There is a $10 entry fee for the General Category. (This is a flat fee and is unaffected by the number of images submitted.) There is no entry fee for the Senior or Junior Youth Categories.

SPONSOR: The 2008 Refuge Photo Contest (Contest) is sponsored by the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA).

We also acknowledge the generosity of our Contest Partners: Toyota, Zenfolio, Art Wolfe Inc., Canon, Steiner, TrekTechnologies, Barbara's Bakery, Wild Bird Centers, and Houghton Mifflin in supplying prizes for this contest.

ELIGIBILITY: The Genereal Cateogory of the Contest is open to amateur and professional photographers who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia and are 18 years or older at time of entry, except for Contest judges and employees of the Sponsor and of the Contest Partners, their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and advertising, promotion and production agencies and their immediate families and members of their households.

The Senior Youth Cateogory of the Contest is open to amateur and professional photographers who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia and are 14 to 17 years of age at time of entry, except for Contest judges and employees of the Sponsor and of the Contest Partners, their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and advertising, promotion and production agencies and their immediate families and members of their households.

The Junior Youth Cateogory of the Contest is open to amateur and professional photographers who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia and are 13 years of age or younger at time of entry, except for Contest judges and employees of the Sponsor and of the Contest Partners, their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and advertising, promotion and production agencies and their immediate families and members of their households.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Images must meet the Submission Requirements to be eligible. Entries not meeting these requirements will not be considered.

JUDGING:

• Winning entries will be selected by two rounds of judging. The first round will to be to select up to 200 images to be included in the NWRA Refuge Image Library. The second round will result in the selection of the Top Prize winners.
• Entries will be judged on reflection of theme, technical excellence, visual impact, and composition.

All decisions of the judges on all matters relating to the competition are final.

PRIZE DETAILS: In the General Category, top prizes will be awarded to first through fifth place winners. 15 honorable mention winners will receive a prize as well. In both the Senior and Junior Youth Categories, top prizes will be awarded to first through fifth place winners.

General Category:

• One (1) first prize: 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and Barbara's Bakery camping chair and snack offerings (First Prize Approximate Retail Value "ARV": $35,060). One (1) second prize: Travels to the Edge DVD/Book Bundle, a seat in one of the courses offered at the Art Wolfe Digital Photography Center in Seattle, airfare and lodging NOT included, and a signed, matted print from the Art Wolfe print collection, and Barbara's Bakery camping chair and snack offerings (Second Prize ARV: $2,190). One (1) third prize: Canon EOS 40D Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, and Barbara's Bakery camping chair and snack offerings (Third Prize ARV: $1,560). One (1) fourth prize: Steiner 8x42MM Peregrine Binoculars, and Barbara's Bakery camping chair and snack offerings (Fourth Prize ARV: $910). One (1) fifth prize: TrekPod Go! with MagMount/VersaMount, and Barbara's Bakery camping chair and snack offerings (Fifth Prize ARV: $300).
  
  
• Fifteen (15) honorable mention prizes: "Kaufman Focus Guide to Birds," "Peterson Reference Guide to Gulls," and "Good Birders Don't Wear White" (Honorable Mention Prize ARV: $66)
  

Senior Youth Category:

• One (1) first prize: Wild Bird Centers Professional Ranch Feeder and "Kaufman Focus Guide to Birds," "Peterson Reference Guide to Gulls," and "Good Birders Don't Wear White" (First Prize Approximate Retail Value "ARV": $116). One (1) second prize: Wild Bird Centers Mr. Piggy Wildlife Feeder and "Kaufman Focus Guide to Birds," "Peterson Reference Guide to Gulls," and "Good Birders Don't Wear White"(Second Prize ARV: $116). One (1) third prize: Wild Bird Centers 16” tube feeder and "Kaufman Focus Guide to Birds," "Peterson Reference Guide to Gulls," and "Good Birders Don't Wear White" (Third Prize ARV: $96). One (1) fourth prize: "Kaufman Focus Guide to Birds," "Peterson Reference Guide to Gulls," and "Good Birders Don't Wear White" (Fourth Prize ARV: $66). One (1) fifth prize: "Kaufman Focus Guide to Birds," "Peterson Reference Guide to Gulls," and "Good Birders Don't Wear White" (Fifth Prize ARV: $66).
  

Junior Youth Category:

• One (1) first prize: Wild Bird Centers Mr. Piggy Wildlife Feeder and a Barbara's Bakery 1 year supply of Wild Puffs cereal (24 boxes - 12 Fruity Punch and 12-Cocoa) and a giant stuffed manatee (First Prize Approximate Retail Value "ARV": $180). One (1) second prize: Wild Bird Centers Professional Ranch Feeder and a Barbara's Bakery 1 year supply of Wild Puffs cereal (24 boxes - 12 Fruity Punch and 12-Cocoa) and a giant stuffed manatee(Second Prize ARV: $180). One (1) third prize: Wild Bird Centers 16” tube feeder and a Barbara's Bakery 1 year supply of Wild Puffs cereal (24 boxes - 12 Fruity Punch and 12-Cocoa) and a giant stuffed manatee (Third Prize ARV: $160). One (1) fourth prize: a Barbara's Bakery 1 year supply of Wild Puffs cereal (24 boxes - 12 Fruity Punch and 12-Cocoa) and a giant stuffed manatee (Fourth Prize ARV: $130). One (1) fifth prize: a Barbara's Bakery 1 year supply of Wild Puffs cereal (24 boxes - 12 Fruity Punch and 12-Cocoa) and a giant stuffed manatee (Fifth Prize ARV: $130).

Total ARV of all Prizes: $42,250. No prize substitution or cash redemption allowed by winners. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of comparable or greater value.

• Each photographer submitting an entry to the General Category will receive a complimentary one year membership in NWRA.

The Sponsor is not responsible for entries that cannot be processed due to network, hardware or other technical failures or lost e-mails. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel the Contest if it becomes technically corrupted or because of unauthorized human intervention. In the event of cancellation, the Sponsor reserves the right to judge the eligible entries received prior to date of cancellation and award the prizes outlined.

AWARDING OF PRIZES: The determination of the prize winners will be made no later than 3/14/08. The First Prize winner will be notified by e-mail and phone; the remaining prize winners will be notified by e-mail. If a prize winner does not respond by e-mail to claim the prize within 15 days of notification, the prize will be forfeited. If a prize is returned as undeliverable, the prize will be forfeited. At the discretion of the Sponsor, any forfeited prize may be awarded to an alternate winner. No photographer will be eligible for more than one of the Top Prizes described above. However a photographer may have more than one image in the NWRA Refuge Image Library.

GENERAL: By entering, entrants agree to be bound by these Contest Rules and Procedures, the Terms and Conditions on Use of Images, and the decisions of the Sponsor and judges, which are final and binding on all matters. This Contest is void where prohibited and is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws. Any applicable taxes are the sole responsibility of the winners.

RELEASE: By participating, entrants release the Sponsor and the contest partners, their parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries and their agents, respective officers, directors, employees and agents from any and all liability or responsibility for any claim arising in connection with participation in the Contest or any prize awarded.

WINNERS LIST: The Top Prize winning images and the names of the Top Prize winning photographers will be posted on this website in March 2008. For the names of the winners (available after 3/15/08), send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Contest Winners, National Wildlife Refuge Association, 1901 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 407, Washington, DC 20006. Requests must be received by 4/15/08. Thumbnails of the images selected for eventual inclusion in the NWRA Refuge Image Library will be posted online by 3/31/08.

PRIVACY: The National Wildlife Refuge Association does not sell, trade, or barter names, e-mail addresses, or other personal data that we collect on our website. For more information, see our privacy policy.

If you have any questions regarding the contest, send us an e-mail.