Wow! Win a 4-night/3.5-day $2,500 photo workshop with Olympus Visionary Jay Dickman!
posted Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at 12:20 PM EDT
[NOTE: The submission deadline for this contest has now passed. We'll advise on the winner shortly!]
Like the headline says, wow...
There are photo contests and then there are photo contests, and this IR-exclusive has a really incredible prize: A four night/three day photo workshop with Olympus Visionary, National Geographic photographer and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jay Dickman! I've had the privilege of meeting Jay at a couple of Olympus events, and can say that, besides being a phenomenal photographer and really gifted educator, he's a genuinely nice guy as well. Reviews I've seen of his prior workshops have been over-the-top positive.
The workshop will take place from October 4 - 8, on Smith Island, on the eastern shore of Maryland in the Chesapeake bay. See this page for full details. You'll be photographing an isolated fishing village under Jay's tutelage, in his words, "a place where culture and landscape collide." This won't be just a standard tourist trip; you'll be exploring the island and its unique fishing culture off the beaten path, with a friend of Jay's taking you by boat to remote areas most visitors never get to see.
A hallmark of Jay's workshops are the daily "edit sessions", where he and his co-instructor Dave Harp will help you "see photographically," expanding your vision and storytelling ability. When you go back into the field after an edit session, you'll have the chance to apply what you learned the day before.
Of course, you'll be shooting with great Olympus gear, provided by Olympus. You'll have an Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and an array of lenses to use for the duration of the trip, so you won't go wanting for top-notch photo gear!
And it's not just about photography; there's fine dining as well! Breakfasts and dinners will be provided, and held at The Inn of Silent Music, the proprietor of which is an amazing gourmet cook. Travel costs within the continental US will be covered by Olympus and FirstLight Workshops (Jay Dickman's workshop company). Lunches, alcoholic beverages, laundry and other amenities are not included.
You'll room with another photographer on the trip (there will be only 8 of you total). You'll arrive on the island by ferry on Sunday afternoon, October 4, and depart back to the mainland Thursday morning, October 8.
The contest, and how to enter
To enter the contest, like/follow Imaging Resource and Olympus, then post a photo for consideration on your favorite social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram), using the contest hashtag (see below).
Your submitted photo can be of any subject, and digital manipulation is permitted. Note that the final image needs to look believable: We're stern judges of manipulation that goes too far, whether it be crazy-pumped saturation, over-the-top HDR, or cloning/compositing that looks unnatural or faked.
We're accepting entries now through mid-day US Eastern time Friday, September 18, and will notify the winner by that evening or overnight. The winner will have 48 hours to respond; if we don't hear back in that time frame, we'll select an alternate.
Follow these steps to enter:
1) Follow Olympus on your favorite platform (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
2) Follow Imaging Resource (Facebook, Twitter)
3) Post your image to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #olympusbythebay
If you use facebook, remember to set your post to 'Public'! (instructions at the end)
4) Tell your friends, wait and cross your fingers!
Rules:
1) You must be a US resident over the age of 18.
2) You must have liked/followed both Olympus and Imaging Resource on one of the indicated social media platforms.
3) The photo obviously must be your own.
4) Only one entry allowed per contestant. (An otherwise winning entry could be invalidated if you've submitted more than one photo.)
5) Judging will be done by Imaging Resource staff, all decisions are final.
6) If the chosen winner doesn't respond within 48 hours of notification or is unable to take advantage of the opportunity, we'll select an alternate winner. There are no rainchecks or cash equivalents if you're not able to go. Don't risk missing out by not seeing a message in your social media channel: Check back here the morning of Saturday, Sept 19, US Eastern time, to see who's been announced as winner.
Questions? Leave them in the notes below.
(NOTE: Don't upload submissions here; they won't be considered. Your submission needs to be made via your social media account, using the #olympusbythebay hashtag.)
(All images copyright Jay Dickman)
Facebook instructions:
We need to see your #olympusbythebay post! So if you post on facebook, make sure to set the 'audience' for the post to 'Public'
