Parks_Content Page_Council Grounds Photo Contest

2023 Photography Contest

Council Grounds State Park

The Council Grounds State Park annual photo contest is organized by the Park's Friends group. Come and enjoy the park and remember to bring a camera along and take photos for the contest.

Contest categories

  1. Plants (includes wildflowers, trees, shrubs, fungi, etc.)
  2. Wildlife (includes animals, birds, insects, etc.)
  3. People using the park (do not include photos of easily identifiable people)
  4. Landscapes (includes broad scenes, sunsets, sunrises, rivers, etc.)

Contest rules

  1. All photos must be taken within the boundaries of Council Grounds State Park between Aug. 1, 2021, and July 31, 2023 (2-year period).
  2. Only one photo per person. If more than one photo is submitted, you will be asked to choose only one as an entry. 
  3. Photos can only be submitted between July 1 and July 31, 2023. Must be in color and must be submitted as a high-resolution digital JPEG file, attached to an email sent to cgphotos@hotmail.com. No panoramic photos. No digitally enhanced or altered photos. Tall thin photos from phones do not reproduce well for our use. Please send photos that can be used as 4 x 6-in or 8 x 10-in prints. Each photo submitted must include:
    1. Category
    2. Date taken
    3. Photographer's name
    4. Mailing and email address
    5. Phone number
  4. By entering the contest, photographers are verifying that the image is their own and are agreeing to have their submitted photos used/copied/displayed (without fee or compensation) for the contest voting purposes in local publications, in articles relating to the contest, saved for any future use by the Park Friends Group, displayed in the Park contact station, on the Wisconsin Parks website, on the Friends Facebook page and also on cards or postcards for sale by the Friends Group.
  5. The Friends Group reserves the right to reject any photo submitted that does not comply with the contest rules, is not properly labeled as stated in step 3 above or that is deemed inappropriate in any way by the Friends board.
  6. The contest is open only to amateur photographers. Professional photographers and anyone that sells their photos are not eligible.
  7. Contest judges, DNR employees and Friends Group members and their families are not eligible to enter.
  8. Address any questions to cgphotos@hotmail.com.

Judging

A panel of judges from the Friends Group will narrow the entries down to the top three in each category. Photographer names will not be revealed to the judges. Any category with fewer than eight entries may be canceled. The final first- and second-place winners in each category will be determined by votes from the general public.

Winners

First-place winners will receive a 2024 Wisconsin State Park vehicle sticker. Second-place winners will receive Council Grounds merchandise or a gift certificate valued up to $15.

Voting

Public voting will take place from Aug. 15 through Aug. 31, 2023, by email to cgphotos@hotmail.com or on the Friends of Council Grounds State Park Facebook page. Only one vote per person. Duplicate votes will be eliminated. Finalists' photos may be viewed for voting on the Friends of Council Grounds State Park Facebook page, at the Park contact station and T.B. Scott Library, Merrill, Wisconsin. Winners will be announced and notified in Sept. 2023.