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Passport Photo Contest
800-334-6946

Passport Photo Contest

This year's passport program is a monthly photo contest from May through December 2008.  The contest encourages participants to visit Missouri state parks and historic sites and take interpretive photos of cultural and natural landmarks.

Each month has a different theme or topic. These themes or topics are site or activity specific, such as “homestead” or “whiskers.” Visitors are free to interpret the topic as they wish. One monthly winner and four honorable mentions will be chosen.

The photo contest is open to all photographers. Photos must be taken within Missouri state parks and state historic sites. Digital photographs are preferred; however, prints may be submitted for consideration.

Monthly Themes

Instructions on Photo Submissions

1. Contestants may submit up to a total of two (2) photographs depicting the theme in a state park or historic site per month. Both photos may be submitted on the same CD. An entry form/photo release, signed by the photographer, must accompany each photograph to be considered for the contest.      Download entry form
   
   
2. In the event that a photograph submitted for consideration contains a person, a Model/Portrait Release form must be completed and signed for each person in the photo before the photograph will be accepted into the photo contest and displayed. The release must be attached to the photo entry form.     Download model release form
   
   
3. Digital photographs are preferred; however, prints may be submitted for consideration. All photographs must be submitted by mail.
   
   
4. Only digital photographs received on CD that meet the minimum resolution of 1024 x 768 (or higher) pixels and in .jpg, or .tif format will be considered.
   
   
5. Printed photos must be 4" x 6" in size.
   
   
6. Photographs may be either in vertical or horizontal format; however, horizontal format is preferred.
   
   
7. Entry materials will not be returned. Please do not send your only copy of a photograph.
   
   
8. Please mail all contest materials to:
   
   Missouri Department of Natural Resources
   Division of State Parks
   Attn:  Photo Contest
   P.O. Box 176
   Jefferson City, MO 65102
   
   
9. Contest entries must be postmarked by the tenth day of the month to be considered for the previous month's contest. Winners will be announced seven working days after closing of each month's deadline. Note: Because May will be the first month of the contest, the schedule for announcing May's winner will be slightly altered with the photo winner announced by June 24.
   
   
10. Photographs will be judged on the following criteria: interpretation of the topic or theme; originality; creativity; use of state park/state historic site; storytelling; and quality of photograph.
    
    
11. One monthly winner and four honorable mentions will be selected and displayed on the photo contest Web page.
    
    
12. Photographers who submit five or more entries overall will receive a Missouri state parks keepsake photo album. Photographers who submit entries for each of the eight themes will receive a Missouri state parks keepsake photo album, as well as a 2009 Missouri state parks calendar.
    
    
13. Photos received for this contest may be chosen for use in the 2009 Missouri state parks calendar or other state park publications. Every attempt will be made to give photo credit for photos if used in publications.

Contest Rules

• Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Division of State Parks employees are exempt from this contest.
• Photographers must obey park rules and regulations when they are in state parks and historic sites.
• The contestants must declare that he/she is the sole owner of the photo and that no copyright infringement exists on the photograph(s) submitted, nor will their submission of the photo in this contest violate any copyright laws.
• Contestants must not place borders, frames, backgrounds or shadow boxes around their images. Placements of watermarks, dates or electronic signatures are also not permitted. State park system technical staff may make some minor digital enhancement for cropping, red-eye removal, spacing and corrective functions to adjust for light level, angle or blurriness. Images that appear to state park system technical staff to be altered in any significant manner will be immediately disqualified. Technical staff may find it necessary to alter a submitted   photograph to correct or resize photographs for display and for other needs as required.
• If, for any reason, a photograph submitted for consideration becomes contested or disputed in any manner, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks reserves the right to discontinue use of said photograph and disqualify the photograph from the contest immediately. However, all other uncontested entries from the photographer will be unaffected.
• Any photographer determined by a preponderance of the evidence who attempts to defraud, misrepresent and/or mislead the photo contest staff or judges in any manner will be subject to immediate removal from the contest and cancellation of any prizes. They shall also be prohibited from making any further submission of photographs to the photo contest.
• Photos entered into the contest will be reviewed for qualification before judging using the same criteria.
• Any and all of the judges' decisions will be final. No correspondence will be answered regarding said decisions.
• Rules are subject to change.