The 2011 National Historic Landmark Photo contest winners

by Kraig Becker on

The National Park Service has announced the winners of their 2011 National Historic Landmark photo contest, honoring 13 amazing images from some of the most iconic historical locations in the U.S.

The winning image was shot by Eric Vondy of Phoenix, Arizona who took his photo at the Pecos National Historic Park in New Mexico. The photo, which is shown here, captures the Pecos Mission Church, which dates back to 17th century Spanish colonies that were established throughout the region. The photograph also serves as a great reminder that America’s history extends back to well before the country was officially founded. Twelve other images were awarded “Honorable Mention” status for capturing such important places as Valley Forge, the Missouri Botanical Gardens, and Abraham Lincoln’s Home.

National Historic Landmarks are sites across the United States that have been designated as being particularly important to the history of the country. Roughly 2500 sites, including buildings, objects, structures, or locations, have been given this special distinction by the Secretary of the Interior for their importance on a local, state, or national level. Chances are, no matter where you are in the U.S., you’ll find one of these landmarks is not far away.

To review all of the finalists in this year’s photo contest, check out the National Park Service‘s official Flickr page. You’ll not only find some great photos, but some amazing destinations to visit yourself.

[Photo credit: Eric Vondy]

National Geographic photo contest open through the end of November

by Elizabeth Seward on

Attention photographers: there’s a National Geographic photo contest open until November 30th. The esteemed magazine is famous for spectacular photography and simultaneously famous for spectacular photo contests. The most recent photo contest is themed People, Places, and Nature. Judged by National Geographic photographers, the grand prize winner will received $10,000 as well as a trip to the National Geographic headquarters in Washington D.C. The photos will be judged on both creativity and photographic quality. National Geographic requests that the entries reflect real life, captured as it was at the moment in time that the photo was taken. If you have a great shot, enter it! (The subtext being… why not?).

Find more information on the contest here on the National Geographic website.

Win $10,000 in the 2010 National Geographic Photo Contest

by Kraig Becker on

National Geographic has launched their 2010 Photography Contest, giving one lucky shutterbug the chance to take home a prize that includes $10,000 in cash and a trip to Washington DC to attend the annual National Geographic Photography Seminar in January, 2011. But that’s not all, as the winning photograph will also be published in an upcoming issue of National Geographic magazine, which is a dream come true for many amateur and professional photographers.

Entries are being accepted in the categories of People, Places, and Nature, and all submissions must be in a digital format and uploaded from the contest’s homepage. You can enter as many photos as you would like, but there is an entry fee of $15 per image. The contest ends on November 30, 2010, so get to work on sorting through those photos.

In a few weeks time, the best submissions to date will begin to appear in web galleries online, and we’ll all be allowed to browse them and vote for our favorites. Some of the best entries will also be made into wallpapers that can be used as desktop backgrounds and some will be converted into online jigsaw puzzles as well.

For an idea of what you’re up against in this contest, check out a gallery of the best entries from last year by clicking here and then see who the overall winners were by clicking here. After perusing those galleries, I can see I have my work cut out for me.

Peeps contests: The world through marshmallow bunnies and chicks

by Jamie Rhein on

Perhaps you’ve browsed through the “Peeps in Places” photo contest entries at Intelligent Travel. People have been snapping pictures of marsmallow chicks and bunnies in a variety of spots for a chance to win a Lenox China Peep or other Peeps related prizes. [Click here for larger view of Caesar Peep by citizenkafka.]

Along with being a cool idea–wish we’d thought of it–watching the slide show is a lesson in landmarks, interesting angles, and people’s cleverness. The deadline has been extended until Monday if you get some inspiration and manage not to eat all of your Peeps before you pull out your camera.

Intelligent Travel’s Peeps contest isn’t the only one. The Washington Post runs the Peeps Diorama Contest where Peeps are featured in a variety of 3-D ways.

This contest asked entries to be related to an event or concept from the past, present or future. Last year’s winner was inspired by a trip to an Egyptian exhibit. Out of last year’s 800 entries, 37 were used in this slideshow. Clicking through it is like clicking through popular and high brow culture and news stories. The Andy Warhol inspired one reminded me of the Warhol exhibit I saw three times at the Wexner Center from last August to this past February.

This year’s winner, just up today, was inspired by Edward Hopper’s painting Nighthawks. You’ll recognize the similarity as soon as you see it. Here’s the link to this year’s Peeps Show.

The Chicago Tribune also had a Peeps contest. The “Peeps on Parade” winner this year happens to be from Columbus, Ohio. Randy Rowe paid tribute to the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz with “Wizard of Peeps.” Click here for the slideshow of the entry. Yes, you can dress up Peeps to look like Dorothy and her pals.

This contest was similar to the Washington Post contest, although the results are very different. If you look through all of this year’s entries you’ll recognize some of the top news stories.

For the first time, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review got in on the Peeps action. For their first annual contest, people were asked to create a shoebox sized scene that tied into popular culture, history or the movies. This year’s winner S’Mores Motel is a clever nod to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. A couple of these entries made me laugh. Click here for the slideshow.

This morning my kids found Peeps in their Easter basket. My mind is working overtime. There’s months to come up with something good for next year. I do have an idea for Intelligent Travel’s contest though. Maybe I’ll get an entry in under the wire.

If you’re going to be traveling this year, take Peeps along with you. They’re light, and they can’t possibly melt, although they might squish a bit. Put one in a margerine tub for safe keeping and have some fun at a famous landmark. Maybe you’ll be next year’s winner, but expect some competion from yours truly.

WetPixel Quarterly offers Gadling readers a subscription deal

by Jamie Rhein on

Here’s some Gadling reader love from WetPixel Quarterly. Any Gadling reader that subscribes to the magazine will get the first issue (September, 2007) free and $5 off a yearly subscription. This slick publication is aimed towards folks who are interested in high quality underwater photography–whether you take photos yourself or you just love the ocean. WetPixel has been an on-line worldwide network for amateur and professionals for awhile, but the magazine fills another niche.

For those of you who love to pour over pages of gorgeous, glossy photos of the deep and stay abreast of the latest discussions about marine conservation and what-not, this is a magazine you will want to have arrive in your snail mail box four times a year. The premiere issue–September 2007 includes WetPixel’s World-Underwater photo contest winners, DEEP Indonesia photo contest winners and photos by Norbert Wu. This issue, the one pictured, is your freebie.

Norbert Wu’s photographs make me really hang my head in photo shame. He takes such wonderful shots underwater and I manage to take the worst picture of a bear from dry land that there ever was. Click here for a photo he took in Antarctica. Way high up on the Wow factor. You can buy Wu’s photos and others’ from the WetPixel Quarterly Web site. You can also submit your own.

To get this subscription deal use the Promocode GADLINGRULES when you subscribe via the Web site. If you subscribe by phone, call +1-415-449-1456. Remember to use GADLINGRULES.

The advantages of subscribing are that you get 30% off the newsstand price and access to the Web site’s Member’s Only section where there are more articles and information about the photographs. Wouldn’t this magazine subscription make a lovely gift? No time to have the first issue show up on time? Print off a copy of the homepage and put it in a gift box or gift bag with a note of what’s to come.