Everyone tells you, “You take the best pictures of your animals!” And you probably do. Now you have an opportunity to see how your photography skills stack up against all the other animal lovers out there (who also take the best pictures of their animals) by entering the Animal Photo Contest sponsored by Kodak and PDN (Photo District News), the award-winning monthly photo magazine for the professional photographer.
We’re hoping people will come out of the woodwork and head straight into the dark room to participate, as this competition also serves as a fundraiser. Portions of the proceeds from the entry fees will benefit one of three charitable organizations: Best Friends Animal Society, the ASPCA, and Kids Saving the Rainforest.
Here’s how it works: Amateur and professional photographers may submit contest photos online in one of four categories: Domestic Animals, Wildlife Animals, My Pet and Me and Animal Humor, from now through Dec. 22. The price of submission is $12 per photo; the contestants choose one of the three participating organizations to donate $2 from each photo entry.
One grand prize winner and four first place winners will receive prize packages from Kodak as well as admission to the PDN PhotoPlus Expo 2010 in New York. The winners will be selected by a panel of photography professionals.
Even if you don’t win the big prizes, you could win one of the ten weekly People’s Choice awards through the PDN online competition. Contestants and their friends and family, and their friends and family, and their friends … you get the idea — are encouraged to log onto the PDN contest site to vote for their favorite images. The weekly winners will receive a PDN prize bag including 10 single Kodak single use cameras; all People’s Choice winners will have their photos published on the PDN online gallery.
“This contest will be a fun opportunity for participants to connect their passions for animals and photography,” says Lauren Wendle, VP/publisher of Photo District News. “More importantly, we’re proud to use the power of photography to bring attention to the aid of animals that need it the most.”
Audrey Jonckeer, director of photographer relations at Kodak, sees this contest as a great opportunity for people to not only compete to win some of Kodak’s “coolest new products,” but also a chance to share and spread good cheer. There’s nothing like a photo of an animal, she says, to put a grin on your face.
“Animals and pets are among the most popular subjects to photograph among consumers,” says Jonckeer. “People derive so much pleasure from looking at pets. You see a photo of a cat or a dog and you can’t help but smile.”
At Best Friends, we think this is a dream contest come true! Every day, we receive countless photos in the mail from our members of their companion animals tangled up in yarn, catching a Frisbee in mid-air, taking a nap inside of a salad bowl, and decorating the bathroom with strategically shredded toilet paper. We encourage our loyal shutterbug friends and members to keep on snapping those photos and enter a few into the contest.
Greta Palmer, events manager for Best Friends, would like to extend a huge “thank you” on behalf of Best Friends to PDN and Kodak for including us in this creative fund-raising initiative.
“We are so appreciative of this opportunity from PDN and Kodak,” says Palmer. “This contest allows participants to showcase the beauty, depth and inspiration of animals in our lives, while also supporting three organizations that are working very hard to help and protect them.”
For information on entering the PDN Kodak photo contest, visit www.bestfriendsphotocontest.com.
Written by Amy Abern
Photos by Sarah Ause and courtesy of Lauren Wendle
As part of Best Friends’ 25th anniversary in 2009, our goal is to double our membership, so we can double our efforts to bring about a time when all companion animals have a forever home. What can you do to help? Give the Gift of a Best Friends membership to family and friends.
