OWA Sets Annual Photography Contest

Local amateur photographers are invited to participate in the third annual Octoraro Watershed Association (OWA) Photography Contest, designed to capture the beauty of the landscape, scenery, wildlife and people who reside in the watershed area.

This year, a new category has been added: Agriculture. For the first time, organizers will accept photographs that depict farm-related activities, people or landscapes. "This is such a farming community. It seemed wrong to not add the agriculture category," said Chotty Sprenkle, contest coordinator.

The other categories are Wildlife - plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, invertebrates and fungi (no domestic animals); Landscapes - sites, scenery and historic buildings; and Trailcam - photographs captured on remote cameras.

Sprenkle hopes that adding Agriculture will be a better fit for some photos. "One (photo last year) that came in was (a person) picking tomatoes off the vine. It was absolutely beautiful and depicted what the watershed is all about," she said. "We put it in Landscapes, which didn't seem right. (The new category) will be a better fit for a lot of entries."

Other changes this year are that photographers will be asked to submit hard copies for judging, rather than emailing photos, which was done during the pandemic, and that photos can measure 8.5 by 11 inches or larger. "People who entered said that when we had the 8 by 10 rule, it would cut off their photographs. You want the full image; you don't want to have to crop it," said Sprenkle.

All photographs must be taken within the Octoraro Watershed, which includes Cecil County, Md., as well as the following townships in Pennsylvania: Eden, Bart, Sadsbury (in both Lancaster and Chester counties), Colerain, West Sadsbury, Highland, West Fallowfield, Upper Oxford, Lower Oxford, East Nottingham, Little Britain, Fulton, East Drumore and West Nottingham.

Entries will be judged in three age categories: Adult, age 18 and above; Youth, ages 13 to 17; and Youth 2, age 12 and under. Monetary prizes and ribbons will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners in all categories. There will also be a Best of Show winner and a People's Choice award.

Entries will be accepted at the OWA office, located inside the West Fallowfield Township Building, 3095 Limestone Road, Suite 7, Cochranville, on Monday and Tuesday, March 13 and 14, between 6 and 8 p.m. Those who are unable to drop off their entries on those dates may contact Sprenkle to make alternate arrangements.

This year, the photographs will be judged by a professional photographer. All entries will be displayed, and the winners will be recognized at the OWA annual membership meeting on Thursday, March 23, at Britain Hill Venue & Vineyard, 790 Little Britain Road North, Quarryville. "After that, the photos will be displayed at the Atglen, Oxford and Quarryville libraries thorough spring and summer," Sprenkle noted.

For more information, call Sprenkle at 610-593-2808, text 484-888-5416 or email rcsprenkle@aol.com All photos must be received by Tuesday, March 14.