2025 Photo Club Contest Rules

2025 Photo Club Contest Information and Guidelines

Guidelines for the 2025 Annual Fontenelle Forest Nature Association

Photography Club Show

Bellevue University Hitchcock Humanities Center / Criss Auditorium

Hello to All Fontenelle Forest Nature Association Photo Club Members:

Set – Up – Saturday, May 24, 2025, 9:00 AM

Critique and Awards Presentation – Thursday, June 19, 2025, 7:00 PM

Take Down – Saturday, June 28, 2025, 9:00 AM

Questions – Contact Contest Coordinator: Donna Gray – Email: djg618@yahoo.com

Who:  Any member in good standing of the Fontenelle Forest Nature Association Photo Club.  (***Only Fontenelle Forest Photography Club members who are up to date regarding Club dues are eligible to enter photographs.  If you are unsure of your status, check with Club Treasurer Kathleen Crawford Rose.***)

The show contest coordinator and current President of the club reserve the right to remove an entry not following the rules set forth in the category descriptions below.

“Novice Class”:  This is open to club members who have NOT won a first, second or third place in any individual category, or Overall Show award in prior years’ photography club shows.

If there are less than five entries in any novice category, those entries will be automatically transferred to the advanced categories. 

“Advanced Class”:  This is open to club members who have won a first, second or third place in any individual category, or an overall show award in the prior years’ photography club shows.

No exceptions for class designation.  If any member new or old feels they belong in the advanced class, they are welcome to enter their photos into this class.

Categories:

Scenic/Landscape: 

Continental US, outside continental US, any nature themed image where the focus or subject IS NOT manmade objects, including urban, city, pets, and Humans.  Must be a nature-based photo taken by a club member.

Animals

Any living creature (not a bird), wild or domesticated, including pets. Not humans.

Birds: 

Any bird, wild or domesticated, including pets.  Not humans.

A minimum of five bird or animal photos are necessary to have a separate category.  If there are less than five bird or animal photos, all photos will be included in the Animal category.

Flora:

 A photo where the following are the main subject of the photo – any flower, plant, fungi or tree.

Anything Goes: (Combined category – Novice & Advanced)

Any photograph not meeting the requirements of the 4 categories listed above.   Also, any photo that is over enhanced or un-naturally manipulated will be entered into this category.

Photos may be moved to another class up to the point of judging for awards if the Contest Judge, Photo Contest coordinator or club president feel an entry was categorized incorrectly at check-in.  These contest rules are their guide, and any corrections to classification are final.

Prints can be color or black and white.  Prints that have been previously designated as award winners – including honorable mention at previous FFNA club shows are not eligible for entry.  Members may enter a total of four photos in the contest.  Watermarks or any feature that could identify the photographer are prohibited on the photos entered in the contest.

How to Present Your Prints 

  • Prints are to be either framed (wood, metal or plastic frames) with or without a mat or printed on a metal or matboard surface. A wire hanger must be attached to the back.   
  • Size of frame: Minimum outside dimension of the shortest side of the presentation will be no shorter than 5 inches, maximum outside dimension of the longest side of the presentation will be no longer than 25 inches. 
  • Entries that are presented with no glass or Plexiglas are accepted at the entrant’s risk for damage by print handlers/displayers.
  • Each entry is required to have the Photographer’s name, address, and phone number on the back of each photo.
  • Contestants may enter up to 4 prints into the show. The contestant is responsible for deciding which category to place entry(s).   (One in each category or all in one category or any combination you desire.) Contest coordinator and club president have final say of excepting entry or on category classification at time of set-up.  The Judge may also move a photo to another category at the time of judging.
  • Entry Cards: White for Novice, Yellow for Advanced, Blue for Anything Goes will be available starting at the April Club meeting. Contestants will need to complete entry cards prior to arriving at the show set-up.
  • Email a digital copy of the entered photos to the photo contest coordinator in jpg (jpeg) format.  Don’t worry about file size.  I will take care of any resizing that needs to be done.  If you don’t know how to convert to a jpg (jpeg) file, just email what you have, and I will convert as needed.  If your files are large, you may need to email them one or two at a time due to email restrictions on file sizes.  Please have your photos to me between May 12 through June 2, 2025 .  No earlier, no later.      Email them to   djg618@yahoo.com   Failure to send a digital photo will result in disqualification in the contest.  These are needed for the PowerPoint presentation on the critique/awards night.

The email information will include the category name, whether you are entering as a Novice or Advanced, the title of the photo and if it was taken at Fontenelle Forest.  Make sure your name is also included in case it is not part of the email address.

Awards: 

In each Class and category:   First, Second, and Third Place (24 Ribbons)

Anything Goes Category:       First, Second, and Third Place (Combined Classes) (3 Ribbons)

Overall Show Awards: 

Best of Show – all classes, all categories

Public’s Choice – all classes, all categories

Club Members Choice – – all classes, all categories

Best Black and White – all classes, all categories

Best Photo Taken at Fontenelle Forest (Must designate on entry card)

Total of 32 Ribbons to be awarded at this Year’s Show (If all categories are filled)!

All first and second place winners and overall show winners will be displayed at the Bellevue Public Library over the summer months and returned at our first club meeting in September.

All winning photos will be displayed on the Fontenelle Forest Photography Club’s Website.

Last revised on 03/22/2024

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Dark Skies

For our March 20th meeting, Ken Smith presented astro photography to our members. Below is a link to his presentation. In it are slides with some good information. I recommend you all visit Ken’s website. Ken has invited our members to a field trip to the Filey Barn near Beatrice NE this summer in conjunction with the Omaha Camera Club. Details will be posted later this year. Thank you Ken Smith.

Ken Smith Photography

Video

This is a short video about taking a picture of the milky way.

Final thoughts

Our April speaker will not be able to be at our meeting. I have a lead on a person who might be able to talk to us about phone photography. If not we might do a slide show. The theme would be “Your best Zoo photos. A member has come up with doing a field trip to Neale Woods for the April meeting. Please comment below on what you think you would like to do.

If the links do not show up for Ken’s presentation or website I will have Kathleen email to you all the presentation link. And any non members who are not on Kathleen’s address book, email me at webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org and I will send you the links. There is something about embedding a SmugMug link in the post that is different from what I am used to seeing.

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Feb 20 meeting cancelled

Due to the extreme low temperatures, we have decided to cancel Thursday’s club meeting. We hope to reschedule Jerrod and Jeremy. Sorry for the late change. I wonder if we would get a large attendance anyway.

Kathleen is going to email our members about the cancellation also.

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Post Processing

Our next club meeting will be February 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM at the forest. Jeremy and Jerred will be our guest speakers. They were our judges for the 2024 photo contest.

To help them develop a program with our members in mind, they would like to have some questions by our members. Ask them about some specific issues you may have with post processing your photos. You can leave a comment below or email me at webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org . I will forward them on to Jerred and Jeremy. Please send as soon as you can. Thank you.

Meeting Schedule is FULL

We have speakers for the rest of the scheduled meetings for this year. Please check out the Calendar on our home page. The May meeting will be our raptor shoot at Camp Brewster.

Photo Displays

Forest______ Mammals of Fontenelle Forest

Bellevue Library_____ Sunrises and Sunsets (from anywhere)

Bring your photos to the February 20 meeting. They will be hung in March.

Video for Example of Post Processing

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Upcoming Meeting January 16

Our next meeting will be on January 16, 2025 at the Forest and will be starting at 7:00 PM.

Our guest speaker will be Phil Swanson. His presentation is “Birds of the Warbler Yard”

From Phil Swanson

I call my presentation “Birds of the Warbler Yard”.
Over the years I have seen more species of birds in my yard than any other yard in Nebraska. Just last year I saw the 170th bird species in the yard. It was a beautiful Olive-sided Flycatcher catching bees and wasps from my grape jelly feeder.
My slideshow video will show many of those 170 species in my backyard environment. The photos and some short videos will let you see their actions and  behavior. I’ll follow the video with a short presentation giving some tips on how I attract birds to the yard along with some stories.

My bio:
I have lived in my same home in Nebraska since 1971. I started birding in late 1981 and a few months later my good friend, Andy Saunders, at that time Chief Naturalist at Fontenelle Forest, convinced me to photograph birds. I photograph the birds for documentation but obviously try for better and better photos.
I have photographed over 1400 different species world wide. Within the ABA area which is the Continental US and Canada I have seen 730 species and photographed 729 species which at one time was in the top ten in the US. 

Photos Displays are now up

We have put up “Birds of Fontenelle Forest” at the forest and “Bridges” at the Bellevue Library.

Now We Need More, Different Subjects

At the January and February meetings we will be collecting Mammals of Fontenelle Forest and Sunrise/Sunset photos.  Mammals will be a challenge –there are actually 18 mammals listed in the FF guide but some are really hard or nearly impossible to see.  

Featured Photo

Tory Ewing
Tory Ewing

Birding Video

About 11 and 1/2 minutes

In Closing

Hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday season and hope we all have a Happy New Year. Please comment below. Leave me your thoughts about doing this year’s photo contest “on line”. This means no printed photos that will hang somewhere. Our judge will judge you .jpg photo files.

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Photos for Displays

We Have Enough

Thanks to all who  sent in Bridges and FF Bird photos.      WE NOW HAVE ENOUGH.  These displays will go up in January.

Now We Need More, Different Subjects

At the January and February meetings we will be collecting Mammals of Fontenelle Forest and Sunrise/Sunset photos.  Mammals will be a challenge –there are actually 18 mammals listed in the FF guide but some are really hard or nearly impossible to see.  

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Still Need Some Display Photos

Hi Phil..Could you please send out a blast to the members that we still need some display photos this week if possible?

Birds of Fontenelle Forest

Bridges

They can be dropped off at: 

Mary & Brent Headley.   19340 J St near 192nd & Q,  bbribsyum@gmail.com

Phil Mininni.  621 S 51 Ave.  webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org

Kathleen Crawford-Rose.  123 Bellevue Blvd. S.   katcr@cox.net    

Can you please look at your many photos taken in the past and see if you have “Birds of Fontenelle Forest” and/or “Bridges”. Email the person closet to you and contact them to get your photo(s) to them.

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New Bellevue Library

Photo Club Display

From Howard Carson

Today I was in Bellevue and I stopped at the new Library. Your photo display looks great. Professional display. Just like an exhibit at a museum.

Great job. Thank you for making it look so nice.

Thank you to Donna Gray and her volunteers who worked on this new display at the new Library.

Pot Luck Dinner Christmas Slideshow

Thanks to all of you who sent in photos for the slideshow. I received photos from 12 members. See you all on December 19.

Phil

Bob Kerry Bridge by Jason Bowers

One of the photos from upcoming slideshow.

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Pot Luck Dinner Reminder

Members and Their Guest Only

Dinner will be at the forest. Show up at 7:00 PM on December 19. There will be a slideshow. And Sue Mininni is working on table center pieces that each table will raffle off for their table’s center piece. Hopefully you all have already signed up to attend and indicated type of dish to share. The club is getting fried/baked chicken and sodas/coffee.

Photo Displays

Bring your photos to December meeting (Pot Luck) for the forest and library displays.

Bridges” for the Bellevue Library

Birds of Fontenelle Forest” for the forest display

December Meeting Slideshow

I have received photos from 6 members. I would like to see more members send me photos, 3,4,or 5 photos. There is no particular theme other than to think “Anything Goes”. Send me your photo files to webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org

Treasurer’s Report

From Kathleen Crawford-Rose

Greeting all.

November 1 balance   $752.77

Income from dues          20.00

Expenses                               0

November 30 balance  $772.77

In Closing

If you cannot make it to the Pot Luck Dinner, I want to wish you all a Very, Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Happy Holidays to all of you! And did I mention we are looking for a couple of volunteers to be our president and vice president. I know this is sounding old, but we need you. Please comment below or send to me anything that is on your mind. Send to webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org

Don’t forget to send me your photos for the slideshow.

Winter Photography

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Pot Luck Dinner December 19

FF Photography Club Notice

Our December 19th meeting will be our traditional potluck dinner with a member’s anything goes slide show.

Club will provide the baked and fried chicken and drinks.  Please bring a side dish, dessert or other item to share. 

RSVP to Mary Headley by December 13th (the sooner the better)
mheadley5559@gmail.com

Please let her know if you will have a guest (they are welcome) and what you will bring (if you know).

VERY IMPORTANT!  Please send Phil, our web master,  3 to 5 slides to share with the group.

webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org

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