I began photography at the age of 10. I was in the fifth grade and I got my first camera for Christmas. I had asked for it because I wasn't the kind of kid to ride a skate board, go sledding or play football.  I had read about a photo contest in a magazine and wanted to win the contest! So my idea was to get a camera for Christmas and mail in my masterpiece to the photo contest. I  also thought it would be fun to go on an adventure in the great outdoors and find wildlife to photograph.

So I was very happy when I opened my camera on Christmas morning. I had no idea that this idea I had as a kid would turn into a hobby that I would still be enjoying twenty years later.  I remember my first adventure with a camera. I didn't shoot much of any interest. I found ants and zoomed in on them - sharing my out of focus ants was wonderful. I loved that my pictures could be viewed right away. Digital cameras are such an advance for the industry. But I knew nothing about lighting, shutter, and other features that I would learn over the years.

Photography is a wonderful craft because there is so much to learn. A fifth grader can pick up a camera and start shooting photographs. But years later I am still learning about this craft. And, yes, I'm applying what I learn to help me to have great submissions to photo contest. I have won quite a few in the past 20 years! What I generally look for are 2017 Free Photo Contests because you can enter these contests without risk. But any type of photo contest that will get you motivated should do.

HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE

A fifth grade can shoot a photo. A mom with a new phone can take a photo. Everyone can shoot a photo.  If you are looking to stand out in a photo contest you should consider working with light and colors. With a camera (and yes some phones) you can adjust the dynamic range and saturation.

With High dynamic range (HDR) software, you can add detail to the shadow.  HDR tries to make a photo look more like our eyes would see it versus how a camera with all it's hardware would capture it.  If entering a photo contest spending a little time with the HDR software can make your photo more eye-catching.  If you adjust the saturation you can also make the image more appealing to contest judges and also make your photo stand out.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SUBJECTS

When I was ten the first thing I shot with my camera were ants. Fun for a kid to shoot but I don't think the judges were very impressed.  I might have been better off taking photos of my brother or sister. Because the truth is ants are boring. People can be very interesting.  Finding that person that is a natural with a camera (kids often are) is key in capturing the contest winning portrait.  Find a subject that will make your photography fun and you are probably going to capture a unique and fun photograph that others will enjoy. That's a big part to winning a photo contest.

LONG EXPOSURES

If you are entering a free photo contest you should consider using long exposures. The reason is these photo contests often have many entries and you will want to submit a photo that stands out. Long exposures work well in anything that has motion. Water, for example, is especially appealing with long exposures because of the nature of water.  I would recommend placing your camera on a tripod. Use a slow shutter speed to capture a specific spot in the water (a stream works great with natural rocks) and take a long exposure of the subject.

LIGHTING

The lighting of your subject is an important factor often ignored by amateur photographers. And it's something that photo contest judges consider. The right lighting can really assist your subject. The wrong lighting can have terrible results including making your subject look ... terrible. So buy a decent light set (they aren't expensive) and position the lights in front and to the sides of your subject to give complimentary lighting. Or better yet shoot your photographs outside - this generally will work much better than using artificial lighting.

WINNING A PHOTO CONTEST

Put all of these things together and you are certain to win a photo contest. What is most important, in my mind, is having a love of photography. If you enjoy something and want to get better at it you will. I'm certain that 90% of the images submitted to a photo contest (especially a free photo contest) are just snapshots from phones. What you need to do is get out at least once a week. Enjoy the adventure of finding that perfect photo, and put together a winning portfolio that would even excite a fifth grader. Have fun and enjoy your hobby and best of luck in your next photo competition.