We are looking for great photographs to market our picturesque and activity-filled Virginia State Parks. We know our visitors have been snapping away all year and probably have just what we need so it sounds like it is time for a photo contest and there are over $5,000 in prizes.

Whether you have already taken some great shots or want to venture out to a park to take some now, you have between Aug. 1 and Sept. 4 to submit your photos to our contest site. 

Your cell phone or point and shoot camera will also take some great photos

It's easy to enter - go to our contest site OR enter on Facebook (sorry, you can only enter using Facebook on your computer)

We are featuring seven different categories:

• All About Water - photos depicting swimming, use of watercraft, or scenic views where a body of water is featured.
• Camping and Campfires - photos showing activities on campsites and any campfire photo including those that may be located at a cabin.
• Food Glorious Food - photos showing picnics, campfire cooking, and where food is featured. Don't forget the s'mores.
• Library Backpacks in Action - photos showing use of one of the nature backpacks checked out from your local library. For details on the program and to find a library near you check out this article. Note: the article was written before we opened our 37th state park in Sept. 2016. 
• Kids Just Wanna Have Fun - photos showing any variety of children activities including participating in park programs, discovering nature, using GPS units and cameras.
• Cabin Life - photos showing fun in and around your rental cabin/camping cabin/bunkhouse/yurt or scenic photos that feature our overnight rental structures.
• Nature's Beauty - photos showing nature photography including close up or distant flora and fauna, or scenic views featuring natural landscapes, sunrises and sunsets.

You may only enter a photo in one category, but you can enter a total of ten different photos during the contest.

Please read all of the rules but two key requirements are that the photo must have been taken in a Virginia State Park during 2017.

If you go to enter your photo and the park doesn't show in the list, I'm afraid it's because it isn't one of our Virginia State Parks or you have the name wrong.

We have some terrific prizes lined up:

Show your enthusiasm for your favorite photos by voting on them and share them on your favorite social media sites.

You can vote and/or comment once per entry every day beginning 10 a.m. ET on Aug. 1 and ending 10 p.m. ET Sept. 10. The voting will not be used to determine the winners.

Winners will be selected by our marketing staff.

All decisions are final including any disqualification due to contest rule violations. Prizes will be announced in a blog post published on the Virginia State Parks website no later than 3 p.m. Sept. 30, 2017. All winning photos and photographers will be included in the article. Please remember that entering your photo means we have all rights to use your photograph (see rules for details). 

I can't stress enough how important it is to read the entire contest rules.

In addition to what you must and must not do, and the necessary but boring legal stuff, there are some great tips there to help you submit only pictures we will consider as prize winners. You can find the complete rules here AND where you go to enter the contest. If, AFTER READING THE RULES, you still have questions, feel free to email me.