This year's theme: GRATITUDE FOR OUR POLLINATORS

If you've been following the news and our work to save bees, you know that concern for their survival is a high public priority. This year, we want to highlight the value of pollinators of all types: bees (honey, bumble and other native species), butterflies and other insect pollinators.

Photo by Autumn Steam,  1st place winner of last year's contest

Send us your favorite original photo of bees, butterflies or other insect pollinators in any setting, whether in the wild or in your own back yard. We will accept one entry per person in each of 2 categories: 1) Bees and 2) All other types of pollinators.* We will display the entries on our Facebook page as fast as we can post them. Winners will be announced on August 17th, please see our Rules below.

Photos have helped Beyond Toxics make the case for changing laws and policies, such as Eugene’s ban on neonicotinoids, which earned Eugene the honor of being called America’s Most Bee-Friendly City.

After last year’s contest, we were successful in promoting the top fifteen photographs far and wide, which provided great exposure to our winning photographers. Examples: a traveling photo exhibit displayed at several businesses in Portland and Eugene, the state Capitol and the Corvallis Library and local restaurants. Several of the winning photos also appeared on TV, in the Eugene Weekly and the Eugene Register-Guard, in blogs, and more.

If you would like to be a sponsor of our photo contest, please contact Christine Cameron at the Beyond Toxics office: 541-465-8860.

Photo by Catia Juliana, 2nd place winner of last year's contest

We will display the entries on our Facebook page.**

PRIZES:
1st Place Winner: Display of your photo on BOTH the Beyond Toxics Facebook page and the home page of this web site AND a "Bee Friendly - You Need Me" T-shirt AND a Beyond Toxics organic cotton canvas bag.

2nd Place Winner: your photo displayed on the Beyond Toxics Facebook page AND a Beyond Toxics organic cotton canvas bag AND a "Pesticides Suck!" travel coffee mug.

3rd Place Winner: your photo displayed on the Beyond Toxics Facebook page AND a "Pesticides Suck!" travel coffee mug.

Honorable Mentions: Beyond Toxics will pick and announce photographs earning an Honorable Mention.

All winners will be featured in our "Gratitude for Our Pollinators" photo display exhibit.

Deadline: Friday, August 15th, 2014: 12 Noon. Our plan is to announce the winners on August 17th, National Honeybee Day.

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Please visit our Facebook page and "like" us and your favorite photos as they come in. PLEASE NOTE: Facebook votes will not be the primary determining factor in choosing winners, but we plan to provide special recognition for the photo that gets the most votes on Facebook, as we did last year.

RULES

• We will accept one entry per person in each of 2 categories: 1) Bees and 2) all other types of insect pollinators.
• Entry deadline: 12 Noon on Friday, August 15th, 2014.
• Winners will be decided soon after the deadline (within 1 week) by Beyond Toxics staff, amateur photographer Wayne Lottinville and our photographer/volunteer, Maia.
• Tallies by judges will be based on 7 aesthetic criteria, including quality of the image and originality. (Aesthetic criteria we use: color accuracy/vibrancy, contrast, exposure, clarity, balance/framing, uniqueness, originality of answer to question.)
• Vote tallies on Facebook may be used to help break ties.
• Please do not submit photos that have been submitted to our contest in prior years or that have been manipulated by special filters in photo manipulation software (contrast and color adjustments are fine). Staff and Board Members of Beyond Toxics and judges are not eligible to enter photos.
• ALL JUDGING DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BEYOND TOXICS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY ENTRIES FOR INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT.
• We at Beyond Toxics have made every effort (and will continue to do our best) to give credit to the photographers when we promote and display their photos, allowing for type of media and spacing restrictions.

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* For a listing of the insects that help with pollination, see this page on wikipedia.

** If you haven't "liked" us on Facebook yet, why delay? Do so TODAY!

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If you'd like to be kept informed about our plans for our Save Oregon's Bees project and you're not yet on our Action Alert email list, sign up below today!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2013 WINNERS! The competition was extraordinary! There were LOADS of wonderful photos from great photographers and we had great fun getting your votes on Facebook Thanks to all who participated: entrants and voters! (See the entire collection of photos.)