Goldpetal Farms reopens mid-June. Stay tuned for dates!
2023 Photography Contest
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We’re excited to bring back our annual photo contest for the 2023 sunflower season! This contest is open for photos captured at our Maryland location (sunflower maze + pick-your-own-flower garden) during our 2023 summer season. See below for details.
2023 Photo Contest Categories
People PortraitsÂ
strike a pose amongst the petals

Beautiful Blossom
get up close with our flowers

Bees, Butterflies & Birds
capture our pollinators & seed lovers

Fantastic Farmscape
it’s a magical place, sun up to sun down

2023 Key Dates + Cash Prizes
Submission Deadline: July 23
Online Community Voting: July 25-30
Final Judging: July 31 – August 3
Announcements: August 4
Semi-finalists: $25 each
Category Winners: $150 each
Best In Show: $500
The Voting & Judging Process
ROUND 1 Semi-Finalists
 July 25-30 ONLINE COMMUNITY VOTING
- July 30: Entries will be posted to our Maryland Facebook page
- Community voting is done via “likes” or “loves” on Facebook.Â
- July 30: Community voting closes at midnight
ROUND 2 Finalists + Best in Show
July 31 – August 3Â PROFESSIONAL JUDGING
- The three photos with the most “likes/loves” in each of the four categories will move on to Round 2 judging. Any ties amongst the top-three votes will move on to final judging.
- Final judging is conducted by professional photographers, designers and image makers
August 4 WINNERS ANNOUNCED on Facebook & Email
Submission Rules + Tips
Photo Submission Rules
- PHOTOS TAKEN: Contest open to photography taken at our Maryland location between opening day and submission deadline, June & July 2023
- SUBJECT: Must fit into one of our four categories: Best Blossom; People Portrait; Bees, Butterflies & Birds; Fantastic Farmscape. All photos must be family-friendly.
- SUBMISSIONS: All entries must be submitted through the form on this page.
- You’re allowed to enter ONE PHOTO PER CATEGORY. The max total of photos you can submit is four during this contest. Any additional photos submitted will not be included.
- DO NOT submit photos via email. We will not consider these as legitimate entries.
- DO NOT submit photos with text or logo watermarks on the photo. These entries will be disqualified
- DO NOT submit illustrations, collages or photos that have been heavily manipulated/altered. These entries will be disqualified.
- You agree to let Goldpetal Farms and Designer Ag LLC use your photo submission for marketing purposes.
- Goldpetal Farms RESERVE THE RIGHT to disqualify any image that does not meet our requirements.
Tips for Successful Photos
- Pay attention to how you frame and crop your photos. The quality of submissions grows every year, and the competition will be high. So pay attention to the details.
- Try unusual angles. Consider shooting from the ground up, or a blossom from behind.
- Look for interesting light and shadow casts: these can help create more drama and interest.
- If shooting when the sun is directly overhead, look for photo opportunities that aren’t blasted by sunlight, overexposing your image.
- You are certainly allowed to “clean up” your images, and make them photo-contest worthy. Just don’t overdo it so the image looks unnatural.Â
2023 Photo Contest Entry Form
Congratulations to our 2022 Goldpetal Farms Photo Contest Winners!
With 217 entries this year, the competition was on! Photographers who visited our Maryland location participated by submitting their best photo in one of four categories: People Portrait;Â Beautiful Blossom; Bird, Butterflies & Bees and Fantastic Farmscapes.
2022 Best in Show
Kaytlyn Diaz

2022 Beautiful Blossom
Jenn Dorsey

2022 Bees, Butterflies & Birds Kelly Mahoney

2022 Fantastic Farmscape Lauren Achee

2022 People Portrait Gabby Curley

2021 Best in Show Andrezza Haddaway

2021 Beautiful Blossom Carl Mayford

2021 Fantastic Farmscape Carl Mayford

2021 People Portrait
Gabby Curly

2021 Bees, Butterflies, Birds
Carl Mayford

2020 Best in Show • Michael Rice

2020 People Portrait • Patcheree Clinch

2020 Bees, Butterflies & Birds • April Price

2020 Beautiful Blossom • Erica Fawcett

2020 Fantastic Farmscape • Morgan Loomis

Goldpetal Farms 2019 Photo Contest Winners
Best in Show • Gloria Occhipinti

Best Sunflower Selfie • Caitlin Croson

Best Farmscape • Dana Auld

Best Blossom • Avery Strand
