Department of Entomology Texas A&M University Arthropod Image Salon Guidelines
Annually, the Department of Entomology of Texas A&M University sponsors an Arthropod Image Salon contest. The contest aims to develop and raise the visibility of photographic and creative talent in the form of a competition, followed by a public exhibition showcasing the competition winners and participants.
Rules:
- Entries should be submitted no later than the close of business (5pm) Friday, December 20, 2019
- An entry will consist of a digital image and all the requested entry form information associated with it. Images should be of sufficient quality. You may submit more than one entry per category. See additional requirements for entry form information and file names in the ‘Submissions’ section below.
- A person may submit up to 5 entries. Entries can be in one or multiple categories (see below).
- A single image can only be submitted in one category. Choose the single category you feel best suits your Image.
- One first place image will be selected for each category, and the winner will receive $50. From these category winners, one will be selected as the Best Overall Image. The individual submitting the Best Overall Image will receive $250.
- The category winners and the Best Overall Image will be announced in January 2020. Images will posted on the Website (and elsewhere) shortly after the end of the contest. All submissions become the property of the Department of Entomology for its nonexclusive use in advertising, recruiting, and other related activities.
Categories:
These categories are intended to help you enjoy the Arthropod Image Salon contest. Select the most appropriate category for each image:
- Computer Aided Images/Traditional Microscopy: Images may be taken with either a traditional microscope, scanning electron microscope, or computer aided imaging systems.
- Artistic: Images in this category are artistic images which make good use of graphic elements of design. We are looking for images that showcase line, shape, pattern, form, texture, perspective, etc. Digital manipulation to add artistic effects such as brush strokes, directional lighting etc. is fine but should be divulged on the entry form.
- Traditional Close-up: Images in this category may be taken with any type of camera (including smartphone), and any lens; macro, wide angle, standard or telephoto, but must not be taken with a microscope or any computer-aided imaging system.
- Arthropods in action: Images in this category tell a story, whether it’s a parasitoid laying eggs or a spider enjoying its latest catch.
Judging:
A panel of anonymous, volunteer judges who are not associated with any entry but with appropriate knowledge and experience will serve as judges for the competition. Images will be judged on overall photographic and artistic quality.
Submission Eligibility:
All current members (faculty, staff, and students) of the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University, and the spouses and dependents of Department members may submit entries. All entries must be the original work of the entrant.
Submissions:
Digital Formats: Images submitted will be submitted via a web form located at: https://salon.entomology.tamu.edu/2020-entry-form/
You may submit images taken with a digital camera or images taken with a film-based camera and scanned into a digital format. Photographic slides and prints are ineligible. Images can be compressed or uncompressed. Only PNG or JPEG formats will be accepted. Any file format which uses compression should be the lossless type.
Image Resolution: Images should be a minimum of 72 pixels per inch to a maximum of 300 pixels per inch.
Title: Each image submitted should have an appropriate and unique title. This is a very important part of the whole process. Titles can be whimsical or descriptive. Titles should not be the order, family, or species name, alone, as there may be multiple images of the same insect or arthropod. For example, an appropriate title would be “The Greenest Green”; an inappropriate title would be “Ant 1”.
Digital File Names: In order to keep photos organized, all file names should be in the following format: first initial/last name/number.jpg or first initial/last name/number.png [i.e.: jsmith1.jpg or jsmith2.png] Please do not include your name within the photo. Entries that have the Photographer’s name on the digital image itself will not be accepted.
Deadline: All entries must be received by close of business on December 20. Entries will not be accepted afterwards, unless the deadline is officially extended.
Entry Fees: This contest is FREE.
Entry form: The entry form is online at https://salon.entomology.tamu.edu/2020-entry-form/
Notes on digital manipulation: While digitally manipulated entries are allowed in the contest, we strongly encourage you to note your digital technique in the description of your image.
Along the same lines, when you do a substantial amount of work to the image in a digital image editing program like Adobe Photoshop®, describe the techniques that were used to manipulate the image. We understand that that tone and color correction, vignette addition and sharpening are par for the course. Those are not the kinds of techniques we are interested in.
We are interested in techniques used to dramatically change the original photo. For example, be forthright when you have used the flood filter or have created a composite out of two or more images. Art is art, but it is nice for the rest of us to know what can be done with a camera and what can’t, but also, what a true artist can do to an Image using a digital image editing program.
For further information, contact Ms. Angie Rollins at the following address:
Department of Entomology
Texas A&M University
Room 412 Heep
College Station, TX 77843-2475
Office: 979-845-2516
Email: a-rollins@tamu.edu