County Seeks Scenic Photos of Environmental Lands

News Report

With thousands of acres of environmental lands to serve as their inspiration, amateur and professional photographers are invited to submit their best photos depicting Hillsborough County natural beauty in the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program’s (ELAPP) Calendar Photo Contest.

Photographers should submit their best photos of ELAPP properties throughout the county between now and Sept. 24 to Ross Dickerson, Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department.

Voting runs from July 30  to Oct. 1. Qualifying photos will be posted on the county’s Facebook Page on a weekly basis. The public can vote for the best photos.

All photos must be taken at a Hillsborough County ELAPP site. (View the list of all sites at the county's website) and submitted via email.

If the photo is taken by a minor, a parent or legal guardian must submit the photo giving permission for the child to participate.

The photo must be the photographer’s original work.

The file name must include the photographer’s last name and photo     title, i.e. smithnaturescene.jpg.

The photograph must be high resolution. Those unsure of the camera settings should set the camera to the highest quality available.

Photographs must be emailed to Dickerson with the following information:
Photographer’s full name and age
Photographer’s email address and phone number
Photograph title
Name of ELAPP site where photo was taken
Brief description of picture location or GPS coordinates

The first-place winner will receive a private canoe tour of Cockroach Bay Preserve and the top 12 winners will receive a Tampa Bay Pontoon boat tour.

Besides being included in the 2013 ELAPP Calendar, the top 12 photos will be featured in County Center window cases, posted on the county’s website and used in other Hillsborough County publications.

Locate ELAPP Sites

Local sites include the Alafia River Corridor Preserve in Lithia, the Alafia Scrub Preserve in Riverview, Aldermans Ford Preserve in Lithia, Balm-Boyette Scrub Preserve in Lithia, Bell Creek Preserve in Riverview, Boy Scout Preserve in Lithia, FishHawk Preserve in Lithia, Lithia Springs Preserve in Valrico, Rhodine Scrub Preserve in Riverview and Triple Creek Preserve in Riverview.

Cast Your Vote

The qualifying photos will be posted on the county’s Facebook page from July 30 to Oct. 1. The public is invited to participate in selecting the best photos by clicking “Like” on their favorite photo. The Facebook photo album will be updated weekly. A panel of judges from the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department will select up to 20 percent of the top-voted photos for selection to the calendar to ensure the broadest representation from more than 60 ELAPP sites.

Copyright Release

By submitting a photograph for consideration in the county's ELAPP Calendar Photo Contest, the person sending the submission is certifying and acknowledging that:

               (a)    he/she is the photographer and owner of the photograph;

               (b)    he/she has obtained the permission of the person(s) whose image appears in the photograph to use the person's image and to publish the photograph;

               (c)    in the case of minor children (children under the age of 18), that the photographer has obtained the written permission of the minor child's parent or guardian to use the child's image and to publish the photograph;

               (d)    he/she gives Hillsborough County permission to use, publish and print the photograph on/at the county's Facebook page, the 2013 ELAPP Calendar, the County Center, the county's website and other county sites, locations and publications for a period of five years beginning on the date the photograph is submitted to the county for consideration in the ELAPP Calendar Photo Contest;

               (e)    his/her participation in the ELAPP Calendar Photo Contest is voluntary and that he/she will not receive financial compensation of any type associated with the taking, publication or marketing of the photograph; and

               (f)    the county's use and publication of the photograph confers no right of ownership of the photograph to the county whatsoever.

About ELAPP

The Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program was established to conserve and protect lands that are environmentally unique, irreplaceable and valued ecological resources.

For more information, contact Conservation Services at 813-672-7876.