2021 Annual Photo Contest

The Desert Tortoise Council is pleased to announce the 2021 Photo Contest to be held as part of our virtual symposium to be held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:30 – 12:30 Pacific Time. Each year we encourage our membership to submit their best wildlife and nature photographs for a chance to win cash prizes, as well as to aid the Desert Tortoise Council in educating the public and advocating desert conservation through photography.

Entry Format

Each entry must be submitted as a digital photograph between 2000px-4000px wide. Entries may be black and white or color photographs, and must have been taken by the contestant. The contestant must be a registered attendee of the 2019 Symposium.

Entry Submission

All photos must be submitted with the following information: entry category; common and scientific name (for flora and fauna subjects); location; date photo was taken; and contestant’s name, address, email, and phone number. Please do not place your name on the photo. Submit one photo per email. Submissions must be sent to email hidden; JavaScript is required by February 9, 2021.

Please do not include a watermark on the digital photograph to indicate the photographer’s name and copyright. The Desert Tortoise Council will add a watermark indicating a copyright and crediting the photographer after the contest concludes and prior to the Desert Tortoise Council using the photograph for publications or posts.

Categories

Each contestant may submit a maximum of two prints/photos per category:

1. WILD DESERT TORTOISES
2. CAPTIVE (PET) DESERT TORTOISES
3. OTHER DESERT REPTILES
4. DESERT MAMMALS
5. OTHER DESERT WILDLIFE
6. WILD DESERT PLANTS
7. DESERT SCENES
8. TORTOISE CONSERVATION*

*This category covers a range of subjects but must depict activities or subject matter important to the perpetuation of the species. Examples are research, impacts (i.e., raven predation), improvements (i.e., fencing), and environmental education.

With the exception of Captive (Pet) Tortoises, all digital photographs must be taken of wild (i.e., unrestrained and photographed in its natural habitat) subjects occurring within the geographic range of the appropriate desert tortoise species.

Awards

Qualified winners will be awarded first, second, and third place in each of the eight categories.

• First Place awards will be $75.00;
• Second Place awards will be $50.00;
• Third Place awards will be $25.00;
• The ninth category, Best of Show, will receive $150.00.

Judging

Photographs will be judged during the Symposium by the attendees. Symposium attendees will be provided instructions about viewing the photos and voting for each category, and each person may vote only once. Votes will be accepted until 2PM, Tuesday February 23. Winners will be announced and their awards presented on Thursday, February 25.

Prints/Digital Photos

Digital photographs will become the property of the Desert Tortoise Council. The Desert Tortoise Council shall have the right to use these photographs in its publications, educational programs, website, and social media platforms, as well as to assign such permission to others, with full credit given to the photographer.