Friends of the Wissahickon 2012 photo contest underway

This year, The Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) will be hosting their biennial city-wide annual photo contest by utilizing online voting through Facebook for the first time.

The Friends of Wissahickon is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to preserving the natural beauty and wildness of the Wissahickon Valley Park.

Dena Sher, associate editor of the FOW newsletter, said the contest was created in the late 90’s as a way to not only have visual effects in the newsletter and on the website, but to involve the community and build interest in the park. There are five categories: people, wildlife, structures, landscape and FOW activities.

While photographers will retain the rights to their work, FOW will retain the right to utilize all the submissions on their website and publications giving credit to the photographer. Winners will also share a page in the newsletter the month following the announcement of the winners.

The photo contest is sponsored by The Cedars House, a café situated in Fairmount Park on Forbidden Drive where the winner reception will be held in November.

The first place winner in each category will receive a gift certificate for The Cedars House. The first place winners under the age of 15 will receive $25. A $100 prize will be awarded for the best photograph in the show.

“This will be a great opportunity to get out in the Wissahickon and look at it in a new way and photography requires that,” said Denise Larrabee, FOW spokesperson. “I hope it will help people to take time to look at it and begin to appreciate it.”

The deadline for submissions is October 1. For complete guidelines, go to fow.org