There is a $10 entry fee per entrant. (This is a flat fee and is unaffected by the number of images submitted.)

SPONSOR: The 2009 Refuge Photo Contest (Contest) is sponsored by the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA).

We also acknowledge the generosity of our Contest Partners: ATP Oil and Gas, Southwest Airlines, Zenfolio, Barbara's Bakery, Wild Bird Centers, and Houghton Mifflin in supplying prizes for this contest.

ELIGIBILITY: 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.

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: Top prizes will be awarded to first through fifth place winners. 15 honorable mention winners will receive a prize as well.

• One (1) first prize: Five thousand dollar ($5,000) cash prize courtesy of ATP Oil and Gas (First Prize Approximate Retail Value "ARV": $5,000). One (1) second prize: Two (2) round-trip tickets on Southwest Airlines valid until October 2010 (Second Prize ARV: $800). One (1) third prize: one (1) year's supply (24 boxes) of Barbara's Bakery Shredded cereal and a two hundred dollar ($200) cash prize and a Mr. Piggy Feeder (Third Prize ARV: $350). Five (5) fourth prizes: one of the following: medium hopper feeder, 16" tube feeder, or Mr. Piggy Feeder, and "Rachel Carson" by Linda Lear (Fourth Prize ARV: $60).
  
  
• Fifteen (15) honorable mention prizes: "Rachel Carson" by Linda Lear (Honorable Mention Prize ARV: $18)
  

Total ARV of all Prizes: $6,720. No prize substitution or cash redemption allowed by winners. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of comparable or greater value.

• Each contestant 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 10/14/09. The First through Third place prize winners 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 October 2009. For the names of the winners (available after 10/15/09), send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Contest Winners, National Wildlife Refuge Association, 1250 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036. Requests must be received by 11/15/09. Images selected for inclusion in the NWRA Refuge Image Library will be online by 12/1/09.

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.