NWI Photographer of the Year

Photographer of the Year
Every spring the annual Dana Dawes/NWI Chapter NRHS Photographer of the Year Contest is held. This event was named after Dana Dawes in memory of what he did for the NWI Chapter. He was a long time member and served as the National Director, attending every National Convention, for at least 15 years before his death. The board has revamped the rules for the annual photo contest. This year, the photo plaques have been eliminated and instead a paper cerificate will be given and the winning photos will be displayed on the NWI website for a year as recognition.

2007 Contest Categories

Category 1A: SLIDES taken in calendar year 2007 in Illinois and the bordering states (i.e. Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, and Indiana.)

Category 1B: DIGITAL photos taken in calendar year 2007 in Illinois and the bordering states.

Category 2A: SLIDES taken in calendar year 2007 anywhere in the world except Illinois and the bordering states.

Category 2B: DIGITAL photos taken in calendar year 2007 anywhere in the world except Illinois and bordering states.

Category 3A: SLIDES of "fallen flag" (railroads no longer operating) lines taken in 1997 or before. Since this category is SLIDE output only, please don't scan a slide for digital output in this category.

Category 4A: PRINTS of railroad subjects, anytime, anywhere. Color or B&W. Prints must be at least 8x10" or mounted or framed--no loose prints.

Contest Rules

1) The images entered have been taken by you, a paid up member of the NWI Chapter.

2) A max of 5 photos can be submitted per category. In Category 1 and 2 you may enter any combination of 5 slides or digital (ex: 2 slides, 3 digial; 0 slides, 5 digital; etc).

3) Please make sure that your name or intitials are on your slide mounts or on the back of your prints and register with contest coordinators ahead of the meeting, as in years past. For digital shooters, please rename files without any personal ID info in the file name. As with slides, please allow enough time ahead of the show to allow your images to be uploaded onto our laptop off your media.

4) Digital images can not be software enhanced or modified beyond the typical post processing in the digital workflow, i.e. cropping, color correction, sharpening. NO additons or subtractions in photo software, i.e. clone stamping poles out, for example. What you saw is what we want to see.

Click on the links below to view past contest winners:

2008 Contest
2007 Contest
2006 Contest
2005 Contest

Note from the Board
     The Board recognizes the rapid changes all rail photographers are faced with as imaging changes from film to digital based medium, and to that end remind membership that there will be an evolutionary process involved with photo contests in the next few years. Our contest is a continual "work in progress", and next year we are open to adjusting the rules, adding/subtracting categories, etc.
     For example, In the not too distant future, the day may come when ALL images, film or digital, will be shown in digital output. Of course, this would require scanning transparencies ahead of time. Perhaps submissions in years to come could be collected AHEAD of the contest night, scanned and posted on our website for membership to vote on PRIOR to the contest night. This would allow long distant membership a say in the contest. The sky is the limit, and we are open to your ideas.
     Who knows what form our contest will take in the future--it's up to YOU! As we have in our long 38 year history, the NWI embraces ALL forms of rail image capture--be it film or digital photography, video, or painting--and rest assured we'll continue to support you however you choose to pursue the hobby. Your input is always appreciated on how this contest can be tweaked for the better.

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