The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce has opened submissions for its 2025 photo contest, inviting both amateur and professional photographers to showcase the beauty, attractions, and character of what the Chamber calls “Oregon’s Coastal Playground.”
The annual competition offers a $250 cash prize to the winner, along with prominent placement of the winning photo in the Chamber’s official visitor resource guide, its printed marketing materials, and across its website and social media platforms. Entries are now open and will be accepted until November 15, 2025, with the winner to be selected by a panel of Chamber members and notified within 30 days of the deadline.
Last year’s contest winner, Robyn Wargo of Roseburg, earned the top spot with a photograph of her granddaughter, three-year-old Eowyn of Eugene, running across Heceta Beach and flying a kite for the first time. The Chamber said the image captured the carefree joy and family fun it seeks to highlight in its promotional efforts.
The competition is designed to highlight Florence as both a community and a destination, encouraging submissions that represent local landmarks, natural beauty, and the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. Eligible photos must be taken within a 20-mile radius of Florence, a region that stretches from downtown attractions to beaches, rivers, forests, and nearby parks.
Organizers encourage entries from photographers of all experience levels and backgrounds. According to the Chamber, special consideration will be given to images that reflect diversity across age, culture, and community. Both portrait-oriented and landscape-oriented photos will be considered, though portrait images tend to be used more often in print layouts.
Technical requirements for the contest specify that entries should be in color, in .jpg format, and ideally measure 1920×1080 pixels at 8 megapixels or greater. Entrants may submit up to 10 photos, and larger files exceeding 10 MB can be uploaded via a Dropbox link provided by the Chamber upon request.
In addition to technical specifications, the Chamber requires that entrants confirm ownership of their submitted photos and agree to grant the Chamber unlimited rights to use the images in its marketing materials. Photographers retain personal use rights. Any photos featuring recognizable individuals must be accompanied by signed release forms permitting their likeness to be used. Participants under 18 must provide written consent from a parent or guardian. Watermarked images will not be accepted.
The contest is open to anyone, whether a local resident or a visitor who has traveled to the area. Organizers hope the competition will not only encourage community participation but also provide a wide range of imagery that captures Florence’s reputation as a coastal destination offering recreation, relaxation, and memorable experiences.