Photographers are encouraged to capture images of trees along the Blue Ridge Parkway that stand out as the most beautiful, the oldest or largest, trees that tell a story or have a place in history, and those that are unique for their shape, species or character.

Trees are an integral part of the human experience providing the raw materials that shape our homes and the fuel that keeps them warm. Trees inspire us with their stately grandeur, their displays of seasonal color and their annual cycle of renewal that signifies the changing of seasons. The areas comprising the Blue Ridge Parkway boast nearly 100 tree species that contribute to ecological zones of unsurpassed diversity. The Parkway Tree Project seeks to bring greater public awareness to the rich natural resources of the Blue Ridge Parkway and to document its most outstanding trees.

In addition to capturing images of trees, photographers submitting to the Parkway Tree Project are asked to identify the tree species, document the tree’s location (e.g. GPS coordinates, Mile Post, or other identifying indicators of the tree’s location), and describe in a short story of a paragraph or more why the photographed tree is of particular significance.

Entries will be judged on impact, subject matter, center of interest, and storytelling – effectively sharing the journey by celebrating trees along the Parkway. Happy Shooting!

This year’s AMPC will be open for registration and submissions on Friday, September 17, 2010! This should give you shutterbugs a little extra time to squeeze in last minute summertime shots for this year’s comp. The competition will also be closing a little bit earlier than usual, too, so that’s something to keep in mind as you get your submissions together. For a full schedule of events, rules, FAQ and other important info, please visit the website: www.appmtnphotocomp.org.

Be sure to review the rules this year as they have been updated, and please review the comprehensive FAQ found on the main competition website. I would love to hear suggestions for adding to this section to make everyone’s experience as smooth as possible.

We look forward to this year’s competition and hope you are too!

Thanks for helping us get the word out. You can use this handy code for a banner graphic to use on your own website or blog:

<a href=”http://www.appmtnphotocomp.org/”><img src=”http://www.appmtnphotocomp.org/images/banners/ampc-banner-8th-annual.gif” border=”0″ alt=”8th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition” width=”525″ height=”116″ /></a>

Follow the Conversation on Twitter:
Use the hashtag #appmtnphoto and follow Virtual Blue Ridge.

Thanks to all of the photographers this year for participating, as well as the general public at large for helping us to get the word out with press releases, blog posts, blog comments, etc. If you, or someone you know, would like to participate as a competition sponsor or supporter, please contact Andrew Miller, Competition Director, at 828-262-4954 or contact us using the VBR contact form.

AMPC is funded through the generous contributions of our partners, sponsors and supporters. You can provide needed operational support to AMPC by choosing to make a donation and/or offering us feedback on your user experience.

Below we have listed the the winners for top honors, categories, and special mentions.

Your participation this year will help to make the Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions through ASU’s Outdoor Programs an experience of a lifetime for many students. Thank you for your unwavering support and enthusiasm!

For AMPC press & media resource information

The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition has grown to be one of the top photography events in our region.   This year, we saw a near 20% increase in submissions and received them from 14 states and several international destinations.

A number of individuals, organizations, and businesses lend a hand to make AMPC possible, and we work hard to highlight those efforts.  Something we don’t spend a lot of time highlighting is what we do with the proceeds garnered from the annual competition, so I wanted to take some time to share that with you.

AMPC is coordinated by Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs (OP).  In our 37 year history, OP has grown to be the adventure authority at App State introducing students to outdoor opportunities in their backyard and around the world.

In the nineties, OP began offering extended expeditions; trips typically 3 to 4 weeks in length that often carried academic credit.  Those initial expeditions included mountaineering in the Teton National Park and multidiscipline trips to Alaska.

This model of blending adventure, challenge, and expeditionary learning proved very successful, and in 2004 Outdoor Programs offered our first short-term study abroad course: an International expedition to New Zealand.  It was around this time that we started referring to these experiences as Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions, or SOLE trips for short.

In May, we will return to New Zealand with a group of App State students for our seventh expedition.  Another group will be traveling to Wales, our fourth expedition to that Country.  Since 2004, we have embarked on two expeditions to Fiji and returned again on one occasion to Alaska.  The proceeds from AMPC combined with the proceeds from our annual screenings of the Banff Mountain Film Festival are used to reduce the cost of OP’s Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions; opening doors for more students to experience the benefits of short-term study abroad through active journeys of discovery.

These expeditions immerse students in the rugged environments and unique cultures of the places we visit.  In 2008, a videographer from Appalachian joined our expedition to New Zealand to document the experience and to share the impact these experiences have on the students who participate.  The images and words of the students captured in this brief documentary communicate far more than I can, so enjoy!

Part 1 :: Outdoor Programs in New Zealand

Part 2 :: Outdoor Programs in New Zealand

Part 3 :: Outdoor Programs in New Zealand

Voting for this year’s People’s Choice Award will begin in conjunction with the opening of the AMPC exhibitoin at the Mezzanine Gallery in the Turchin Center March 5, 2010 at 7:00 pm.

A kiosk will be setup for gallery visitors, but you can also cast your vote by going to the AMPC website. Final judging for this year’s Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition will take place mid-March, and winners will be announced April 1, 2010. One winner will be chosen from each of the seven categories, along with one image chosen for Best In Show and one image chosen for People’s Choice.

Hope you can make it to the public reception and good luck picking a favorite photo for this year’s PCA – it won’t be an easy decision considering the fantastic group of finalists this year.

The tour is scheduled to be in Boone March 26 – 27, with the films showing at 7:30 pm at Farthing Auditorium on the campus of Appalachian State University. Tickets are currently on sale at Farthing Auditorium and Footsloggers in Downtown Boone for $7 (students) and $9 (all others). Hope to see you there!

The 7th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition will be remembered as a seminal year in the competition’s history.  This is the first year that we received more than 1,000 submissions, receiving in fact 1,116.  We have also received unprecedented media attention and have been approached by various businesses and organizations that want to be a part of this growing national competition.  I wanted to share with you the two newest supporters to join the ranks of the businesses and organizations willing to put their time, money and energy into AMPC.

Smoky Mountain Living Magazine will lend support as a media representative, and will contribute to the prize packages of all winning photographers.  Dedicated to featuring the history and heritage of the Great Smoky Mountain Region and Western North Carolina, Smoky Mountain Living Magazine focuses on exciting developments important to this region, and explores the richness of the traditions of indigenous mountain people.   Winning photographers will each receive a one-year subscription to Smoky Mountain Living and a set of two, 75th Anniversary special edition issues celebrating the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway.  In addition, winning images from the 7th Annual AMPC will be featured in the summer 2010 issue of Smoky Mountain Living. 

Also added to the mix in this year’s competition is Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  Reynolda House is currently exhibiting William Christenberry: Photographs, 1961–2005 on view through June 27.  The exhibition features 58 photographs, one sculpture, and three signs which chronicle the effects of the passage of time on the buildings, back roads, and landmarks in rural Hale County, Alabama, the artist’s former home.  The hope of this collaboration is to connect more people to the imagery of the rural south highlighted in both the AMPC and Chirstenberry exhibits.   All winning AMPC photographers will receive two visitor admission passes to the Reynolda House Museum and a William Christenberry exhibition poster.  

The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition has no budget.   Our growth and success over the years is directly attributed to those individuals, businesses, and organizations that have lent their time, money, and energy in support of our mission to highlight diverse interpretations of the unique people, places and pursuits that characterize the Southern Appalachians.   We are excited to welcome Smoky Mountain Living and Reynolda House Museum into the mix.  We encourage you to share your enthusiasm for AMPC with our partners, sponsors and supporters and thank them for their contributions whenever you have the chance.

The judges reviewed over 1100 images, a record-setting total this year. I wonder if the judges’ eyeballs wanted to go “plop plop” at the end of the day! Below is a table listing the 47 images that make up this year’s final selections. These 47 images were submitted by 37 photographers, so you can see how talented some of the photographers were to be chosen more than once!

This year’s category finalists are:

Please join the AMPC organizers and sponsors in congratulating this year’s finalists of the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition—all of you deserve lots of applause! Remember, the images for this year’s group will be posted on the High Country Photos website as soon as the People’s Choice Award voting goes live at 7:00 pm, March 5, 2010. This night also marks the opening of the AMPC Exhibition at the Mezzanine Gallery in the Turchin Center on the Appalachian State University campus.

To all of this year’s participants: thank you for your support and participation. Together all of you keep raising the bar.

Jamie Goodman

Jamie currently serves as Communications Coordinator for Appalachian Voices – and if you’ve been keeping up with this blog, you already know that Appalachian Voices is the sponsor for the category “Our Ecological Footprint.” A perfect sponsorship if you ask me, and will hopefully bring more awareness to this often overlooked category in the competition.

As the Communications Coordinator, Jamie oversees the organization’s communication efforts, including print and online publications. As with any non-profit organization, however, you can imagine just how many other hats Jamie wears on any given day.

I spoke with Jamie about the upcoming judging process, and how she was feeling about being a judge. She said:

I’m really excited to see all of the submissions this year. We have an amazing amount of talented photographers in the area.

I’ve been following the competition since its beginning, and I’ve noticed the disparity between the submissions for the environment category, and the true purpose of the category. With Appalachian Voice’s involvement, I feel that more attention will be brought to the environmental threats the Appalachian Mountains are currently facing.”

Jamie, I couldn’t agree more!

Troy Tuttle

As the Senior Photographer for Appalachian State University for the last 10 years, Troy has won numerous awards for his photography. His images have even been accepted into the photographic collection of the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Unfortunately, Troy doesn’t have a website to showcase his work, which is a shame really, because I’ve seen it and I gotta tell you guys, it’s amazing. (hey Troy, get a website!)

I asked Troy about what he looks forward to the most as being a judge this year:

I was a judge the first year of the competition, and I’m really impressed by how far the competition has come, from the participation to the increasing quality of the photography.

I’m looking forward to seeing what the community is doing, and how they see the area. I’m not a nature photographer – more of a studio photographer – but I appreciate it a lot. It’s the idea of waiting for that perfect moment.”

Katie Langley

Katie brings a journalistic style of photography to the world, and she has found success in the highly competitive world of portraiture photography. Katie stands out as an artistic wedding photographer, who’s not afraid to bring a special and unique perspective to a person’s special day.

I had a good time laughing with her about how you couldn’t pay me a million dollars to be a wedding photographer. Too much stress and all. She just laughed and said she gets that a lot.

When I asked her about what she looks forward to the most with being a judge this year, she said:

Seeing all the talent. There are so many talented photographers in this area, professional and amateur, and that’s just based on seeing last year’s winners.

I’m really looking forward to seeing all of the creative submissions this year. It’s so interesting to me to see how people can see the same things so differently. As a first time judge, I am anxious to see the High Country and surrounding Appalachian Mountains through the eyes of other artists.”

Every year the quality of the photography increases, so my heart goes out to the judges this year as they take on a very daunting task of narrowing down nearly a thousand entries to a few dozen.

Good luck to everyone this year and don’t forget, the deadline is right around the corner: 5:00 pm Friday, January 29, 2010.

Helpful AMPC Resources

• Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition website
• Gallery for past AMPC Finalists and Winners
• Virtual Blue Ridge on Twitter (don’t forget, AMPC hashtag #appmtnphoto)
• Appalachian Outdoor Programs
• Turchin Center for the Visual Arts

Most people in the area have been reeling from the news of this man’s untimely death. A stark reminder of how short life can be, and how quickly things can change. All of us here at Virtual Blue Ridge are thinking of this man’s family.

You can read a press release containing more details here: Blowing Rock Man Drowns in Trout Lake.

Everyone be careful out there!

As the newest supporter of the AMPC, Appalachian Voices has helped to revitalize a previously underrepresented category for the competition. Sandra Diaz, Development Director for Appalachian Voices, said “We hope the images submitted will create for the viewing public a visual connection to the scope of the environmental damage occuring in Appalachia and empower people to become involved.”

The Ecological Footprint category is for imagery documenting environmental concerns in Central and Southern Appalachia.

To learn more about this new cash award offered by Appalachian Voices, please read the press release.

Remember, the deadline is fast approaching – January 29, 2010!

Retweet this using the Twitter hashtag: #appmtnphoto

The time is upon us once again to gear up for the 7th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition. Each year we see a tremendous amount of growth in participation and interest, and the competition gets tougher and tougher with each click of the lens.

Our rotating Share the Journey® category this year will be Picnicking on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Definitely a favorite pastime of Parkway travelers, the AMPC staff is anxious to see what kind of submissions this category will bring to the table.

We’re also really excited about a new sponsor for this year’s comp – Appalachian Voices. This group organizes people to solve environmental problems affecting the central and southern Appalachian Mountains. With this new sponsorship comes a change to what was formerly known as the “Environment” category.

As a category, Our Ecological Footprint will be about imagery documenting environmental concerns in Central and Southern Appalachia. The threats to this region are real folks, so if you’re feeling inspired by this category, check out the Appalachian Voices website for more information on ecological concerns in the area. We really look forward to seeing the statements made with these images.

A comprehensive FAQ has been created as a way to help registrants with the registration and upload process, as well as other generic questions. Questions related to technical and registration issues should be covered, but we are always open to your ideas and suggestions. Please leave a comment on the blog, or submit a support ticket with your suggestion.

I have a feeling that this year will once again top the previous, and I encourage all of you to break out of your shell, take risks and leave fear at the door. This may be a “regional” competition, but the photographers entering are not all from this area. Last year we saw the first international submissions! The greatest thing about this competition is seeing how all of you push each other to reach the next level – amateurs and professionals alike. Make us proud!

Don’t forget to promote the competition on your own websites and blogs, too. We have code conveniently placed for you below featuring the same banner as the one seen here on this post. Thanks again for your encouragement, suggestions, and overall participation in this competition and we look forward to being awed once again with your submissions!

AMPC Banner Graphic:

<a href=”https://www.appmtnphotocomp.org/”><img src=”http://www.appmtnphotocomp.org/images/banners/ampc-banner-7th-annual.gif” border=”0″ alt=”7th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition” width=”525″ height=”116″ /></a>

Follow the Conversation on Twitter:
Use the hashtag #appmtnphoto and follow Virtual Blue Ridge.

The highlight of our week was attending App State’s Football 101 program Wednesday night. The food was great, the company was entertaining and loud, and the wine was even better (wink wink). I’m guessing around 100 women decked out in their best black and gold attire swarmed the Yosef Club, and we were both extremely excited to be there.

Diana, on the left in the above picture, graduated Appalachian State in 2003, while I, on the right, graduated in 1999 (shhh, please don’t tell). There was a really great age range in the crowd, too, which is nice to be reminded that you’re never too old to scream your head off for your favorite football team.

After dinner, and the Black and Gold fashion show put on by the coach’s wives, we were separated into two groups – offense and defense. We piled out of the club room shouting “APP!” “STATE!” (you can never practice this cheer too much) and made our way down the halls into the classrooms.

Diana and I were in Shawn Elliott’s class first – he’s the Offensive Line Coordinator. We got to watch an amazing recruiting video (I really need to get that on DVD) and then watched Shawn draw up offensive schemes and strategies. I admit, it made sense to me while listening to him explain it, but if you asked me right now to reiterate what it was he talked about I’d have to change the subject.

After offense 101 with Shawn, we went down the hall to meet up with John Wiley, our Defensive Line Coordinator and coach to our Defensive Backs. He was very nice to field all of our questions, although I think Diana’s question on the difference between a nickel back and a dime perked his attention. (Diana comes darn close to knowing just about everything there is to know about football).

The best part of the night was when we all got to go down to the locker room. I felt like I was walking into an inner sanctum, but then I saw the carpet and thought I was going to faint. The pattern is so dizzying it’s about all you can do to not fall over! (Yay Athletics Facilities Enhancement Campaign – different carpet!)

Usually Football 101 participants get to go on the field to run through plays with the coaches, but due to current construction this was a no-go. So we got to go to the Locker Room instead and of course we both made a bee line to a particular locker. Yes, we know he’s not the whole team, but by golly, Armanti Edwards is a very special player. And we love him for that!

So here we are, posing in front of Armanti’s locker looking every bit foolish and giddy like we had just met a rock star and he wasn’t even there. Who can blame us?

Of course my favorite “symbol” or “sign” for ASU is the “Today I give my ALL for Appalachian State” sign. I love this sign so much in fact, that I made 50 miniature versions of it one year as Christmas ornaments for all of my alumni friends. Mine of course stays out all year long right by the door so I can see it on my way out every day.

All in all it was a fabulous time with beautiful Appalachian women. The Office Goddesses plan on going again next year, perhaps we’ll see some of our Virtual Blue Ridge friends next year!

You’ll notice in the picture that Jon is holding a bunch of bananas. Yes, that’s right, bananas. Jon is a healthy eater, so much so in fact that he would sometimes eat 3 to 4 bananas a day while he was in the office.

The Office Goddesses would tease him and ask if he had ever tasted chocolate. He said he’s eaten it before . . . but we’re still not convinced!

Please join us in congratulating Jon on his recent graduation from Appalachian State University and to wish him well on his upcoming year-long vacation from student life as he travels abroad. Good luck, Jon with all your future endeavors and we look forward to seeing you again when our paths cross down the road.

Happy Travels!

Be sure to stop by the Visitor Information Center in Boone, NC located on Blowing Rock Road next to the KFC. The staff there are very friendly and helpful. Virtual Blue Ridge has been a member since 2005 and we are proud of it!

The organizers, sponsors and supporters of the 6th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition would like to congratulate this year’s winning photographers. Entries to this year’s competition were from across the United States and for the first time included international submissions. Photographers of all levels from novices to professionals are represented among the 47 finalists on exhibition at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts through June 6, 2009.

Planning for next year started before this year’s competition was wrapped up and we are looking for your feedback to help us continue to grow and innovate. AMPC is funded through the generous contributions of our partners, sponsors and supporters. You can provide needed operational support to AMPC by choosing to make a donation and/or offering us feedback on your user experience. Your input will be crucial in helping us to prioritize our limited resources as we plan upgrades for next year’s competition.

This year’s competition saw many “firsts” — the most impressive being an image in the Adventure category for the first time taking Best In Show. Eric Heistand’s Best In Show winner “Splash or Trash” was also selected as the People’s Choice Award winner, the first time a single image has received both of these prestigious awards. Congratulations Eric!

Below we have listed the the winners for top honors and categories.

Judges were also asked to identify images of distinction and merit to receive Special Mention honors and an additional eight photographers have been recognized.

Thank you photographers for submitting to this year’s competition, and for sharing your vision and interpretation of the people, places and pursuits that distinguish Southern Appalachia. In doing so, you have made outstanding contributions in support of Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions at Appalachian State University. We hope to see your submissions in 2010!

For press & media resource information, please visit:

http://www.virtualblueridge.com/contests/app-mtn-2008/media-and-press/

The selected images from this year’s competition are currently on display at the Mezzanine Gallery in the Turchin Center of the Visual Arts. This year’s exhibition opens to the public on Friday, March 6 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. The gallery opening coincides with the launch of this year’s PCA which also opens March 6 at 7:00 pm.

Everyone will have the opportunity to vote for three of their favorite images. The image with the most votes will be declared the winner after voting closes at 5:00 pm on Friday, March 27.

Final judging for this year’s AMPC will take place mid-March, and a public announcement will be made April 1. Of the seven categories, each will have one winner, and one image will be selected for Best in Show, and one will be selected for the People’s Choice Award.

For your chance to vote, or more information on the competition, please visit the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition site and get your mouse hand ready!

Here at Virtual Blue Ridge, one of our favorite events is the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour that has come to Boone, NC for the past 13 years. In fact, our president regularly attends this event.

If you have never had the great fortune of attending this special film screening, all of us here suggest you do so. The quality of work is amazing. Check out the Banff Movie Trailer:

Based on the other previews, it looks like this year’s screening is going to be another huge hit and tickets will probably sell fast. Find out about tickets and showtimes, as well as links to more trailers by checking out the Banff Festival press release.

I asked Andrew Miller with Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs what the relationship was between the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition and the film festival. He said, “We see it as a way for people to more actively engage with the various themes that are presented in the film and it brings attention to our own local resources at a time when we are exploring them through the Banff films.”

Based on previous screenings, I really couldn’t agree more!

Below we have listed the forty-seven images that have been selected for exhibition at the Mezzanine Gallery of the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.

This year’s category winners are:

A huge round of applause and congratulations for this year’s winners of the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition!  High Country Photos will be posting a gallery of this year’s winners as soon as the People’s Choice Award voting goes live March 6, 2009.  Thanks again to all of you for participating in this year’s competition.  Each year the level of competition gets raised with more and more entries and quality of images submitted.

I can barely wait for next year!

The web site support staff would like to thank all of you for your patience as we implemented an alternate method of submitting photos and responded to your support tickets. Situations like that provide learning opportunities for everyone, and we are meeting soon to discuss improvements for upcoming competitions.

Please feel free to make a comment on improvements you would like to see for next year. Your feedback is invaluable and our number one goal is to make this process as smooth as possible. What did you find confusing? What worked well? What kind of features would you like to see? All comments will be weighed and considered with all seriousness.

Regardless of the technical issues, we had another record breaking year for number of photographs submitted – over 900!. We applaud all of you for submitting images that represent the Southern Appalachian region so well.

Today the finalists chosen for exhibition will be notified and we should be sending out an announcement with a list of the finalists early next week. We will also be posting an exhibition gallery online at HighCountryPhotos.com.

Thanks again for participating in this year’s competition and as I like to say, Happy Shooting!

The AMPC is open to amateur and professional photographers 13 years of age or older. Entries may include traditional 35mm film, digital photography, color, black and white and alternative processes, and must be digitally submitted. Images must have been taken within the past 5 years. Up to three images can be submitted per category with a $5 per image entry fee. For full competition details, entry procedures and guidelines visit www.appmtnphotocomp.org, or www.VirtualBlueRidge.com, or call Appalachian’s Outdoor Programs at 828.262.4954.

Approximately 46 images will be selected for exhibition and awards will be given in 9 separate categories. A single image will be chosen as “Best in Show” and winning images will be selected from each of the seven categories.

Proceeds from the Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition are used to subsidize Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions at Appalachian State University.

Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions (SOLE Trips) are 21-55 day active educational adventures of discovery. Outdoor Programs partners with various academic departments across campus and the Office of International Programs to provide students with unique and intense international and domestic adventure travel opportunities that are life changing experiences. Students spend extended time exploring rugged and remote wilderness and become immersed within new and different cultures. Academic credit is offered for all SOLE Trips. Previous destinations include New Zealand, Fiji, Wale, Alaska, and Wyoming.

AMPC is a Partnership between Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs, the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.

AMPC is sponsored by Virtual Blue Ridge, the premier Blue Ridge Parkway resource with support from Bistro Roca Inventive American Cuisine, Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters, Mast General Stores, and Peabody’s Beer and Wine Merchants.

Virtual Blue Ridge began sponsorship in 2008 for the 5th annual competition, and was instrumental in moving the competition to the digital age by offering online submissions for photographs. After last year’s overwhelming response in digital entries, this year’s competition features only digital submissions instead of a combination of digital and print submissions.

The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts has partnered with Outdoor Programs to offer the AMPC since its inception. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation became a partner for the 2nd Annual competition in 2005, and sponsors the Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas and Blue Ridge Parkway Share the Journey ® category prizes.

In 2006 Peabody’s and Bistro Roca joined the list of supporters for the 3rd annual competition, while Footsloggers and Mast General Store joined in 2007 for the 4th annual competition.

The public will have the opportunity to view all images selected for exhibition online beginning March 6, 2009 and vote for their pick for the Footsloggers People’s Choice Award. A public reception will be held on Friday, March 6th at the Turchin Center and a photographer’s invitation reception will follow.

It’s the moment everyone has been waiting for. Trails will be trampled, new roads will be driven, new treasures will be discovered, and dogs will have a chance to pose on the Blue Ridge Parkway? Yep, even dogs will have their day for this year’s competition!

One of the newest features for the 6th Annual AMPC is that the Share the Journey® category will rotate and feature a new theme every year. This year’s theme of course is Dogs on the Parkway. Stock up on your flea shampoo and practice your brushing skills!

Another important change is that the competition will only accept digital submissions for the first time ever. More importantly, the competition now has it’s own permanent home in cyberspace at www.appmtnphotocomp.org.

Still here? What are you waiting for? Get registered already!

“Dog owners love their dogs,” states Houck Medford, executive director of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. ‘’It is part of the Parkway journey!” It seemed only fitting that we make this the theme for the Share the Journey® category. Entries will be judged on impact, lighting, composition, and effectively conveying the idea of traveling, hiking, motorcycling or whatever Parkway activity with your dog. Posed or studio photographs will be disqualified. Also make sure that your favorite photo shows your “dog on a leash” if out of the vehicle . . . ahem, newly enforced regulations! Ouch, the fines hurt!

Registration for the 2009 Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition is scheduled to begin toward the end of September of 2008. Start gathering your camera gear and get those ideas churning!

Dale King and his image Solitary Cloud entered in the Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas Category took top honors receiving Best In Show.  Category Winners acknowledge the top image in each of the seven competition categories and will receive Mast General Store prize packages with a retail value of $275.

This year marked the largest participation in the People’s Choice Award sponsored by Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters with more than 1,100 individually registered voters casting nearly 2,400 total votes.  In the end Scott Hotaling and his image Mountain Calm will take home the $350 cash prize.

Judges were also asked to identify images of distinction and merit to receive Special Mention honors and an additional ten photographers have been recognized.

All forty-six images selected for the 2008 exhibition will remain on display in the Mezzanine Gallery of the Turchin Center for the visual arts through June 7 and images can be viewed at HighCountryPhotos.com.   This summer the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation will take select images on the road to community and art centers along the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor.

The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition is a partnership between Outdoor Programs and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts at Appalachian State University and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.  Support for AMPC is provided by Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters, Bistro Roca Inventive American Cuisine, Peabody’s Merchants of Fine Beer and Wine, Mast General Store, and VirtualBlueRidge.com.

For press & media resource information, please visit:

http://www.virtualblueridge.com/contests/app-mtn-2008/media-and-press/

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Final judging for this year’s Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition will take place in late March and awards will be publicly announced on April 14. A winning image will be selected from each of the seven categories, one image will be selected as People’s Choice and one image will be chosen as Best In Show.

Thank you to all the photographers who submitted images to this year’s competition. A portion of your entry fee goes to support Outdoor Programs Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions (SOLE) at Appalachian State University. SOLE trips are 21 to 55-day, active educational adventures of discovery that immerse ASU students in unique and rugged landscapes. To learn more about Outdoor Programs and Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions visit www.op.appstate.edu.

The public is invited to visit the Mezzanine Gallery of the Turchin Center on the campus of ASU on Friday, March 7, 2008 from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. The gallery will host this year’s winning entries from the AMPC through June 7, 2008.

Images selected for exhibition will also be available for viewing via the internet and everyone is invited to vote for their favorite image as part of the People’s Choice Award sponsored by Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters.

For more information about this event, please contact Guest and Member Services at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts at 828.262.3017, or by emailing turchincenter@appstate.edu.

This year’s category winners are:

A huge round of applause and congratulations for this year’s winners of the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition!  Virtual Blue Ridge will be posting a gallery of this year’s winners soon.  Thanks again to all of you for participating in this year’s competition.  After seeing the stiff competition from this year, we look forward to next year more and more.

Beginning with a public reception on Friday, March 7, 2008 and running through June 7, 2008, this year’s selected images will be available for viewing in the Mezzanine Gallery of the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Images selected for exhibition will also be available for viewing via the Internet and the public is invited to vote for their favorite images as part of the People’s Choice Award sponsored by Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters. We will make an announcement in this blog when the voting procedures are posted.

The 2008 Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition is a service of Outdoor Programs at Appalachian State University and serves to subsidize students participating in Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions (SOLE trips). SOLE trips are 21 to 55 day educational journeys of discovery to remote and exciting destinations including New Zealand, Fiji, Wales, and Alaska. Outdoor Programs has been offering human-powered, adventure-based programs to the students, faculty and staff of ASU for more than thirty-five years.

The 2008 Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition is Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s 5th annual contest. Virtual Blue Ridge will be sponsoring the competition by offering online registration and submission forms for entrants, as well as hosting a gallery for this year’s finalists and previous year’s winners.

Banister Pope

Describing himself as “an extra-large, middle-aged, bearded-american studio artist and photographer,” he brings a lot of experience and creative eye to the table for this year’s contest. His imagery captures the whimsy of our most ordinary surroundings.
www.banisterpope.com

Heather McClintock

“Acknowledging a growing discontent with her studio pursuits and seeking a deeper connection to documenting the commonalities of our existence, along with a deepening desire to pursue humanitarian work and simply to get a little dirty again . . . .” Heather McClintock has had work exhibited all over the globe and is sure to bring a worldly view to the AMPC.
www.heathermcclintock.com

Pac McLaurin

“I learned a little bit about photography in my career which related to medical imaging, and then by my own self teaching and going to workshops. I have learned the most from the students I teach and I thank each of them.” Pac currently teaches photography at Appalachian State University where he has lead several student workshops overseas for “endless photographic opportunity.” Pac is an inspiration to the amateur, and proof positive that practice really can go a long way.
www.pacmclaurin.com

After all, it’s what the Virtual Blue Ridge Team does!

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting each and everyone of those who took the time to visit our booth.  Your eagerness and smiling personalities really made the day fly by.  Thank you for your interest and participating in this year’s fair!

We had a giveaway this year for participants and the lucky winner is…

Andrew Huffman, a Computer Science major, has won a beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway Tee and Hat! On behalf of all of us here, I hope you enjoy wearing it on your adventures on the Parkway.  We would love to hear about your favorite moments visiting one of the most gorgeous places on Earth. And that goes for all of you! Please visit our contact page to share your journey or post a comment to this blog post.

Thanks again to all of you who participated and we will be in touch soon regarding our internships.

Happy Travels!

Tanna Baumgardner