Images of Illinois 2018 Photography Competition

Images of Illinois 2018 is a photography competition celebrating the wonders of Illinois. Photographers are invited to submit their best shots taken anywhere in Illinois or on its waters. The competition offers over $600 in cash and prizes, with Best in Show receiving $300 cash, Adult 1st place winners in each category receiving $75 cash, and Teen/Youth 1st place winners receiving gift certificates to local retailers.

Photographs must be taken within Illinois state boundaries or upon its waters and must not have been entered in past Images of Illinois contests. Three photographer classes are available: Adult, Teen (13-17), and Youth (12 and under). Four categories are offered: People, Places, Nature, and Altered Images. A maximum of 10 entries may be submitted per artist. Entry fees are $10 per entry for adults and $5 per entry for youth. Photographs must be submitted in JPEG format only, with no smaller than 1920 pixels on the longest side and 72 ppi/dpi resolution. Watermarks, dates, signatures, or copyright marks are not permitted on images. Nude or inappropriate photography will not be accepted.

Winning photographs will be featured in Illinois Times and displayed at the SAA Collective gallery from July 5-26, 2018. An exhibition reception and award ceremony will be held July 10, 2018 from 5-7 p.m., free and open to the public. Winners will be announced July 5, 2018. Judging will award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each category within each photographer class, with one "Best of Show" selected from all submissions. All eligible entries will be displayed digitally at the reception, and winning images will be printed and exhibited. Contest proceeds benefit the operations of the SAA Collective, a department of the Springfield Art Association, a nonprofit visual arts organization.