7th Annual Frogs Are Green Photo Contest

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Sept. 5, 2015 - PRLog -- Calling all frog and amphibian photographers!

7th Annual Frogs Are Green Photo Contest (http://frogsaregreen.org/contests/7th-annual-frogs-are-green-photography-contest/)

Now Open!

Contest theme: Frogs and Water!

Learn about where frogs live; streams, ponds, rainforests… we have posted a few articles to guide you:

Water Issues and Amphibians – Blogs by Frogs Are Green (http://frogsaregreen.org/?s=water)

Deadline for submissions is December 15, 2015 and the winners will be announced by January 15, 2016. The winners will be featured in a blog post. Many of the submitted photographs are shared online, through our website, social media and in awareness materials.

Entry Rules:

We will be accepting submissions in two categories: Frogs in the Wild and Backyard Frogs. Backyard Frog photos would include such photos as a frog perched on your picnic table or other unusual place. One year, for example, we received a photo of a frog sitting on a pool hose. Frogs in the Wild photos, on the other hand, should feature frogs, toads, or other amphibians in their natural habitat: frog ponds, marshes, in the woods, and so on. ***Be sure to upload your image to the right gallery and not both!***

PLEASE! NO photo manipulation and no photos of pet frogs. Please do not move the frog to get a better photo. Photos of amphibians of all kinds, including salamanders, will be accepted.

If you cannot view Flickr where you are located, just email your digital entries to Frogs Are Green and we will upload your images to the Flickr group gallery. You must share your Full Name and from what State or Country the image was taken. You may also enter a caption to help describe or place the image.

Endorsed by: Amphibian Ark, Save the Frogs, City of Jersey City, City Council President Rolando Lavarro, Camp Liberty, Parc Mitsinjo, National Wildlife Federation and ACSAM 2.

SOME TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING AMPHIBIANS

For those of you who have never photographed an amphibian, here are some tips from the book Frogs: A Chorus of Colors by John and Deborah Behler, which has a chapter on photographing these elusive and well-camouflaged creatures:

• Try to learn about the animal first. What is its habitat? When are they active?

• Walk slowly and stop frequently (it helps to have someone with you who is less than 3 feet tall and has sharp eyes). Frogs and toads blend in so well that they are hard to find. Be alert for subtle movements.

• In summer, you might find the sit-and-wait frog predators hanging out on the edges of ponds and lakes.

• Be aware of the position of the sun. Avoid taking pictures at midday on bright sunny days. In the morning, face east and it will keep sunlight from coming into your lens and washing out your photos.

• Don’t necessarily put the subject in the middle of the photo. Keep the whole animal in the photo, but compose the picture so the background tells a story.

• Bracket your photos, i.e., take the same shot with different settings. Also, try taking a flash photo. Without a flash, animals in photos may look lifeless and poorly lighted.

• Try to be on the same level as your subject.

• State parks, bird sanctuaries, and wildlife refuges are good places to find amphibians.

Now’s your chance during the warmer months to snap up those winning images!

Visit our website for all the details: http://frogsaregreen.org