Wikipedia:Meetup/NYC/Prospect Park nature photo contest

Wiki Loves NYC Parks! The contest has ended! Click here for the winners!

Essential information

 * What: A nature photography contest hosted by Wikimedia New York City
 * Where: Prospect Park
 * When: September 18 - October 31, 2021
 * Why: Become part of the largest free media repository and the most popular encyclopedia in the world. Also, prizes!

Convenience note: This page has a long url, but can also be accessed using the shorturl https://enwp.org/WP:PROSPECTPARK2021

This event is also listed on the Prospect Park website.

What is Wikimedia Commons?
Wikimedia Commons is the largest repository of free-to-use images in the world. It's home to more than 60 million pictures, including the photos and illustrations you see in Wikipedia articles. Without photographers uploading their work to Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia would just be text! If you take a high quality photo during this contest, in addition to possibly winning a prize, it might wind up being seen by millions of people through Wikipedia.

What is Wikimedia New York City?
Wikimedia New York City is a local nonprofit which brings New York together to share in the free knowledge ecosystem. It runs events with the people and institutions of New York to help people contribute to projects like Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. To learn more about us and to find future free events, check out our page on Wikipedia.

How to enter
Take pictures of birds, plants, insects, trees, squirrels, the lake, or any other nature in Prospect Park and upload them to Wikimedia Commons using this link. If you don't already have an account, you'll be prompted to create one. When you do, be sure to include your email address. Winners will be notified on their Wikimedia Commons "user page" and notified with the email you provide when you sign up.

Who can participate?
Anyone! This competition invites brand new and experienced photographers, nature-lovers, and other park-goers to take pictures and upload them to Wikimedia Commons.

Rules

 * Photos must be your own work.
 * Photos must be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons during the contest period, September 18 - October 31, 2021
 * Photos must be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by October 31 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Uploads after that time will not be considered, so please allow some extra time to be safe. See below for how to get help.
 * Note: Photos taken before the contest period are allowed. If you have an excellent nature picture of Prospect Park taken in the past, you're welcome to upload that, too. If you've previously published the photo (for example, posting to social media), you may be contacted to complete an additional step to make sure you're the same person who published it elsewhere.
 * Photos must be taken inside Prospect Park. For the purposes of this contest, that does not include Brooklyn Botanic Garden (although we love BBG and would love to run an event with them in the future!).
 * Photos must depict nature in some form. This will mostly include wildlife and plants, but we have an open mind! The only animals which cannot win prizes are pets and captive animals inside the zoo. Also, please don't feed the wildlife!

Prizes
Prizes will be awarded in several categories. One photographer may be eligible to win two prizes, but one photo cannot win more than one prize.

Because of the time of year, prizes are focused on birds and plants/trees, but all photos of nature are welcome!


 * Best overall
 * First place - $150
 * Second place - $100
 * Birds
 * First place - $100
 * Second place - $50
 * Trees and plants
 * First place - $100
 * Second place - $50
 * Other wildlife
 * Best insect - $50
 * Best animal other than birds (squirrels, rabbits, fish, chipmunks, turtles, etc.) - $50
 * Best photo taken with a phone camera - $25
 * Creativity prize - $25

Judging
A volunteer jury will judge the photos following the conclusion of the contest.
 * Felicity Frisbie, Creative Director of the Prospect Park Alliance
 * Tony Jin, New York metro-based Wikimedia Commons photographer
 * Andreas Vesterlund, Brooklyn-based photographer and artist

Got questions?
If you have questions about the contest, either leave a message on the discussion page (where your comments will be public), or email ryan [AT] wikimedianyc.org