Gatorland 2009 Photo Contest

With one of the largest and most accessible wading bird rookeries in Florida, Gatorland attracts photographers from all over the world, and with the recent advent of our extended hours "Dawn to Dusk" program, photographers now have the opportunity to take their photos in the best light possible. It's only natural, that with so many photographers finding Gatorland a great place for taking pictures year-round, we would create a 2009 Photo Contest just for you!

You don't have to be a pro photographer with expensive equipment to get a great picture at Gatorland, and we are going to give you a chance to prove it. Gatorland is proud to announce the Gatorland 2009 Photo Contest which will run from Friday May 22, 2009 through Monday, November 2, 2009. This contest is open to all photographers ages 18 and over, except for those individuals affiliated with Gatorland, including stockholders, directors, employees, interns, volunteers, and their immediate families (children, siblings and spouses). All photographs submitted must have been taken at Gatorland by the entrant within the past two (2) years (since January 1, 2008).

Entry Fee:

An entry fee of $5 is required per image submitted. There is no limit to the number of images that may be submitted.

For your convenience, the entry fee may be paid online at our Gatorland Web Store.

Current Gatorland Annual Photo Pass holders may submit two (2) images with no entry fee. To receive credit for your "free" entries, Gatorland Annual Photo Pass holders must include an image of the back of their Photo Pass showing name and expiration date. Entry credit is only for the individual Photo Pass holder, and is non-transferable.

A portion of each paid entry fee will be donated to our local Florida Audubon chapter, Orange Audubon.

Prizes:

The prizes for each of the three (3) Gatorland 2009 Photo Contest categories are:

1st Place - $200 + Annual Photo Pass ($299.99 value)

2nd Place - $100 + Annual Pass ($143.99 value)

3rd Place - $50 + Single Day Photo Ticket ($79.99 value)

Categories:

The three (3) Gatorland 2009 Photo Contest categories are detailed below:

Birds - This category is reserved for images of our feathered friends, both native and exotic. Gatorland is home to over 22 different species of wild Florida birds, as well as exotic species such as Emus, Macaws, Parrots, Peacocks, and Flamingos. Whether it's one bird or a whole flock... if it has feathers it belongs here!

Reptiles - What would a Gatorland Photo Contest be without gators? This category is not just for Gatorland's namesake alligators, but all reptiles found within the park including crocodiles, caimen, lizards, snakes, and turtles.

Gatorland - This general category includes everything found at Gatorland except for birds and reptiles. Whether its animals, insects, plants, landscapes, architecture, or shows... this is the place for it!

Image Requirements:

All photographs submitted must have been taken at Gatorland by the entrant within the past two (2) years (since January 1, 2008).

For a photo in which a person is prominent and recognizable, you must secure a model release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject's parent, and provide it to Gatorland upon request. The only exception to this requirement are those images that feature Gatorland employees. Photographs submitted that contain Gatorland employees do not require a model release for the employee.

All entries must be submitted in digital high quality JPG format. File size for each image must be less than 10 MB. Scanned slides or prints are acceptable.

Minor digital enhancement for cropping, red-eye removal, sharpening, brightness, contrast, and slight color adjustment are permitted, but images that have been excessively manipulated will be disqualified.

Image entries may be submitted in color or black and white, and in either a landscape or portrait format. No watermarks, signatures, copyright info, borders or frames are permitted on images.

How to enter:

For your convenience, photographs may be submitted by email at photocontest@gatorland.com. We will also accept digital images on CD submitted through the mail.

Please be sure to include the following information with all submissions:

Photographer Name
Address
Contact Phone
Email Address

Entry Fee Order Confirmation (or image of Annual Photo Pass for "free" entries)

Please include the file name(s) for each image you will be submitting as well as the Category (Birds, Reptiles, Gatorland) for each.

Please send all mail entries to: Gatorland 2009 Photo Contest 14501 South Orange Blossom Trail Orlando, FL. 32837. Gatorland is not responsible for any entries not received or lost in transit. CD's received will not be returned. Only digital images will be accepted, sorry no prints or slides!

By entering the contest, entrants grant Gatorland a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to display, distribute, reproduce, and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or subsequently developed, for any Gatorland purpose, including, but not limited to advertising and promotion of Gatorland and its Web site, exhibition, and commercial products. Any photograph reproduced will include (whenever possible) a photographer credit. Gatorland will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.

Judging:

Submissions will be judged on content, clarity, composition and that special quality that makes an image a winner! Finalists will be notified of their status by December 7, 2009, and will be announced on the Gatorland Web site.

For a complete listing of Gatorland's 2009 Photo Contest Rules and Regulations, please visit our Photo Contest Rules & Regulations page.