'We pine for East Texas' photo competition is under way

Amateur photographers can compete for top honors and $3,250 in prize monies in an online photo contest conducted by Texas Forest Trail Region for use in promoting East Texas heritage and culture.

Titled “We Pine for East Texas,” the photo contest calls for original, full-color photographs that reflect the wonder, the uniqueness, and the character of the Texas Forest Trail Region, a 35-county area of East Texas. Suggested ideas for the photo subjects are regional events, family fun, nature scenes, East Texas heritage, remarkable East Texans, and the unique ways of East Texas culture. The submitted photos will be used in publications and social media to market the region and credit is given to the photographers.

After the four-week entry period ends April 7, the public votes on a Fan Favorite in a seven-day competition. The photographer of the Fan Favorite winner also receives a cash prize of $100. Being awarded Fan Favorite winner does not preclude an entrant from winning a judges’ award. Last year’s Fan Favorite by Nacogdoches photographer Robin Johnson also won the judges’ award in the Family Fun category and has been published in at least two travel magazines including Texas Monthly, with photo credit.

Judges select one white ribbon grand prize winner ($500), four blue ribbon winners ($250 each), and five red ribbon winners ($100). The winning entries are announced May 2, during the start of Tourism Month on the organization’s Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/texasforesttrail.

In addition to the Texas Forest Trail Region winners, the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, Nacogdoches Main Street, and Shelby County Chamber of Commerce are each sponsoring cash prizes for winning photographs in their designated categories.

“Nothing quite tells the story of a place like a striking photograph,” says George Fite, Texas Forest Trail Region board president and city secretary for the city of Hughes Springs. “We strive to tell the stories that celebrate East Texas heritage and culture and this collection will be a visual representation of that.”

OVERVIEW OF THE RULES

·         The complete photography contest rules, guidelines for subject matter, submission requirements, prize information, and legal considerations can be found at www.TexasForestTrail.com/photo.

·         Images are judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact, artistic merit, and support for the mission of Texas Forest Trail Region which is to advocate for and promote the region’s 35-county service area as an integral part of the Texas experience. The East Texas counties are Anderson, Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Hardin, Harrison, Henderson, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Marion, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Walker and Wood.

·         The contest is open to all U.S. residents 18 years of age and older, and who are not affiliated with the Texas Forest Trail Region.

·         Photographers are limited to three entries that have been taken in a county served by the Texas Forest Trail. Photos may only be submitted online through the Facebook© page of Texas Forest Trail Region.

The Texas Forest Trail Region is a regional tourism initiative developed by the Texas Historical Commission that helps Texans connect with their roots and for visitors to experience the Texas story in 35 counties of East Texas.  For more information, contact Texas Forest Trail Region Executive Director Mary Turner at 936-560-3699 and info@texasforesttrail.com, or visit www.texasforesttrail.com