All photos must be owned solely by the entrants who hold full copyright. No third party may own or control any materials the photo contains, and the photo must not infringe upon the trademark, copyright, moral rights, intellectual rights, or rights of privacy of any entity or person. The entrants must grant the Wolf-Moose Foundation a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, publish, and distribute these images in any format for any purpose related to its mission, including fundraising, communications, and publications.

• The photo should not be heavily altered or edited, including but not limited to removing, adding, reversing, or distorting subjects within the frame. 

• Photos should be from or related to Isle Royale.

• Entrants can submit up to three photos total but only one photo per entrant will be selected as a winner.

• Entries will not be accepted or considered unless submitted through the Wolf Moose Foundation photo contest upload link before the contest deadline lapses. The submission link can be found here: https://wolfmoosefoundation.canto.com/u/u-7bf92f310e4740398a698bc5116b8af5_ca9d7fd753514d6cb7531ccd2af66a67?viewIndex=0

• Entries will be judged and final decisions will be made by Wolf Moose Foundation board members in September. All decisions are final. The Wolf Moose Foundation reserves the right to disqualify any entry that is deemed inappropriate or does not conform to stated contest rules.

• By entering the contest and agreeing to the photo contest release waiver (found below), entrants agree that photos submitted can be used by the Wolf Moose Foundation for advertising purposes, social media posts, and potentially for merchandise.

• The winner will be contacted via the email address provided during entry.

• The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law.

• A parent or legal guardian must complete and upload a signed consent form for entrants 16 years of age or younger. This waiver must be submitted as a separate file at the submission link above for any Youth entry to be eligible for the contest.

Photo Evaluation

Submitted photos will be judged and winners will be determined by Wolf Moose Foundation Board members by September 30th. In addition to our judging, there will be a People’s Choice winner selected by voting via social media. Submissions will be judged and ranked based on the following criteria:

• Overall photo quality and composition

• How striking or visually interesting the photo is

• Creativity

• How well the photo captures or highlights facets of Isle Royale

• Quality and content of the 1-3 sentence description that provides context of the photo

Photographer Categories

All entrants must choose one photographer category for their submission. Below are the descriptions of each category. All Youth submissions must upload a signed consent form from a parent or legal guardian.

• Professional Photographer. This category celebrates technical mastery and artistic vision from those with advanced experience in the field. You should enter this category if you:

  • Have sold images for publication, licensing, or prints

  • Have been paid for photography services

• Novice/Enthusiast Photographer. We welcome everyone from curious newcomers to committed amateurs! You should enter this category if you:

  • Do not earn income from your photography

  • Are still learning, exploring, or refining your skills in photography

• Youth Photographer (Ages 16 & Under). We’re excited to celebrate the creativity and curiosity of the next generation of nature lovers and storytellers! This category is open to:

  • Individuals aged 16 and under

Each submission must include:

• Photographers name

• Email address

• Photo name

• Photo file (saved as LastnameFirstname_Photo#.png, e.g. DoeJohn_Photo1.png)

• A 1-3 sentence description that provides context for the photo (i.e. how the photo was taken, where it was, what led to the moment, or other background information).

• Checked photo contest release waiver box and checked rule acknowledgement box

• Signed consent form uploaded to photo portal (for Youth entrants only)