BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is proud to announce its fourth annual photography contest is open for submissions, an opportunity for the Zoo’s many dedicated amateur and professional photographers to submit their best work for public viewing. The contest, sponsored by Milford Photo, will combine digital submissions with an in-person exhibition.
This year, the Zoo is adding a special Youth Category, with a separate prize for submissions by children 16 years and younger. Contest sponsor Milford Photo will be at the Zoo on Saturday, June 11, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. demonstrating cameras, Sigma lenses, and sharing photography techniques for photographers at all levels, beginner to advanced.
The contest and exhibition this year is presented in honor of Kathy Brady, an avid photographer who loved nature, the Zoo, and photographing wildlife. A New York resident, Kathy passed away after a brief illness. Several of her favorite photographs will be featured at the event.
Photos are to be submitted digitally for a first round, with the top 100 selected for exhibition and judging. Photographers selected for the in-person exhibit will be asked to print and mat their photo (size 8 x 10). Judging will take place in July, with an in-person show held on Thursday, July 28 in the Zoo’s Hanson Building.
Exhibit Rules
- Each photographer can submit three photos, with a $10 fee per photo. Youth submissions are $5 per photo.
- For the best quality for viewing the photos online, the recommended image size is 1088 x 816 pixels with a maximum file size of 1MB.
- Photos must have been taken on Zoo grounds. Plants and grounds photos are allowed. They may be older photos from a previous year as well as current photos.
- Milford Photo will provide First, Second, and Third prizes in the form of gift certificates to the store. First prize is $200, second prize is $100, and third prize is $50. In addition, Milford Photo will also provide a gift certificate for the Youth Category.
- In addition to the judged photos, a People’s Choice will be selected. The public can vote on their favorite by making a one-dollar donation for each vote. Voting will take place online.
- Digital, first round photos are due to be submitted by July 4 at 11:59 p.m.
- Photographers are invited to upload their submissions at https://www.beardsleyzoo.org/photography-exhibition.html
- If you have questions, email Jessica Taylor at jtaylor@beardsleyzoo.org.
“Art is a natural way for people to express their love of animals and appreciation of nature,” said Zoo Director Gregg Dancho. “Our annual Photography Goes Wild contest helps to showcase the stunning diversity of species at the Zoo, and we hope, encourages people to focus on preserving wild habitats and animal conservation in new ways.”
“We thank Milford Photo for their continuing partnership in this event,” he added. “Their assistance in judging submissions and providing prizes is much appreciated.”
About Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo
Let your curiosity run wild! Connecticut’s only zoo, celebrating its 100th year, features 350 animals representing primarily North and South American and Northern Asian species. Guests won’t want to miss our Amur tigers and leopards, maned wolves, and Mexican gray wolves and
red wolves. Other highlights include our spider monkey habitat, the prairie dog exhibit, and the Pampas Plain with giant anteaters and Chacoan peccaries. Guests can grab a bite from the Peacock Café and eat in the Picnic Grove. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is a non-profit organization celebrating its Centennial year when the mission of helping fragile wildlife populations and eco-systems is more important than ever. Learn more about our Centennial here: https://www.beardsleyzoo.org/centennial.html. Tickets must be purchased on the Zoo’s website at beardsleyzoo.org. In the Research Station and the Rainforest Building, we continue to require masks to protect animals from possible Covid transmission. Everyone over the age of two, except for those with medical conditions that preclude wearing them, must wear a mask in those buildings. Elsewhere in the Zoo, indoors or out, we respect masks as a personal choice.
About Milford Photo
Since its founding in 1995, Milford Photo continues to be the go-to location for the photo enthusiast in Connecticut. From selling the top lines in cameras, lenses, and accessories to
providing reprint, enlargement, graphic imagery, or photo instruction for photographers of all levels, the crew at Milford Photo works hard to provide the best in product and service to their clients. www.milfordphoto.com