches, maximum outside dimension of the longest side of the presentation will be no longer than 25 inches. 

• Entries that are presented with no glass or Plexiglas are accepted at the entrant’s risk for damage by print handlers/displayers.

• Each entry is required to have the Photographer’s name, address, and phone number on the back of each photo.

• Contestants may enter up to 4 prints into the show. The contestant is responsible for deciding which category to place entry(s).   (One in each category or all in one category or any combination you desire.) Contest coordinator and club president have final say of excepting entry or on category classification at time of set-up.  The Judge may also move a photo to another category at the time of judging.

• Entry Cards: White for Novice, Yellow for Advanced, Blue for Anything Goes will be available starting at the April Club meeting. Contestants will need to complete entry cards prior to arriving at the show set-up.

• Email a digital copy of the entered photos to the photo contest coordinator in jpg (jpeg) format. Don’t worry about file size. I will take care of any resizing that needs to be done. If you don’t know how to convert to a jpg (jpeg) file, just email what you have, and I will convert as needed. If your files are large, you may need to email them one or two at a time due to email restrictions on file sizes. Please have your photos to me between May 15 through June 7, 2024 . No earlier, no later. Email them todjg618@yahoo.com Failure to send a digital photo will result in disqualification in the contest. These are needed for the PowerPoint presentation on the critique/awards night.

The email information will include the category name, whether you are entering as a Novice or Advanced, the title of the photo and if it was taken at Fontenelle Forest. Make sure your name is also included in case it is not part of the email address.

Awards: 

In each Class and category:   First, Second, and Third Place (24 Ribbons)

Anything Goes Category:       First, Second, and Third Place (Combined Classes) (3 Ribbons)

Overall Show Awards: 

Best of Show – all classes, all categories

Public’s Choice – all classes, all categories

Club Members Choice – – all classes, all categories

Best Black and White – all classes, all categories

Best Photo Taken at Fontenelle Forest (Must designate on entry card)

Total of 32 Ribbons to be awarded at this Year’s Show (If all categories are filled)!

All first and second place winners and overall show winners will be displayed at the Bellevue Public Library over the summer months and returned at our first club meeting in September.

All winning photos will be displayed on the Fontenelle Forest Photography Club’s Website.

Last revised on 03/22/2024

Membership Dues Are Going Up!

We also voted to raise the price of membership, next year, to $20 for a single member and $30 for family. Price will be cut by half in February for new memberships. You will still need to be a member of Fontenelle Forest to be a member of the Fontenelle Forest Photo Club. The dues have never been raised till now.

Photo Displays

Bellevue Library “PLAYING WITH LIGHT: REFLECTIONS AND SHADOWS”

Forest “SPRING IN FONTENELLE FOREST” photos

More

I resolved some problems for members not receiving notifications when there is a new posting for our website. Please comment below if I forgot something and need to address.