Have you taken some exciting insect pictures lately? You should enter them in the 2024 Insect Photo Salon!
Deadline
All entries must be received by April 1 (see submission section below for details).
Submission Rules
Entries must be submitted electronically. Contestants may enter up to two submissions per category. Submitted images become the property of the SWB-ESA and winning photos will be posted to the website after judging.
Entries must be original work created solely by the entrant. Only minor cosmetic corrections (e.g., cropping, light and/or contrast adjustments, etc.) are allowed, except for images submitted into the “Artistic” category (details below).
Judging and Awards
The SWB-ESA Student Affairs Committee (SAC) will judge photos based on technique, aesthetic appeal and overall impact. Winners will be announced during the Awards Banquet on Wednesday evening of the annual branch meeting. Category winners will be awarded with a certificate of achievement and a cash prize. Although multiple submissions are encouraged, each entrant is limited to winning only one of the photo categories.
Eligibility
All current members of the SWB-ESA and/or Society of Southwestern Entomologists are eligible to compete. Winning contestants who do not attend the meeting will be notified by email and mailed their awards.
Categories
- Traditional Macro – Close up photography of a living or non-living insect/insects or insect material.
- Microphotography – Microscopic photography (i.e., light microscope or scanning electron microscope) of living or non-living insect/insects or insect material.
- Arthropods in action – Images demonstrate action or tell a story. It may include a single image or a sequence composed of up to 3 photos.
- Artistic – Photo manipulation and editing may be used on photographs of insects or insect-related content. Photo editing should contribute to the creativity of the photo.
*All submissions are automatically entered into the running for Best Overall Image*
Submissions
- Images and supporting information must be submitted electronically to the SWB Insect Photo Salon and Connor Cavett. Please send separate emails if submitting to more than one image category.
Image Format and Size
JPEG or TIFF formats will be accepted. Images should be of sufficient size and quality to display clearly when resized to fit within a slideshow. Files should not exceed 2 MB. Larger files are unnecessary as image quality will be restricted to the maximum resolution attained in Microsoft PowerPoint and through standard projecting equipment. Please name files with your initials followed by a number (e.g. ceh1.jpg, ceh2.jpg)
Supporting Information
Please clearly list the following supporting information in the body of your email or in an attached document. For each photo submitted, please include these additional details:
- Entrant’s full name.
- Academic or work affiliation (optional).
- Category. *The Photo Salon subcommittee reserves the right to change the specified image category as deemed necessary.
- Title. This may be descriptive or creative and will be displayed alongside the image when it is presented.
- Brief description. Please explain your submission in 1-2 sentences. This may include the subject (e.g., common name and/or species name), location, season or time of day, camera and lens used or any other relevant information.
Please direct any questions to Connor Cavett of the SWB-ESA Student Affairs Committee.