Hurry! The contest deadline, January 15th, is quickly approaching! 

SE Uplift’s photo contest offers an opportunity to see our neighborhoods through Portland’s unique lens.

So, what makes a photograph a SE Uplift winner? Technical quality, clarity and composition are all important, but the ability to capture the essence of neighborhood spirit in a single click is what we are really looking for. 

Please read all the rules carefully and completely before entering.
 
Eligibility: SE Uplift’s 2009 Photo Contest is open to amateur photographers of any age who live, work or play within the Southeast Uplift Coalition boundaries. "Amateur photographers" are defined as anyone who makes less than 5% of their income from taking photographs, and is not a member of a professional photo organization.

Contest Period: Submissions will be accepted from September 30, 2009 at 8:00 AM through January 15, 2010 at 5:00 PM. Photos must have been taken within the last 10 years.
 
Photo Criteria: All entries must be taken within the SE Uplift coalition boundaries (see our coalition map) and relate to the neighborhood. Photographs that are inappropriate, indecent or obscene, as determined by SE Uplift, will be disqualified.
 
All photographs must be original images taken by the entrant and cannot have been previously published. Your submission of each photograph is your guarantee that you are the author and copyright holder of the photograph. Your submission also guarantees you’ve obtained permission of all identifiable people in photos to use their image. Finalists will be asked to sign a photo waiver form.
 
Photos that have been noticeably digitally manipulated will be disqualified. SE Uplift reserves the right to edit, adapt and publish any or all of the photos submitted and may use them in any media without attribution or compensation to the contestant. Submission of an entry gives SE Uplift unrestricted, non-exclusive rights to use photographs without compensation.
 
Dimensions and Form: A .jpeg or .tiff file is required. Winning images less than 2500 x 1500 pixels must have a higher resolution version available upon request. Photo entries with the required dimensions will also be accepted on CD through the mail. Film photos may be scanned and saved on a CD as a .jpeg or .tiff by your local photo developer.
 
How to Enter: Mail in or drop off up to three (3) photos on a CD. Send CD entries to SE Uplift Neighborhood Photo Contest, 3534 SE Main. Portland, OR 97214. Photos can be emailed* to blythe@southeastuplift.org. All submissions must include information identifying location, a title or caption, photographer’s complete name, address, daytime phone number and email address.  If the photo contains recognizable people include their names identified from left to right and from front to back. If the photo includes children you must have obtained permission from a custodial parent for the picture to be publicly displayed or published on the internet. All entries will become part of SE Uplift’s permanent photo collection and will not be returned. 

*Emailed submissions must not exceed 1M. If your image is selected you will be required to submit an image 3300 x 4200 (300 DPI).

Deadline: The contest officially ends January 15, 2010 at 5:00 PM. (PST). Entries received on CD must be postmarked by January 12, 2010.

Judging: Judges will choose the contest winners based on the following criteria:

• Neighborhood representation.
• Depiction of neighborhood history, culture, recreation, human interest and/or community. For example: Neighborhood landmark, community event. 
• Technical execution, including composition, lighting, overall quality and resolution.
• Creativity.

Winners: Winners will be notified by phone or email no later than February 2, 2010. Photos will be on display at SE Uplift beginning March 5, 2010.

One winner from each of the 20 neighborhoods will be chosen.  Winning photographs will be printed, framed and displayed permanently at SE Uplift.
 
Other uses: Photos submitted to the Contest, but not chosen, may be used in future SE Uplift print and online communications.

Now get out there and take your best shot!