JULY 2, 2021 – Photographers of all ages and experience, get your cameras ready for the annual Air Force Photo Contest set to launch July 1.
The theme for this year’s contest, which runs July 1 – 31, is “What a Wonderful World.”
“We are excited for this year’s theme as we all have dealt with uncertainty and changing times this past year, and we find that many may see things through a different lens,” said Darlene Johnson, community and leisure programs manager at the Air Force Services Center.
“As our world begins to open up again, we invite our military communities to share the world they see,” Johnson said. “It’s as simple as a picture from their backyard, their pets, exploring old places that haven’t been visited in a while or maybe a new place. The creativity in this year’s submissions should reflect new beginnings.”
The photo contest, highlighting and celebrating the art of photography created by Airmen, Guardians and their families, is open to ages 6 and older in five categories:
Adult Novice and Accomplished categories, for those 18 and older at the time of entry: Novice for new photographers and accomplished for those with knowledge based on training or experience, or those who operate as professional photographers.
Youth categories, based on the age of the photographer at the time of submission: Children for ages 6-8, pre-teens for ages 9-12 and teens for ages 13-17.
Starting July 1, photographers can submit up to two original images in JPEG format at https://forcesupport.awardsplatform.com. Images must be at least three megabytes and not exceed 9MB. As part of the Air Force’s Arts and Crafts Program, the contest is open to all authorized patrons of Air Force morale, welfare and recreation programs.
“The photo contest itself is a small part of our overall goal, which is to support and connect our Air Force photographers with each other,” Johnson said.
When the contest closes July 31, expert photographers will evaluate each entry based on impact, creativity and technical excellence. Winners will be announced a few months later with the top three photographers in each category winning Amazon gift cards of $500 for first place, $400 for second and $200 for third.
Visit the Air Force Photo Contest Facebook page or Instagram @airforcephotographer, where updates, photographer stories, tips and special features are posted weekly.
By Armando Perez,
Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Public Affairs