Crown Point Ecology Center
Capture change at Crown Point

In Focus

Our first-ever photo contest. One theme — Change — and countless ways to capture it at Crown Point: on the farm, along the trails, and throughout the community.

Free to enter · Open to all skill levels · Winners chosen by the community

Submit Your Photos Competition Rules
Submissions Open NowLast date for entry, Sunday, November 8, 2026
About the contest

A first-time pilot, built around one idea: Change.

The season is shifting, and Crown Point is changing with it. Autumn settling in, pollinators moving, the harvest is underway. These are the moments that shape this year’s theme. However you interpret change, your photo should capture something true about Crown Point in this moment.

Illustration only

Green to red: the harvest turning, one tomato at a time.

Illustration only

Emergence. Some of the biggest changes happen out of sight.

Illustration only

The season letting go.

Key stages
Instructions

How to join in

Professional camera or phone‑in‑pocket — we’re open to all. What counts is your eye for change at Crown Point.
Take photo Anywhere on the land at Crown Point
Complete form Complete form: Your name, email, and photo. Tell us the story behind your shot. The best captions will be displayed alongside the finalists.
Sign release Required for any identifiable person in the photo, including minors with a parent or guardian's consent.
Submit entry Up to three entries per person. Entries are accepted continuously through the window.
Key Stages

Program overview

Contest opens
Tuesday, Sept 22 — first day of fall
Fill out entry form
Your name, email, photo, and an optional caption or story.
Sign photo release
Required for any identifiable person in the photo, including minors with a parent or guardian's consent.
Submit by November 8
Up to three entries per person. Entries are accepted continuously through this date.
Rules and eligibility

The fine print

Where can I take my photos?
Photos must be taken within the 115 acres of the Crown Point Ecology Center property.
When can I visit to take photos?
The grounds are open daily from Dawn to Dusk. Come as often as you like during the contest.
Do photos have to be taken during the contest?
Yes. Photos must be taken at Crown Point between September 22 and November 8, 2026. We want to see this season’s change.
How many photos can I enter?
For the pilot year, up to three photos per entrant is allowed.
Who can enter?
The competition is open to all. Staff and immediate family of staff are not eligible to enter. Volunteers are welcome. Entrants under 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission.
Is anywhere off limits?
Entries showing rule-breaking on CPEC property — entering animal enclosures, picking crops without permission, unleashed dogs where not allowed — will not be accepted.
Any tips before I submit?
Basic edits like cropping, brightness, and color are fine. No AI-generated, AI-altered, or composite images. Full-resolution photos straight from your phone are perfect. The upload requires a free Google account; if you don’t have one, email your photo to nick@crownpointecology.org.
How will my photo be used?
You keep the rights to your photo. By entering, you give Crown Point permission to display and share it, always credited to you. The full terms are in the entry form.
How are winners chosen, and when will I hear?
Finalists will be posted Monday, November 9, and public voting for People’s Choice runs November 9–15 on our online gallery. The Dominican Sisters of Peace award is chosen personally by a Sister. Winners will be announced Monday, November 16, and we’ll notify them by email.
Prizes & Recognition

See your work in the spotlight

Selected images may be displayed in classrooms and offices across the grounds, and may also appear on our website, newsletters, or promotional materials — always credited to the photographer.

People's Choice
Chosen by public vote — your photo featured as our newsletter or website banner image for a season.
Sisters' Choice
The Dominican Sisters of Peace have cared for this land since 1967. One Sister will personally choose the photo that best captures its spirit.
All Finalists
Printed and displayed on-site at Crown Point through the Christmas on the Farm weekend.

Ready to capture the Change?

Submissions are open now through November 8, 2026.

Enter Now!