Second annual JCMGA photo contest opens

By Patrice Kaska

Master Gardener 2016

The Jackson County Master Gardener Association Member Services Working Group (MSWG) announces its second annual photo contest.

Although the actual contest will not take place until August 2021, we would like to share this year’s information and guidelines now to give you a chance to consider what photo(s) you might like to enter:
The 2021 JCMGA Photo Contest is open to all current Jackson County Master Gardener Association members.

Photos may be submitted from Aug. 1 through Aug. 31, 2021. We are able to accept two (2) photos from each member, although there will be only one winning photo per person.

Photographs are limited to those taken in gardens of the Rogue Valley and the focus must be on a plant or planting—no people (for privacy concerns).

Please submit your photograph in portrait format, rather than landscape format.

All photographs must be at least 1500 x 1575 pixels (5”x 5-1/2” at 300 dpi) and all submitted photos become the property of JCMGA.

Like all human endeavors, we hope that those of us involved with the photo contest will improve as we gain experience and practice. For example, it was recently pointed out to us that the winning 2021 cover photo could be considered ineligible since it included fauna – which was forbidden in the rules. Although MSWG members felt strongly that we did not want to include photos of people’s pets, backyard chicken coops, and visiting wild turkeys, we didn’t consider that insects are also fauna. Therefore, we apologize to entrants who were careful to include only flora in their photographs as we had requested.

In addition, since the photograph on the cover of the directory is longer from top-to-bottom than from side-to-side, photos taken in portrait format rather than landscape format work best.

If you have questions, please email Patrice Kaska, Membership Secretary.

The winning photograph will appear on the cover of the 2022 JCMGA Chapter Directory and four runners-up will have their photographs featured in the Garden Beet. Winners will be announced in the October Garden Beet.