Rules and Conditions

  1. Entries must be taken within parks and public and private natural areas in Hays, Blanco, Comal, Guadalupe, Caldwell, and Travis Counties.
  2. Photographs must have been taken within 2 years of the entry deadline and must not have been accepted for a previous Naturescapes exhibition.
  3. Photographers 18 years and younger at the entry deadline are eligible for the Youth Category Award. Depending on the number of entries, two divisions may be created: children 12 and under, and children 13 to 18. If two divisions are created each will have a Best Youth prize.
  4. To be considered for the San Marcos Natural Area award, the photo must be taken within one of San Marcos’ six natural areas, and the entry location must clearly identify one of them: Purgatory Creek Natural Area, Spring Lake Natural Area, Ringtail Ridge Natural Area, Schulle Canyon Natural Area, Blanco Shoals Natural Area, and Sessom Creek Park.
  5. Entries will be judged on creativity, photographic quality, and effectiveness in conveying the beauty and unique character of our natural areas. The addition or subtraction of natural elements is not allowed.
    Entries that fail to comply with the rules or are unsuitable for family viewing will be disqualified.
  6. The juror will select the photographs to be displayed in the exhibition and the award winners without knowing the identity of the photographers.
  7. Photographers whose entries are selected for the exhibition are encouraged to sell their photographs.
  8. Images may be submitted only by the photographer who created them. While the photographer retains the copyright for his or her images, the Hill Country Photography Club, the Hays County Master Naturalists, the City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department, and the San Marcos Area Arts Council reserve the right to unlimited use of the photos for the organizations’ websites, displays, brochures, news releases, and other print and electronic media.
  9. The competition is open to resident and visiting photographers, amateur or professional. The contest juror is ineligible to enter photographs.
  10. To help defray contest expenses there is an entry fee.
    • For adults, a $15.00 contest entry fee is required for the first four photographs. Up to 4 additional photographs may be entered for an additional $10.00, up to a maximum of 8 entries for $25.00.
    • For youths, a $10.00 contest entry fee is required for the first four photographs. Up to 4 additional photographs may be entered for an additional $5.00, up to a maximum of 8 entries for $15.00.