Memorial Day 2025

Veterans Memorial Photography Contest

“Honor the Sacrifice.  Celebrate the Service.”

 Sponsored by

Lake Cherokee Photography Club

and

Lake Cherokee Community Foundation (LCCF)

The Lake Cherokee Photography Club and LCCF are co-sponsoring a Photo Contest with the purpose of raising awareness of the Lake Cherokee Veterans Memorial. The subject is the Lake Cherokee Veterans Memorial and winners will be announced over Memorial Day weekend.

Rules

 Term:

Contest begins March 11, 2025 and ends Sunday, May 4 @ Midnight.

Eligibility: 

Photographer must be affiliated with Lake Cherokee, either as shareholder, resident, immediate family of shareholder, or CWC staff

Entry fee: 

$10 per image to be paid online or by check.

ONLINE: After submission, select PAY button below. All online credit card charges are subject to 3% added for PayPal and credit card fees. In the comment area, please write “photo contest” and photographer’s name so we can match entry with payment.

CHECK BY MAIL: Make check payable to Lake Cherokee Community Foundation (LCCF). Mail to LCCF, PO Box 7083, Longview, TX 75607. In the comment area, please write “photo contest” and photographer’s name so we can match entry with payment.

All proceeds received from this contest will go towards prize money and mounting hard copy images of winning entries.  If proceeds exceed expenses, depending on excess, LCCF may bolster prize package or move money to general funds for future photo contests or programs.  See LCCF website for programs and funds.

What to enter:

• Each photographer can enter up to 3 images.

• Images must include the Lake Cherokee Veterans Memorial, in whole or a recognizable portion.  The theme for our Memorial Day celebration is “Honor the Sacrifice.  Celebrate the Service”.  Images may include people, animals, or other objects that tell a story, or, simply your viewpoint of the Memorial by land, water, or air.

• For a photo in which a person is recognizable, you must be prepared to provide a model release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parent or guardian.  A sample model release is available here.

• Cropped photos are eligible.  Minor adjustments, including the removal of sensor dust or scratches on scans of negatives, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast, toning, slight color adjustment and conversion to grayscale are acceptable.  The addition and subtraction of objects is not permitted.  If the judges determine that a photographer has altered his or her photo beyond normal photojournalism best practices, they reserve the right to disqualify it.  Images generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) are not permitted.

• Photos must be taken in accordance with federal, state and local laws.  Please also consider ethical guidelines and refrain from images that may be considered offensive by any member of our community.

• You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant LCCF permission (at no charge) to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media not existing or later developed, for the purpose of promoting the Veterans Memorial.  When possible, we will give photographer credit.

• Image Resolution

  • 300 pixels per inch (PPI) or dots per inch (DPI)

  • Recommendations if you plan to print your images in future.

    • 8.5 x 11: Good quality = 2550px W x 3300px H. Excellent=3400 x 4400

    • 11 x 17: Good quality=3300 x 5100. Excellent quality=4400 x 6800

Prizes:

Prize money will be determined based on entry fees collected and photo contest sponsorship.

• 1st Place

• 2nd Place

• 3rd Place

• Honorable Mentions – recognition on websites, social media and Chatter article.

Judging:

• Photo entries will be judged based on creativity, quality, originality, emotional impact/storytelling, and adherence to the theme. 

• All images will be de-identified for judging.

• Remove any identifiable names imbedded in image.

Notification: 

• All entrants will receive an email prior to Memorial weekend announcing the winners. 

• Winning entries will be posted on websites and social media. 

• Prints of winning entries may also be displayed at the Memorial weekend Summer Kick-Off Party at the Island – Saturday, May 24th and at our first Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 26th. 

• Winning entrants will receive emails with instructions to receive prizes.