2025 Photo Contest - Share Your Best Shot!
About the Contest
The Friends of Huntley Meadows Park Photo Contest is a nature-themed photography event designed to benefit Huntley Meadows Park. All submission fees and photo sale proceeds (if you opt to sell your photo(s)), collected from this contest directly support the park's staff, events, and equipment.
Submission Period
Contestants may submit their photographs between November 3 and December 8. Late entries will not be accepted. For any questions about the contest, please contact Liz Train at friendsofhmp@gmail.com.
Judging and Exhibition
A panel of judges will review all contest entries and select both the winning photographs and those to be displayed. The selected photos will be exhibited at the Norma Hoffman Visitor Center at Huntley Meadows Park. The opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Sunday, December 14, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Every effort will be made to display all entries, but if your photo is not included, you will be notified at the beginning of December.
Entry Instructions
- Complete the electronic entry form. There is a limit of three photo submissions per person.
- Use the "Donate" link to pay a $5 fee for each submission. Include your payment receipt when dropping off your entries. High school students and younger participants are exempt from the fee.
- Deliver your entries to the Huntley Meadows Park Visitor Center at 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA 22306. Bring your payment receipt and ensure your name, photo title, and contact information are written on the backside of the mounting.
- If you are unable to submit or pay electronically, submission forms are available at the HMP Visitor’s Center. Complete one form per entry and include a check payable to the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park; a single check may cover multiple entries.
Contest Rules
- All photographs must have been taken at Huntley Meadows Park, Alexandria, Virginia within the past three years. (2023,2024,2025)
- Only nature-themed photographs are eligible, featuring plants or animals. Images may include people if copyright and permissions requirements are met.
- No object addition, deletion, or use of AI editing is permitted on entry photos.
- Your name, telephone number, and email address should be clearly written on the back of the matted photo. No identifying marks should appear on the front, maintaining anonymity for judging.
- All photographs must be matted or mounted, but not framed. Matting must be a standard size and photos may not exceed 18 inches by 24 inches.
- All photos may be used by the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park for promotional or fundraising purposes.
- The decisions of the contest judges are final
Awards and Opening Reception
- First, second, third, and honorable mention winners will receive ribbons and be featured on the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park website and Facebook page.
- A “Fan Favorite” vote will take place throughout the duration of the show and will be announced on February 28.
- The show will open and winners will be announced on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at the exhibit opening reception, 2:00-4:00PM in the Huntley Meadows Park Visitor Center.
Copyrights and Permissions
- The show will be taken down on February 28, 2026. Photographers may retrieve their photos until March 28, 2026. Photos not retrieved become the property of the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park.
- The photographer must hold the copyright to all photos they submit to the contest. Photographs that violate copyright laws will be disqualified.
- The use of public domain images is prohibited.
- Photographers retain ownership of all copyrights.
- By submitting an image to this photo contest, you grant the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park permission to make a copy of your entry for promotional use on the website, Facebook page, or in printed materials, including the FOHMP Newsletter.
- Any contest submissions that receive legal challenges related to copyright or insufficient model permissions will be removed.
- If a contest participant chooses to sell their photo(s) at the show, proceeds from that sale will be used by FOHMP to support Huntley Meadows Park.
Eligibility
- All members of the public, Park volunteers and employees of Huntley Meadows Park and their families not involved in judging or administering the contest are eligible to enter.
- All Huntley Meadows Park rules apply, including those stating that animals must not be harassed and no modifications of the environment may be made to improve a photograph.
We look forward to seeing your photo contest entries!