The 2026 Octoraro Watershed Association Photography Contest is now underway and local photographers and residents can submit their entries.

This contest is open to photographers of any age. There are three age categories – Adults (18 years of age and above), Youth (13 to 17 years of age), and Youth 2 (12 years of age and under).

All photographs must be taken in the Octoraro Watershed, which encompasses the following townships: Eden, Bart, Sadsbury (in both Lancaster and Chester counties), West Sadsbury, Highland, West Fallowfield, Upper Oxford, Lower Oxford, East Nottingham, Colerain, Little Britain, Fulton, East Drumore, and West Nottingham, and the boroughs of Atglen and Christiana, Pennsylvania and Cecil County, Maryland. All photographs must be identified with their location in the watershed (county, township, borough. 

Photographs may be color or black and white. Photos will be entered and judged in four categories:

Wildlife: Plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, invertebrates, or fungi (please, no domestic animals).

Landscapes: Sites, scenery, or historic buildings.

Agriculture: Farm-related activities and/or farm landscapes.

Trailcam: Interesting photographs captured on your trailcam.

All photographs will be submitted in printed format of  8” X 11” or larger, and the hard copy will be mounted on foam or hard cardboard. Please know that all photographs after judging will be part of a traveling show to local libraries and venues. Very large photographs may be difficult to mount and transport.  

Only mounted hard copies will be accepted at the Octoraro Watershed Association office located inside the West Fallowfield Township Building at Suite 7, 3095 Limestone Road in Cochranville. Photos may be dropped off on March 16 and 17 between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. each evening. If you are unable to make those dates, please contact Chotty Sprenkle for alternate arrangements.

Required information should be on the back side of the mounted photo: 1.) photo category 2.) name 3.) address 4.) phone 5.) email 6.) where the photo was taken in the watershed.  All photos must be received by March 17. No virtual submittals—hard copy only. 

All entries will be displayed, and the winners will be recognized at the Octoraro Watershed Association’s annual membership meeting at 6 p.m. on March 26 at Britain Hill Winery at 790 Little Britain Road N in Quarryville. After the annual meeting, the collection of photos will be featured in a traveling show in Lancaster, Chester, and Cecil counties to various institutions like libraries, historical societies, banks, or schools in the watershed. Winning photographs will also be featured in the newsletter and on the website.

The organization asks that no photo entries be created with photoshop or AI. For this contest, the definition of “created” is putting something in the photograph that was not present when you took the photograph. For example, you cannot place a moon in the photograph if it was not present when you took the photograph. Programs that allow you to enhance a photo for color, clarity, exposure, etc. are acceptable. 

Prizes

First Place, All categories: Ribbon and Monetary Prize ($15)

Second Place, All categories: Ribbon and Monetary Prize ($10)

Third Place, All categories: Ribbon and Monetary Prize ($5)

Best of Show: Ribbon and Monetary Prize ($50)

People’s Choice: Ribbon and recognition

For more information, please contact Chotty Sprenkle directly at [email protected] or visit the website at www.theowa.net.