The Chronicles Of Grant County
Bureau Of Land Management
Photo Contest For 2024
Displayed here is the front of the 2023 Local Pass for access to the recreation areas of the Las Cruces District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The pass includes photos produced by the two people who won the "Picture That Pass Photo Contest" of the local district of the BLM in 2023. According to the BLM, the photo of the Three Rivers Petroglyphs (to the right) was produced by David Turning, while the Dripping Springs Snowfall photo (to the left) was produced by John Ferrales. (The photograph was provided courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, July 26, 2023.)
The Las Cruces District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is conducting a photo contest again this year. Entries are now being accepted for the "Picture That Pass Photo Contest" of the local district of the BLM in 2024.
The district of this Federal agency includes all of public lands managed by the BLM in Grant County as well as a number of other counties in southwestern New Mexico. Substantial portions of Grant County as well as southern New Mexico are controlled by the BLM.
Throughout this district, the BLM indicated that it "…manages 5.4 million acres of public land and…[more than] 10 million acres of Federal mineral estate from the western side of the Guadalupe Mountains to the Arizona border, and from Sierra County and the southern edge of the Gila National Forest to the Mexican border. These public lands include majestic, scenic mountain ranges jutting from the desert floor, and towering over the surrounding desert. The confluence of the Chihuahuan desert, Rocky Mountains, great plains, Sonoran desert, and Sierra Madre make the area the most biologically and recreationally diverse region of New Mexico."
People are encouraged to submit photographs of the landscape in the region or plants, animals, or other objects that are located on public land in Grant County or one of the other counties within the Las Cruces District. Entries are being accepted now through September 1, 2023.
"The grand prize winner will receive a 2024 Las Cruces District Office Annual Pass valued at $30, which will feature their photograph," the BLM indicated in a news release. "The pass will allow the winner to visit and enjoy BLM's Dripping Springs Natural Area, Aguirre Spring Campground, and Three Rivers Petroglyph Site."
Contest rules, according to the BLM, include the following items:
Photos must be taken within BLM Las Cruces District public lands.
Photographs must be in color and the highest quality no smaller than 4x6 inches at 300 dpi.
Cropped photos are eligible. Digitally or otherwise enhanced or altered photos will not be accepted. However, minor adjustments, including spotting, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast and slight color adjustment or the digital equivalents, are acceptable.
Participants retain the rights to their photograph. However, by entering the contest, participants grant the BLM a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer's credit, as feasible.
For photographs that include a recognizable person under 18 years of age, the photographer must provide written permission from a parent/guardian before the entry deadline.
Objectionable or inappropriate content is ineligible for this contest and will be discarded.
Images are limited to .jpeg files only and should include subject, location, photographer's name (e.g., deerDrippingSpringsJohnDoe.jpg).
All photos must be taken by the contest participant.
If you post your photos to social media and you would like to tag the BLM [please do so]…
Entries will be judged based on creativity, quality, and their overall impact. The grand prize winner will be selected by a panel of BLM Las Cruces employees. No more than three photographs per person can be submitted to blm_nm_lcdo_mail@blm.gov .
Please note that the BLM indicated that a photograph description and location are required. However, the BLM will not disclose the locations of the photographs or any personal information about the photographers.
For more information on the photo contest rules, the public can contact BLM Las Cruces District Public Affairs Office at 575-525-4444.
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© 2023 Richard McDonough