Jessica Luton
EATONTON — Area photographers looking to show off that perfectly captured moment have a new avenue to display their work, thanks to the Eatonton Putnam Arts Foundation (EPAF).
From Feb. 1 until March 1, the EPAF will be accepting submissions for the first-ever Amateur Photography Show and Contest that will be held at the Eatonton Plaza Arts Center located at 305 N. Madison Avenue in Eatonton.
Event organizer Marsh Sichveland said the idea to host a photography contest was the result of an inquiry from local photographer Virginia Linch.
“Well, an amateur photographer who lives near here asked me if we’d ever considered having a photography contest,” said Sichveland. “And I said, ‘Well that’s grand. Would you like to be the chairman?’”
After contemplating on the idea for a few minutes, Linch agreed and they worked together to create guidelines and plan for the new event.
“We really are hoping that people will enter that have never entered a show before and we’re just looking for a big group of people who are interested in photography,” she said, adding that the arts foundation hopes to make this an annual event.
Photographers can submit photos in 12 categories which include nature, pets, black and white, humorous, love, creative, sports, joy, Holidaze, perfectly Putnam and action sequence.
Each submission is $10 individually, $50 for six entries or $100 for 12 entries. All photos must be submitted in the printed form and as an electronic JPG or TIFF format and each submission must be matted.
Following submissions by the public, a judge will select the winning photos in each category and award first and second prize ribbons.
Additionally, a “Best in Show” winner will be chosen by the judge and awarded a $250 cash prize.
When the event opens at The Plaza March 10, the first and second place ribbon winners, as well as the “Best in Show” winner will be announced and on display for the
public.
As the show is on display March 10 through March 27, the public will vote for a favorite photograph and a “People’s Choice” winner will be named based on the public vote.
The show will be open for viewing from the public Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Sundays from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.
The winner of the “People’s Choice” award will be awarded a trophy March 28.
For more information and submission guidelines, please visit the Eatonton Plaza Arts Center Web site at www.plazaartscenter.com.
For questions regarding the contest, please contact Marsha Sichveland at (706) 485-6515, Virginia Linch at (706) 485-4054 or e-mail questions to putnamsnapper@gmail.com
