Send your best angles and expressions for the Great Shot Photo contest

The Great Shot Photo Contest is back with two categories: Expressions and Unusual Angles. We’re looking for your best images of reactions and unique perspectives. Here are a few tips to help you take and submit your photos.

Expressions

-When shooting, remain patient to get the reaction shot. Resist the urge to lower the camera and check the LCD panel after an action shot. Stay with the subject to capture a reaction. Sometimes, there isn’t one, but at times there’s a memorable reaction.

-Edit your submissions carefully. Focus on images with strong reactions in either facial expressions and/or body language.

-Avoid submitting posed photos. Strive to enter images where reactions happened naturally.

Rachel McMillen from the University of North Carolina captured this celebratory reaction shot during a Duke vs. UNC basketball game. The photo won second place in our Emotion category in the Spring 2017 Great Shot Photo Contest.

Unusual angles

-Be creative in your photographic approach by changing the angle between you and your subject. Consider a bird’s-eye or worm’s-eye perspective.

-Think about what lens will achieve the effect you want—a macro, fish-eye, wide-angle, normal or telephoto zoom.

-Don’t forget about creative opportunities with reflective objects and surfaces— water, mirrors, windows.

Monique Evans from Aransas Pass High School covered a football game from a unique angle by photographing the setting from the band seats. Evans took second place in the Sports: Off the Field category of our Fall 2018 Great Shot Photo Contest.

Overall

-Make sure you’re submitting the actual full-size photo. We often get entries that are a tiny thumbnail image too small to judge. If you’re emailing photos to yourself, be sure to download the actual image and not just the thumbnail.

-Avoid submitting general actions shots of sporting events, like a football game. We’re specifically looking for reaction photos and unusual angles.

-Be selective in your photo choices. You can enter three photos, so choose the strongest entries to submit. Also, you can only enter once per day so don’t leave all your entries for the last moment.

We can’t wait to see your winning entries! Remember, we give away $1350 in gift cards with winners in each category, Expressions and Unusual Angles, in K-8 and high school/collegiate divisions. We’ll also continue to choose a People’s Choice Award for both categories. Make sure to vote regularly on the Facebook page.

The contest will be open for submissions Monday, April 15 through Friday, May 3. Entries can be submitted on Facebook on the “Great Shot” tab or through our website. You can enter up to three photos. Advisers are welcome to submit their photos too. We’re looking forward to seeing those great reaction shots and unusual angles!