Oh Snap! $500 For The Winner

As published in the Rockaway Times | BY ROCKAWAY STAFF

15 FEBRUARY 2018

The Rockaway Times Photo Contest Is Back !

Hit us with your best shots (again)! The Third Annual Rockaway Times Photo Contest is now underway. As our regular feature, Local Color, shows — Rockaway is full of some talented photographers. But the contest reveals the best of the best and you don’t have to be a professional to win the top prize of $500.

Last year’s winner, Jennifer Keim, snapped a gorgeous shot of a wave splashing a bulkhead, with a sunset and the Breezy Point Lighthouse in the background. It was taken on her iPhone. The contest's judges didn’t seem to mind as they deemed hers the best among 15 finalists at a ceremony at Caracas on the boardwalk.

The boardwalk was also the site of where photos of 30 semi-finalists had their work displayed. Photo entries were blown up to poster-sized masterpieces and were displayed from Beach 19th Street to Riis Park. One of the finalists, Joe Seminara, said, “What an honor! The photos are all amazing and they add so much to the boardwalk.”

Photos submitted are also considered for the annual cover of The Rockaway Times Summer Guide. In 2016, Timmy Burke’s bike on the beach adorned the cover and last year Seminara’s shot of his surfing daughter, Maya, was chosen.

Once again, community activist and Rockaway Times columnist, John Cori, will spearhead the contest. “My main goal is to get people exposure. We have great photographers who really capture the beauty and wonderful backdrop of the peninsula, and we want to get their photos out there, instead of on their phones or on Facebook,” Cori said.

The contest, which draws more than 1,000 photos, has proven so successful it has attracted willing co-sponsors. The NYC Parks Department, the Jamaica Bay – Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC), the NYCFerry, and the Rockaway Artists Alliance (RAA) contribute time, money and manpower to make the contest a real signature event on the Rockaway calendar.

Details on judging and when photos will be displayed will be announced in the coming weeks. For now, the main news is the photo contest is now open and the categories are: Jamaica Bay (including shots on the water, Broad Channel and the bird sanctuary); Beach Life (surfing, swimming, families, fun, sunsets, if you think it fits we’ll consider it!); The Ferry (shots anywhere along the route or taken from the shore); Rockaway Action Shots (if there’s movement and it’s a great shot in Rockaway, send it in!); Pets (need we say more?).

Please, please keep in mind: you are limited to TWO (2) photos per category so only send the ones you think will compete for top honors. Photos must be high-resolution, otherwise they will not look good when enlarged for boardwalk viewing. (Or you must be able to get us a high-res version if your photo is selected).

Please email your contest entries to PhotoExpo@RockawayTimes.com and kindly tell us which category you’d like the photo(s) to be included in.

Note that any photo submitted will be used any way The Rockaway Times sees fit, including in The Rockaway Times Summer Guide. Photo credit will be given but no other compensation offered. Photos that are submitted to Local Color can also be submitted into the contest.

Snap away! The contest is open. $500 smackeroos and bragging rights forever might be yours. The DEADLINE is FRIDAY, April 13.

More info: http://rockawaytimes.com/index.php/news/3473-oh-snap-500-for-the-winner

The Rockaway Times Photo Contest is now open! Submit up to two photos per category by Friday, April 13 - your photo could be featured along the boardwalk this summer and win a $500 prize!