Downtown Petoskey’s 2nd Annual Calendar Photo Contest begins February 14, 2024, and ends April 8, 2024, at 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. By submitting an entry, each contestant agrees to the contest’s rules and states that they are 18 or older. Click here for the official entry form.
Who may enter: All Amateur and Professional photographers are welcome.
What to enter: The Downtown Management Board (DMB) Marketing Committee is looking for photography that promotes the experience and virtues of historic Downtown Petoskey as a shopping, dining, lodging, and leisure time destination for locals, resorters, and visitors to the area.
To be eligible, a photograph must have been shot by the entrant since January 1, 2020. This date applies to all images in a composite. The contestant certifies that they are the submitted photograph’s sole creator and the copyright owner. Photos must be of Downtown Petoskey, not the Petoskey area, but specifically Downtown Petoskey.
Cropped photos are eligible in all categories. Minor adjustments are acceptable for all categories, including removing sensor dust or scratches on scans of negatives, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast, toning, slight color adjustment, and conversion to grayscale. The addition and subtraction of objects is not permitted.
For a photo in which a person is recognizable, you must be prepared to provide a model release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parent or guardian to the Downtown Petoskey DMB upon request.
Similarly, entrants whose photos depict other people’s work (such as sculptures, statues, paintings, and other copyrightable works) must be prepared to provide a release from the rights holder to the Downtown Petoskey DMB upon request. When photographing the work of others, it must be as an object in its environment and not a full-frame close-up of another person’s creation.
Suppose the entrant is unable to provide all required releases. In that case, in its sole discretion, the Downtown Petoskey DMB reserves the right to disqualify the submission, seek to secure the necessary releases or permit the submission to remain in the contest.
Photos must be taken in accordance with federal, state, and local laws.
Images that violate or infringe upon another person’s rights, including but not limited to the copyright, are not eligible.
How to Enter:
Please submit photographs and requested information online through our website at www.petoskeydowntown.com or this link. You may submit up to 5 photos. You must complete a separate form for each photo submitted.
- Horizontal orientation only
- Digital files may be provided in one of the following formats: jpg, tiff, psd, png.
- At the printable size of 8” x 10”, the image resolution must be at least 300 pixels/in (in terms of pixel dimensions, that would be 1800 x 2250). If you are unfamiliar with these terms, don’t be discouraged. Sufficient image resolution can usually be achieved by simply using the largest image size setting on your camera.
We will not accept photographs submitted through the mail and will not accept more than one contestant per e-mail address. High-quality scans of non-digital photographs are acceptable. Digital photographs should be taken at the highest resolution possible.
Finalists must be prepared to submit an original, unedited digital file or an original negative, print, or slide. Original negatives, prints, or slides will be returned to finalists. Downtown Petoskey reserves the right to disqualify incomplete entries and/or contestants who are unable to submit, upon request, a high-resolution photograph of at least 300 dpi at 3,000 pixels on the longest side or an original photo negative, print, or slide.
Downtown Petoskey may collect a photograph’s metadata upon entry.
You will retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant the Downtown Petoskey DMB (and those authorized by the Downtown Petoskey DMB) a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce, and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any purpose, including, but not limited to advertising and promotion of the downtown district and its website, exhibition, and commercial products (this includes any sales of products utilizing the photograph), including but not limited to Downtown Petoskey DMB publications. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. The Downtown Petoskey DMB will not be required to pay additional consideration or seek approval in connection with such uses.
Use of your personal data:
Participation in the contest requires the collection of your name and email address. By entering this contest, you consent to use your name and email address for further communications regarding this contest.
Entry deadline:
The contest begins on February 14, 2024. All entries must be received through Petoskeydowntown.com by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on April 8, 2024.
Judging
Photo entries will be judged based on creativity, quality, originality, responsiveness to the prompt, and overall impact. The Downtown Petoskey Marketing Committee will select 14 winners. Downtown Petoskey DMB staff will notify winners via the contact information provided at the time of entry; Downtown Petoskey may disqualify anyone who fails to respond to the notification within five business days. Please do not contact us about the status of entries or judging.
Prizes:
Winners will receive the following:
$150 in Downtown Dollars
Photo published in the Downtown Petoskey 2025Annual Calendar with photography credit
Free Calendar with published photo
Winners must sign a release and license and a declaration of eligibility and be responsible for paying any fees or taxes associated with the prize. All prizes are awarded “as is” and are non-transferable.
Online Features:
Downtown Petoskey may select photos for highlight on its website or display them in a publicly accessible contest archive. Such selections will be made at Downtown Petoskey’s sole discretion.
Conditions of Entry:
All entrants hold the City of Petoskey/Downtown Petoskey and their respective officers, employees, interns, and volunteers (the “Indemnified Parties”) harmless from and against all claims of any nature arising in connection with entrant’s participation in the contest and acceptance or use of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not liable for any costs, damages, injuries, or other claims incurred because of entrants’ participation in the contest or winner’s acceptance and usage of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not responsible for incomplete or misdirected entries, technical or network malfunctions or failures, or causes beyond their control. Entrants are solely responsible for their entries. Entrants may not submit materials that introduce any software viruses, worms or other programs designed to damage software, hardware or telecommunications equipment.
The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. Downtown Petoskey reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at its discretion. In the event of a dispute regarding the winners, the Downtown Petoskey DMB reserves the right to award or not award the prizes in its sole discretion. Downtown Petoskey reserves the right to disqualify any entrant whose entry or conduct appears in any way to: inhibit the enjoyment of others; tamper with the competition; violate these rules or other applicable law or regulation; infringe on the rights of third parties; or act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Decisions of Downtown Petoskey are final and binding.
Every entrant in the contest will need to fill out the consent/release form. The model release is necessary only when a third party is depicted in the photo.