May 26, 2014. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and RaysWeather.Com, are partnering yet again to produce a 2015 Blue Ridge Parkway Calendar.
RaysWeather.Com has sponsored a photo contest and a calendar featuring photos from NW North Carolina for the past ten years. For the 2015 Calendar, the photo contest solicits photographs the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway (from Waynesboro VA to Cherokee NC and everything in between). A portion of the proceeds from calendar sales will be donated to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.
The photo contest is open for submissions until June 8, 2014. They are looking for the best, most unique photos capturing the beauty, activities, and essence of the Blue Ridge Parkway in all seasons of the year. For additional information visit http://www.raysweather.com/Photo+Contest
Contest Criteria and Process
At the end of the submission period, photos will be screened by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and RaysWeather.Com to determine a group of finalists. These Finalists will be posted on the contest pages for two weeks to solicit reader votes (June 11 to June 25). Based on the voting, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and RaysWeather.Com will make final decisions regarding winners based on technical quality, uniqueness, and producing a calendar of highest quality with appropriate diversity of geography, activities, scenes, flora, fauna, etc. Because of the calendar layout, all photos will be printed 14-inches wide and 9.5-inches tall; so, photos must be appropriate for printing in that size and orientation. They will announce winners in early July.
Prizes
The Grand Prize Winner (selected for the calendar cover) will receive a $200 RaysMarketplace.com gift certificate and a $200 cash prize. Additionally, three photos per season will be selected for inclusion in the 2015 Calendar; each of these photographers will receive a $100 RaysMarketplace.com gift certificate.
Contest Rules
- Original must be available in at least 2400 x 1600 pixels (minimum 1 MB).
- Images must depict scenes of or from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- All submissions must be made through the calendar submission web pages. Prints, slides, etc. will not be accepted. (However, high quality digital images from prints/slides may be submitted.)
- Limit 3 entries per photographer per season (additional entries will NOT be considered).
- The person submitting must be the photographer.
- The photographer grants the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and RaysWeather.Com exclusive rights to use the image in the calendar, postcards, note cards, and the website.
- The photographer must have the specific permission for use of the image from any person recognizable in the photo.
- Employees of RaysWeather.Com or the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and their families are not eligible.
About the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior, is the primary fundraiser and trusted steward of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Foundation is forever committed to preserving the past, enhancing the present, and safeguarding the future of America’s Favorite Journey®. We are proud to serve and support this extraordinary environment that connects the spirit of countless people through a twisting ribbon of mountain road. We are a strong defender of the Parkway, funding needed projects that enhance and protect the natural, cultural, historic, and recreational qualities that make the Blue Ridge Parkway an American treasure.
About Raysweather.com
RaysWeather.com began in 1999 with Ray, one backyard weather station, and a wintertime snow forecast. From that small start, RaysWeather.com now boasts a total of 5 office staff and 5 forecasters and meteorologists covering the mountain region from Waynesville to Sparta. In 2014 RaysWeather.com launched BRPweather.com and BRPwebcams.org in a partnership with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, The Blue Ridge Parkway, and Appalachian State University.