Photo contest focuses on Pinal’s natural beauty

The beauty of Pinal County’s open spaces is not known to all, but organizers of a new event hope to expose those special locales for all to appreciate.

The Pinal Partnership Open Spaces & Trails Committee hosts its first photo contest this spring. Photos are welcome from any level of skill and any age, as long as they are taken in Pinal County and reprsenent its open spaces and natural beauty.

The potential is endless, even if photographers are only going out right now. “After the rain we’ve had, the wildflowers will be amazing,” Gina D’Abella said.

D’Abella, who has been on the Open Spaces & Trails Committee since 2011, said because it is their first attempt at the contest, they are playing some things by ear. That includes what the categories and prizes will be. Prizes are still coming in, including entry to area state parks and other venues.

Winners are also slated to have their work displayed at the Pinal Partnership monthly breakfast in September, but even that might expand to include other interesting entries.

“We don’t know if we’re going to have 20 entries or 2,000,” D’Abella said.

Photos must be submitted to the Committee’s Facebook page between April 1 and May 1.

There will be updates throughout the month about additional prizes, D’Abella said.

Though there are allowances for spotting and dodging and other minor adjustments, the judges will disqualify any photo that has been too altered. The committee accepts only photos entered on its Facebook page.

Photographers can submit up to five digital photos or high-quality scans of non-digital photos. The higher the resolution the better.

***ADVERTISEMENT***According to the rules, judging will be conducted by the Pinal Partnership Open Space & Trails Committee. Photos will be judged on content and Facebook “likes.”

All rules are posted on the Facebook page.

The Pinal Partnership Open Space & Trails Committee formed in 2007 to promote the value of existing and planned parks, trails, public lands and open space and to influence the establishment of an interconnected system of parks, trails, public lands and open space countywide.