2006 PRO-TOUR OF NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

Art, Conservation, Economics, Education… All in one event!

LANDOWNER’S INFORMATION

YOU ARE INVITED!

Images for Conservation Fund (ICF) invites you to apply for the 2006 Pro-Tour of Nature Photography.

As a Landowner in this competition, you’ll have one of the world’s finest nature photographers producing unforgettable images of your land’s wildlife and plants. You will see them as never before, through the creative lens of an expert artist.

The Pro-Tour is a fun and friendly way to compete with your peers and neighbors, and a chance to win a share of substantial cash.

Apply today and be there at the beginning of this great event!

HOW TO APPLY
Applications will be accepted until March 15, 2005.

Qualifications for Pro-Tour landowners exist to provide a playing field that is as level and fair as possible for all competitors and to ensure that wildlife diversity and opportunities for outstanding nature photography exist for each participating photographer. The Nature Conservancy of Texas will assist ICF in evaluating applicants and selecting landowners for the Pro-Tour.

Landowners must have a minimum of five hundred (500) contiguous acres of reasonably undisturbed natural habitat, and must be able to provide accommodations (lodging and food preparation facilities) for one (1) Photographer and one (1) Non-Photographic Assistant for the duration of the two-week Preparation Period and the four-week Competition Period.

Applications will be forwarded from ICF to The Nature Conservancy, who will meet with Landowner Applicants. Final selection of twenty participating Landowner properties (and five alternates) will be based upon the diversity of wildlife and habitat on the property and the Applicant’s wildlife management practices.

WHAT TO EXPECT
Pro-Tour photographers will be an elite group representing some of the most accomplished professionals in the world. Pro-Tour landowners will provide some of the best habitat in the event’s geographic area. The Pro-Tour is a competition designed to challenge photographers’ abilities, stimulate their creativity and inspire outstanding portfolios of images. Moreover, these images will demonstrate the importance of conservation for the diversity and splendor of nature, and will greatly boost eco-tourism revenue for the Texas Hill Country.

Two weeks prior to the start of the competition, ICF will hold a random drawing in which each landowner will be paired with a photographer teammate. At this point, the landowner and photographer can begin to strategize.

The Pro-Tour competition runs April 1-30, 2006. For the duration of the competition, each photographer must photograph only on the land of his or her landowner teammate. Copyrights to all images will remain property of the photographers; however, each landowner will receive a souvenir copy of the team’s final portfolio of images.

Throughout the competition period, ICF will sell specially marked rolls of film and/or digital filmcards (brand and type are the photographer’s choice). At regularly scheduled days and times, ICF will pick up completed rolls/cards and distribute new ones. Film/cards will be processed at the lab of the photographer’s choice and then returned to the photographer.

At the end of the competition period, each photographer will have a few weeks to select which images he or she wishes to submit in the final portfolio. Each team’s portfolio may contain up to 75 images, with up to 15 images in each of five divisions: Birds, Mammals, Reptiles & Amphibians, Insects & Arachnids, and Plants & Landscapes. However, each photographer may submit no more than two images of any particular species of plant or animal.

The Pro-Tour judges will evaluate the submitted images and award points based on: originality of execution, aesthetic appeal and interest value. These points are added, and the portfolios that accumulate the most total points will earn substantial cash awards. Each award will be shared equally by the winning photographer and landowner teammate.

The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony gala. ICF will produce a beautiful commemorative coffee table book to celebrate outstanding images from the 2006 Pro-Tour.

For more information, please read the Official Definitions and Rules. If you have any questions, please call Sam Mason at (956) 381-1264 or send an email to: [email protected].

Seize this rare opportunity. Apply today!