2010 Guidelines

Submission Dates: July 1 through August 1 2010

Entries received before July 1 or postmarked after August 1 will be sent back or discarded.

Students must submit a photo using the appropriate proverb, simile, or idiom as their theme.

A proverb can be defined as: A phrase expressing a basic truth which may be applied to common situations.

A simile can be defined as: a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with “like” or “as”).

An idiom can be defined as: A phrase characteristic of a particular language that cannot necessarily be fully understood from the separate meanings of the individual words.

Category 1: Actions speak louder than words
—Proverb

Category 2: As useless as a chocolate teapot
—Simile

Category 3: A blessing in disguise
—Idiom

We try to choose themes that will leave a lot of room for the imagination and interpretation of the students. We want students to come up with their own ideas of what best illustrates the given theme without us dictating the response.

When you ponder the theme, what comes to mind? Take it from there and be creative. We hope that students will come up with many imaginative ideas to fit the theme. Our judges love it when a student comes up with something they had not thought of before.

Who

Category 1: Homeschoolers ages 7 to 10 as of July 1, 2010.
Category 2: Homeschoolers ages 11 to 14 as of July 1, 2010.
Category 3: Homeschoolers ages 15 to 19 as of July 1, 2010.

For the purposes of this contest an eligible student must have been home educated in the past year and received a majority of his or her education in the past year through home education.

Format

1. 8”x10” color or black & white print on photo paper.
2. Prints should NOT be framed or matted.

Fee

1. $10.00—HSLDA Member Discounted Entry Fee
2. $15.00—Regular Entry Fee

The check should be made payable to “HSLDA” with a note of “Photography Contest” in the memo line. Please do not enclose cash.

Entry

1. One entry per person.
2. Entries must include a completed and signed entry form.
3. Do not put entrant’s name anywhere on the photo. You may, however, put entrant’s phone number on the back.
4. Entries must include entry fee (check or money order).
5. Original photos only. No digital manipulation or touchup is allowed, except for cropping, adjustments to contrast, hue, saturation, tone, and sharpness. These techniques must be applied to the image as a whole, not to only certain areas. Traditional techniques during film development and printing are allowed. In other words, we're more interested in the skill of the photographer than in his or her ability to manipulate an image in the darkroom, digital or otherwise.

Timeline

1. Entries must be received or postmarked by August 1, 2010.
2. 2. Winners will be notified by letter and/or email and announced on HSLDA's website and e-lert service by mid-September 2010.

Mailing

Photos should be mailed to:

HSLDA
Attn: Photography Contest
One Patrick Henry Circle
Purcellville, VA 20132-3197

Judging

Judges will select three winners and two honorable mentions in each category. Judging will be made based on subject, creativity, and composition. The decision of the judges is final.

Prizes for Each Category

Other Information

Profits from the contest will go to the Home School Foundation’s Special Needs Children Fund.
2. Photographs become the property of HSLDA and will not be returned. Entry in the contest constitutes permission for HSLDA to use the prints for publication at its discretion.
3. All judgments are final and interpretations of the guidelines are at HSLDA's sole discretion.

Please contact Contest Coordinatorat contests@hslda.org with any questions.