Art in the great outdoors — Annual Outdoor Photo Contest ends Friday

The annual Outdoor Photo Contest, sponsored by the Idaho Outdoor Program, concludes Friday as submissions for specific categories continue to flow in.
The contest started accepting submissions in January and accepts photographs that relate to four individual categories — Outdoor Scenic, Outdoor Action, Wildlife and Black and White.
“We need a venue for good images, especially in today’s world of internet and quick images,” said Mike Beiser, Outdoor Program Coordinator for the University of Idaho. “And as an institution of higher learning we have the venue to do so.”
The goal of the contest is to “support the art of photography, promote outdoor recreation and educational endeavors, and showcase the environment at its best,” according to the Outdoor Program press release.
The contest is now in its fifth year and was started by an Outdoor Recreation major at UI an assigned project, Beiser said. The student wanted to fill the void left by the departure of photography as a curriculum more than a decade ago.
Beiser said in the past, the Outdoor Program organized similar photo contests using film, and submissions were hard copies on photo paper and matted, but that the current contest is a little different and is completely digital.
All submissions are done by email and sent individually to the contest’s inbox. The judges score the digital photos and the winners are displayed on the display televisions located in the entrance of the Student Recreation Center.
The contest is broken into the four categories and each participant is allowed to enter one original photograph in each category. The photos will be judged on presentation, technical skill, framing and appropriateness of the category.
Winners of each category will be presented with an equal share of the $300 in gift cards to sponsors such as local business Hyperspud Sports and NRS, as well as outdoor rentals.
While the official winners are chosen by the panel of judges, the public will be able to vote on their favorites on the Outdoor Program’s Facebook page.
The contest has had around 300 entries submitted and Beiser is expecting another 150 before the deadline on Friday.
To see the full guidelines of the contest and enter your own photos, visit the contest’s webpage at UI’s website.
Curtis Ginnetti can be reached at [email protected]

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