Rules

GENERAL CONDITIONS

Anyone can enter the contest with the exception of The Wildlands Conservancy (TWC) employees. Participation is FREE.

Each person may submit ONE photograph PER category (max of 5 categories). Each person may only enter in one division. The Junior Division is for children ages 13 and under only (i.e. 13 or under on date of photo submission). All other contestants (14 and up) must enter under either the Professional Division or the Amateur Division. The Professional Division is for anyone who works in photography (full-time, part-time, self-employed, or self-proclaimed).

Photos must be received by 11:59 pm on Saturday, March 7th, 2026 to be considered.

Film captured images are accepted.

There are no date and time restrictions on when the image was taken (the more recent the better).

Wind Wolves Preserve reserves the right, at its exclusive discretion, to disqualify and remove any entry that does not meet the following requirements:

• The photo must be taken at Wind Wolves Preserve.

• You are the unique owner and author of each photograph.

• Presented image must be of 100% photographic origin (i.e. captured by a camera or similar device). Digital art images will not be accepted.

• The photo must be in its original state and cannot be altered in any way, including but not limited to removing, adding, reversing, or distorting subjects within the frame (with the exception of photography light/exposure editing). 

• You confirm that each person in the photograph has granted permission to be portrayed as shown.

• Your image does not contain any infringing, threatening, false, misleading, abusive, harassing, libelous, defamatory, vulgar, or obscene content.

• Your image does not contain any material that could constitute or encourage conduct that would be considered a crime or violate any law or preserve rules (e.g. going off trail, flying drones, picking flowers, dogs off leash, etc.).

• Your image does not infringe copyrights, trademarks, contract rights, or any other intellectual property rights of any third person or entity. Images shall not violate the rights of privacy or publicity of any person.

• Your photo will not include images that you have purchased or for which you have obtained the rights to be used.

• Entries will not be accepted unless submitted via the official contest channel. Entries not submitted through the proper channel will be deleted. 

• Submissions will not be accepted once the deadline lapses. 

• Wind Wolves Preserve reserves the right to disqualify any entry that is deemed inappropriate or does not conform to stated contest rules. 

• You will accept the decision of the judges and agree not to contact any judge directly in relation to your photographs or attempt to influence the evaluation process, including through social media.

• By entering the contest, entrants agree and hereby grant and authorize The Wildlands Conservancy (TWC) to use the submitted photographs for advertising (e.g. television, newspaper, and digital ads) and promotion (e.g. TWC website, social media, kiosk flyers).

•  By submitting an entry, you are agreeing to the rules and regulations stated in this page. The winner will be contacted via the email address provided during entry. 

Winners’ names will be posted here, on our social media (IG: @windwolvespreserve) (FB: Wind Wolves Preserve), and at our Annual Spring Nature Festival Photo Contest Board!

ETHICAL REQUIREMENTS

To maintain the integrity of the Wind Wolves Preserve Annual Spring Nature Festival Photo Contest, participants must ensure their photographs honestly and authentically depict the natural world. Images should reflect wild specimens in their natural habitats, avoiding harm to animals or their environment. Honesty, respect for wildlife, and adherence to all applicable regulations are essential. Using any practices that endanger animals or misrepresent their behavior is prohibited. Unethical submissions will be disqualified, aligning with our contest's goal to celebrate the Preserve's beauty and promote its conservation through photography.

IMAGE PREPARATION

The files must meet the following specifications:

- JPG or PNG format

- No watermarks, copyrights, or logos

- Borderless photos preferred but not required

- Maximum size: 100 megabytes

REGISTRATION 

You can participate in the following categories:

• Flora

• Wildlife

• Landscape

• Furry Friends

• A Day at Wind Wolves

COPYRIGHT AND RIGHTS OF USE

The copyright of the images will always belong to the photographer. For the submitted images, the copyright holder allows TWC unlimited and non-exclusive use for activities in all media, including social media, online, and printed, in relation with the contest, Spring Nature Festival, and all other promotional activities without any remuneration. The copyright holder of all submitted images allows TWC the non-exclusive use of images on our website without any remuneration. Participants in this contest grant to The Wildlands Conservancy the non-exclusive, perpetual, and royalty-free right to use, reproduce, modify, publish, translate and display submitted photos in any medium or format, whether currently known or developed in the future, for the exclusive purpose of promotion and exhibitions dedicated to The Wildlands Conservancy. Participants will retain ownership of their entries. The Wildlands Conservancy will provide appropriate credit when images are used, particularly on social media and other digital platforms. In certain cases, credit may not be included in materials, at the sole discretion of The Wildlands Conservancy (e.g. printed promotional materials).  The images will not be sold. The rights to display images is granted on social media websites (on our official profiles) to promote the winners of the Spring Nature Festival Photo Contest. You agree to participate in related publicity and the use of your name and images for promotional and advertising purposes in relation with the contest, without additional compensation. TWC and Wind Wolves Preserve do not assume any responsibility and are not responsible for the misuse of images by external third parties.

AWARDS

Winners will be:

• Featured on our social media (Instagram, Facebook, this website)

• Displayed at our Annual Spring Nature Festival

• Get an awards ribbon and certificate per winning photograph

EVALUATION CONDITIONS

The jury will be composed by TWC Wind Wolves Preserve staff.

The jury phase will be blind. A select few judges will score each submitted photograph to select the finalists in each category. Later, a new vote will be made by a larger portion of staff, which will result in the winner of each category in each division.