Entry Rules & Guidelines

The contest is open to anyone over 18 years of age prior to or on the last day a photo can be submitted; June 15, 2018. You must own all legal rights to submitted photo(s) and photo(s) must be your own original work.


The Snap the Sierra Photo Contest will allow for three winners: 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd places, respectively, based on highest votes received (money raised). All three winning photos will be featured on sierranevadaalliance.org. The individual prizes are as follows:

1^st Place – Photo will be featured on the cover of the Sierra Nevada Alliance's 25^th Anniversary publication. Additionally, photo will be featured prominently on 2018 Sierra Nevada Alliance Conference promotional materials and serve as the Alliance's cover photo on social media for one month. Photo and photographer bio will also be featured prominently in The Sierra Resource, a bi-weekly e-newsletter. Winning photographer will receive a two-night stay at the Cedar Lodge in Yosemite (certain restrictions apply).

2^nd Place – Photo with credit will be featured within the Sierra Nevada Alliance’s 25^th Anniversary News & Review publication, Annual Report and serve as the Alliance’s cover photo on social media for two weeks. Photo will also be featured in The Sierra Resource, a bi-weekly e-newsletter. Winning photographer will receive an intimate wine tasting for two at Boeger Winery.

3^rd Place – Photo will be featured within the Sierra Nevada Alliance's 25^th Anniversary publication, serve as the Alliance's cover photo on social media for one week and be featured in The Sierra Resource, a bi-weekly e-newsletter.


In the event of a tie between 1^st and 2^nd place, 2^nd and 3^rd place or 3^rd and 4^th place, the tie-breaker is decided by which photo was entered into the contest first.


You may enter as many photos as you'd like, but keep in mind that winning photos are determined by votes received (donations) and that it's up to you to promote your photo(s) for voting. Photographs must be taken in the greater Sierra Nevada region. Your submission(s) should include Name/Title of the image, caption and, when possible, the location and year the photo was taken.


Photographs must be in digital format. Note: Hard copy print, slide or negative submissions cannot be accepted. All digital files must be smaller than 25 megabytes and jpeg or png format is preferred.


All entries must be received no later than 5:00 pm PST, Friday, June 15, 2018. However, the contest launches and voting begins at 9:00am PST on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, so it is recommend contestants enter their photos as soon as possible to allow for maximum promotion time.


You retain ownership and all rights to your photograph. However, by entering the Snap the Sierra contest, entrants grant the Sierra Nevada Alliance permission, royalty-free, to publish submitted photos on our website and to reproduce images for outreach and promotional purposes only. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. The Sierra Nevada Alliance will not be required to pay any consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.


You may submit photographs that have been entered into other contests, however, said photos must not have WON another contest.


Yes. Also, color photographs changed to black and white are acceptable. However, please make sure that any additional adjustments you make to the image abide by the rules concerning enhancing or altering photographs (see below)


Yes, cropped photographs are eligible.


No, we do not accept digitally or otherwise enhanced or altered photos. Cropped photos are eligible. Minor, reasonable adjustments, including spotting, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast and slight color adjustment or the digital equivalents, are acceptable. If it is determined that a photographer has extremely altered his or her photo, then we reserve the right to disqualify it.


People in submitted photos are okay. However, if they are recognizable and especially if they are minors, you must e-mail the Sierra Nevada Alliance a copy of a media release with permission to use their likeness to accompany your entry.



It is understandable that photographers taking pictures in public places and in more high-traffic areas of the Sierra may be unable to secure a media release form, so please feel free to enter your photographs in these types of situations. Please e-mail the Sierra Nevada Alliance and provide a detailed description of the circumstances of your photograph and we will review your entry.


Yes, your photograph is eligible for submission if it's been published, digitally or print. However, remember that photographs that have won another photo contest are not eligible for consideration.


The status of submitted images is always updated on the GoGo Photo Contest platform. As soon as the contest closes at 5:00pm PST on Friday, June 15, 2018, the three winning photos will be known (pending there is no issue, violation of the rules or a tie).