LexFarm invites all photographers to commemorate its beginnings as “Cambridge Farms” by capturing a view of five important “farm gateways” to Lexington as the town prepares to celebrate its 300th anniversary. This photo contest will highlight the views of Chiesa Farm, Wright Farm*, Waltham St. Farms, Wilson Farm* and Busa Farm, all farms which are the first sight of Lexington for travelers from the neighboring towns of Burlington, Bedford, Waltham, Belmont and Arlington.

With the support of David Sears and William Raveis Real Estate and Vlad Selsky, LexFarm is sponsoring this contest to celebrate how each of these farm viewscapes provide glimpses into our farming heritage as well as the riches these farms offer our town now and into the future. We invite everyone with a camera to share a photo that encompasses the unique character and life of each individual farm at anytime during the summer.

* Please note: Remain on public property for all photographs. Any photographs determined to be taken from private property will be disqualified. See additional rules below.

All qualifying entries will be published on our website, and two of each farm (First Place and Honorable Mention) will be chosen for printing and display in public places starting in September at the Lexington 300th Anniversary Country Fair, September 22, and continuing through Lexington’s 300th anniversary celebration in 2013.

One photo will be judged to be “Best of Show” and awarded $100

 All winners will be announced and displayed on September 22 at the LexFarm tent during the Country Fair.

Click here to see Judging Criteria and here to find out more about the judges.

View LexFarm Farm Gateway Photo Contest in a larger map

The contest runs from June 1, 2012 through September 15, 2012.

1. Photos must be digital submissions with a resolution of 3 megapixels or higher and may be either black-and-white or color. The photo has to fit within the dimensions: 8×10.

2. Permitted Image Modifications:

Digital enhancement is permitted, but images that have been significantly modified or appear unnatural will be disqualified. 

Images may be cropped, sharpened, color corrected or enhanced as long as the “natural” appearance is maintained. Drastic altering of colors, saturation and manipulation is discouraged. Judges will have the final say.

What Is NOT Permitted:
No watermarks, signatures or copyright notices. No artistic filters. No adding or replacing elements. Significant changes that affect the natural appearance or image are not permitted. Judges will have the final say.

3. Any identifiable persons in the submitted photo(s) must give consent to their inclusion, and must not be identifiable by name in the photo (eg. last name on their clothing).

4. Limit of 1 photo per farm per individual (5 maximum). Any given photo may be submitted only once (no duplicates in multiple categories). The submitter or entrant must be the photographer and your submission is our guarantee that you are the photographer and/or copyright holder of the photo.

5. All photographs must be taken from public property to qualify. In the case of public property that is leased privately for farming (Waltham St. Farm and Busa Farm), photographs must be taken from perimeter edges, paths or public ways, and not from within the growing fields. In the case of private property (Wilson Farm and Wright Farm), photographs must be taken from public property only.

6. Photos should be submitted by email to photocontest@lexfarm.org

The submission(s) must include the following information:

Full Name
Email address
Phone number
Farm Name
Title (optional)

If there are any problems sending the photo, then send an email with an explanation to the same address.

Entrants grant LexFarm permission to post their submission on the LexFarm.org website and to print copies for display in multiple public venues in Lexington if granted “Best in Show,” First Place, or Honorable Mention. Any submission which does not follow the Contest Rules will not be considered.

LexFarm reserves the right to publish the photo with proper acknowledgement of the photographer in promotional materials (including calendars or notecards) unless requested not to do so in writing by the photographer.

We look forward to celebrating
Lexington’s Farming Heritage through YOUR photos!
Good Luck!