2024 Photo Contest
We are excited to announce the winners of our 17th Annual Photography Contest.
by Crystal Rodli
by Melinda Martin
by Adam Leisinger
by Lizi Kutchukhidze
Culinary
2nd Place - "Boba Break" by Jolene Thomson
Events
by Dave Maestas
2nd Place "Deadpool Mustang" by Amber Burdick
3rd Place "Fair Friends" by Jolene Thomson
Historic Albany
by Camron Settlemier
2nd Place "Wistful Wisteria" by Melinda Martin
3rd Place "Train House Fireworks" by Camron Settlemier
Landmarks
by Camron Settlemier
2nd Place "Historic Train Station" by Margo Bennett
3rd Place "Albany Historic Train Station" by David Lumbert
People
by Crystal Rodli
2nd Place "July Backpacker" by Melinda Martin
3rd Place "Snow Boys Path" Monteith Park by Ryan McWayne
Downtown
by Camron Settlemier
2nd Place "Pix Theatre Sign" by David Scott
3rd Place "Snow Alley" by Ryan McWayne
Scenic
by Melinda Martin
2nd Place "Bald Eagle Nesting" by Pavla Zakova-Laney
3rd Place "Hummingbird" by Pavla Zakova-Laney
This video compilation highlights the 2024 winning photos. It will also play at the Pix Theatre before the feature film May 1-31, 2024.
These are just some of the more than 100 photos entered this year that the AVA uses in the official Albany Visitors Guide, AVA social media and online calendar so keep an eye out for other fun and beautiful photos.
Prizes this year include certificates and gift cards for Champion, Reserve Champion, People's Choice, Student and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in seven categories.
The Albany Visitors Association (AVA) is proud to sponsor Albany's 17th Annual Albany
Photography Contest. It is open to photographers of all skill levels. First-, second- and third-place awards will be presented to winners in each category: Downtown, Culinary, Events, Historic Albany, Landmarks, People and Scenic. A first-place prize will also be awarded in the Youth category.
The purpose of this contest is to find images suitable for use in our marketing of Albany, Linn County and the Willamette Valley.
Photo Contest Information & Rules for Entering
FEE There is an entry fee of $2 for each photo submitted.
Photograph Subject We ask that your work be original, not previously submitted to this or any other contest, be taken in 2022, 2023 or 2024 and specifically feature Albany and surrounding Linn County.
To see examples of the kinds of images we use most, scroll through our Instagram, Facebook, website, and calendar of events.
Photograph Subject Categories
Downtown: Shine a spotlight on your favorite downtown sights. The category is NEW this year!
Culinary: Visit a local restaurant or a unique foodie or drink venue and let people know what delicious rewards await them. Attend the Albany Farmers' Market and capture the bounty.
Events: Antiques in the Streets, Twice Around Christmas Parade, Mid-Winter Dance and so much more!
Historic Albany: With four nationally recognized historic districts and architectural styles from the mid- 1800s to the 1950s, Albany has a plethora of historic buildings!
Landmarks: A landmark is unique to Albany and lends itself to the quintessential identity of our city. A Victorian painted advertisement on a brick wall or a statue could be a landmark.
People: Visitors love to see people enjoying themselves, but we know it can be hard to get the shot right and get strangers to sign release forms. Consider enlisting your family and friends!
Scenic: Our area is lovely in all seasons! Find something you think will make someone want to come visit us and represents the unique charm of our region. Rustic barns, farm stands, bountiful gardens, wildflowers and wildlife, the Willamette Valley with distant snowcapped mountains.
Youth: For young photographers ages 18 and under.
Judging A committee of judges will (anonymously) assess photos for subject and composition. Judges will consider some of the following criteria: is the subject appropriate for the category, is it a really good/unusual example of that subject, is the composition in focus, does it draw you in, is it original? Judges will determine Champion and Reserve Champion winners. The People's Choice award will be judged by the public who can view all of the photos on the AVA Flickr site and then submit their choice to the AVA.
Winners will be announced in April 2024. Winning photographs will be showcased in a professional video shown at the Pix Theatre before feature films, on the AVA website and YouTube, and displayed at the Albany Amtrak Station.
Prizes Champion, Reserve Champion, and People's Choice awards will be $300, $150 and $75, respectively. All first-place through third-place winners will receive a certificate and a gift card to the Pix Theatre to see their photos on the big screen.
Who can enter? The contest is open to all ages, all levels: from amateur to professional or hobbyist.
How to Enter
- There is an entry fee of $2 for each photo submitted except for students/youth whose fees are waived.
- Entrants must complete a release allowing AVA to use their photos for promotional purposes although photographers retain all rights to their photos. PDF of the Use and Reproduction Release Form.
- Photos must be a minimum of 300 dpi and 1MB in size. Photos should be standard rectangular portrait or landscape; square, panoramic or custom ratios are more difficult to place within our ads. Photos must be in JPEG format.
- Photos may be color or black & white.
- Photos may be digitally enhanced for contrast, color, hue, etc., but not digitally manipulated. Images that have digitally applied effects (such as montages, double exposures or vignettes) cannot be used in AVA publications or national advertising.
- There is a limit of 15 photos per photographer, 10 for Students/Youth.
- All photos depicting water recreation must be compliant with Oregon regulations regarding life jackets.
- For any photo that features a recognizable individual's face (or group of individuals) photographers MUST complete a signed photo release. We will not accept such photos without a model release! Here is PDF of the Model Release Form.
Please use the following format for the file name of each of your photos. Please do NOT use all caps or punctuation!
title (no duplicates please)
location, if not mentioned in title eg. Albany or Linn Co
your name
- Email info@albanyvisitors.com and give us your email address. We will email you the link to a "survey" in which you can upload your photos (with file names as above) and complete all your contact information.
- Mail your check for the entry fee, your completed photographers release form, and any model release forms necessary to the AVA (address below) before March 8. Paperwork may also be placed through mail drop slot after hours.
DEADLINE All entries, fees and releases must be submitted by 5pm Friday, March 8, 2024.
Albany Visitors Association
541-928-0911
122 Ferry St SW, Albany, OR 97321
