Innovia Foundation is pleased to open the sixth annual photo contest under the theme: Make More Possible. We invite photographers to submit images that celebrate the unique identity and spirit of their hometowns, neighborhoods, and communities.

Contest closes Wednesday, July 16 at 11:59 p.m.

General Categories:

People 

Who makes up your community? Share images of the leaders, workers, kids, or residents that give your community life.  

Landscape/Wildlife 

How does nature enrich your community? Share photos of the farmland, lakes, mountains, forests, wildlife, or other natural wonders in your community.   

Arts and Culture 

What makes your community vibrant? Share images that showcase the arts and culture of your community.  

Community 

What makes your community unique? Share photos of iconic events, celebrations, or places that define your community.  

Nonprofit Mission in Action 

Who serves your community? Share images of your favorite nonprofit in action.

Video Category

Capture the spirit of your hometown in a short video! Review the guidelines below to learn more.

Youth Category (Ages 0-17)

What do you love about where you live? Take a photo or video and share with us. Open to photographers ages 0-17.

Prizes:

1st place overall will receive a $1,000 grant to your favorite 501(c)3 nonprofit of your choice, a canvas print of the winning image (photos only), and showcasing on the Innovia website. 

1st place in each category will receive a $200 grant to your favorite 501(c)3 nonprofit of your choice, a canvas print of the winning image (photos only), and showcasing on the Innovia website. 

2nd place in each category will receive a canvas print of the winning image (photos only), and showcasing on our website. 

3rd place in each category will receive showcasing on our website. 

Submission Guidelines:

• Entry is free and open to residents of Innovia Foundation’s 20-county region (click here to see a map of the region). There is a limit of five submissions per entrant. 
• Entrants to the Youth Category (under 18) must provide permission from a parent or legal guardian to submit. 
• No print entries accepted. Only electronic files submitted via our photo contest submission portal will be entered into the contest. 
• Normal processing of the original file is acceptable. See below for more details.
• Electronic file name must include entrant’s first initial and last name, i.e. JSmith.jpeg (include number if submitting more than one—JSmith1.jpeg)  
• Innovia Foundation reserves the right to reject any entry deemed not suitable for consideration due to objectionable content such as the use of profanity, nudity, drug, alcohol or tobacco use, or cruelty to persons or animals.

Image quality: Minimum 3600 x 4800 pixels  

Format: .jpeg or .png (up to 250MB)  

Normal processing of the original file is acceptable. That includes:  

● cropping 

● minor adjustments to color, white balance, tone, lighting levels and curves, shadows and highlights, saturation, contrast, sharpness 

● moderate dodging and burning 

● stitched panoroma 

● sharpening, removal of dust spots and moderate reduction of image noise

Photographs that have been digitally or otherwise altered beyond standard optimization will be disqualified. That includes:  

● HDR frame stacking 

● images that have been manipulated by the addition, removal, or alteration (painting over, cloning, or blurring) of anything in the original subject and scene that were photographed 

● borders, signatures or watermarks 

● changes in color so significant that the processed colors are widely different from the original colors  

Video Guidelines

Share video clips that will reflect what makes your community special, beautiful, and unique.

• People
• Places: natural beauty, local landmarks, or a special spot.
• Moments: look for warmth, celebration, caring, adventure and community spirit

Recording Format:

You don’t need any fancy equipment! Just use your phone, or any other camera you have. Here are some guidelines:

• Use Landscape Mode (Horizontal): If you’re using your phone, be sure to turn it sideways (horizontal) when filming.
• Clip Length: Record at least 10 seconds of footage. If possible, record 60 seconds of footage.
• Quality: 4K image quality is preferred, but not required.
• File type: .mp4 and .mov files (up to 250MB) 

What to Film:

You can record anything that sheos the heart of your community, such as:

• A local farmer working in the field
• A street fair, market, or cultural event
• Your favorite park or hiking trail
• High School sports
• Elders telling stories or kids playing
• Everyday life in your town

Note: Your media submissions authorize Innovia Foundation to use your media in marketing materials. You are responsible for obtaining permission to photograph or record subjects featured in your submission. All photos and/or videos must be original work, taken by the entrants. No third party may own or control any materials the photo and/or video contains, and the media must not infringe upon the trademark, copyright, moral rights, intellectual rights, or rights of privacy of any entity or person. No compensation will be provided for the use of submitted media, other than prize awards outlined below. Media credit opportunities may or may not apply and are at the discretion of Innovia Foundation and its media partners.