National Park Foundation Announces The 2013 “Share the Experience” Photo Contest Winners
WASHINGTON – The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, ACTIVE Network, and Air Wick are proud to announce the winners of the 2013 Share the Experience photo contest. This annual contest encourages amateur photographers to explore the nation’s federal lands and share their experiences by capturing and submitting their favorite shots. The winning picture may also be featured on the annual Federal Recreational Lands Pass.
Nearly 20,000 photos were submitted over the course of the contest, which ran from May 10, 2013 to December 31, 2013. Courtney Kotewa of southern Michigan was named the grand prize winner with the image she captured during a family outing to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in northern Michigan along the shore of Lake Superior.
Second place went to Michael DeWitt of Ashland, WI, for his photo of the sunset through an ice-covered porthole during a winter canoe trip in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Third place went to Darrell Staggs of Mooresville, IN, for his illusionary photo that appears to show a hiker walking along the edge of a cliff in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
A complete list of 2013 winners and their photos are available for viewing at www.nationalparks.org/photowinners.
The 2014 Share the Experience photo contest is now accepting entries through December 31, brought to you by the National Park Foundation, ACTIVE Network, and Celestron. Celestron, a leading optics manufacturer and the world's #1 telescope maker, is proud to be a part of this year’s contest, encouraging all Americans to enjoy their favorite outdoor hobbies in our national parks.
The grand prize for the winning image is $10,000, followed by $5,000 and $3,000 for second and third place, in addition to outdoor gear provided by Celestron, hotel packages courtesy of Historic Hotels of America, and an annual Federal Recreational Lands Pass. There are also prizes for fan favorites and the following six category winners:
- Adventure and Outdoor Recreation
- Historical and Cultural
- Scenic, Seasons, and Landscapes
- Let’s Move Outside
- Wildlife
- Night Skies (a new category for the 2014 contest)
Share the Experience is the official photo contest of America’s national parks and federal recreation lands. The 2014 contest is sponsored by the National Park Foundation, ACTIVE Network, and Celestron in partnership with the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and Recreation.gov. The contest entries showcase the more than 500 million acres of federal lands and draws entries from all across the United States. For a full listing of prizing and rules, or to submit a photo, please visit www.sharetheexperience.org.
Find out more about how to support the work of the National Park Foundation at www.nationalparks.org.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org
ABOUT CELESTRON
Celestron is a leading designer, manufacturer, and importer of high-quality optical products including computerized and non-computerized telescopes and related accessories, outdoor devices, binoculars, spotting scopes, and microscopes. Since manufacturing its first telescope in 1960, Celestron has grown to become the world's #1 telescope maker, and enjoys brand-name recognition among serious amateur astronomers for superior optics, outstanding design, and innovative technology. Celestron’s extraordinary products continue to receive numerous industry and consumer media accolades, adding to an already impressive list that includes awards for product innovation from Reader's Digest, Popular Science, PC Magazine, Popular Mechanics, the Consumer Electronics Association, and more. Celestron is a privately-held company with corporate offices and manufacturing facilities in Torrance, California. Visit Celestron.com for more information.
ABOUT ACTIVE NETWORK
ACTIVE Network™ is the leading provider of Activity and Participant Management™ solutions. Our technology platform makes managing and operating all types of activities, events and organizations smarter and more efficient. We power over 47,000 global customers and build leading vertical technology applications for the markets we serve. Our leading ACTIVEWorks® cloud platform scales with our customers, large and small. ACTIVE Network™ was founded in 1999, is headquartered in San Diego, California, and has offices worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.activenetwork.com or follow us on Twitter @ACTIVENetwork.