Alberta Mycological Society

The 2024 AMS Photo Contest is open to all active AMS members until October 1st, 2024.

Theme: “A Mycodiverse Alberta”
There is a wonderful variety of fungi in Alberta, and we need your help capturing it! Entries aim to display the diversity of fungi found in our province: Large, small, big, tall, graceful, alien, and rare fungi… A true showcase of Alberta’s mushrooms!

Category 1: Best Overall Photo
The most beautiful or striking image; An artistic photo suitable for publication. 

Category 2: Best Identification Photo
The winning entry includes all of the characteristics required to accurately identify the mushroom, and would prove suitable for a field guide.

Rules & Regulations:

1. An active AMS membership is required to enter the contest. (A membership can be obtained or renewed at albertamushrooms.ca/membership.) Judges are exempted from entering.
2. Members may submit as many entries as they’d like, for a fee of $5 for the first submission and $2 for each additional entry.
3. Deadline for submissions is October 1st, 2024. Any submissions after this date will not be considered. 
4. All submissions must be in a digital format (jpg, png). Physical photo entries will not be accepted.
5. Digital files should be named in the following format: “Firstname_Lastname_Category.” For example, “John_Smith_BestOverallImage.png” would be an acceptable entry file name for the ‘Best Overall Image’ category.
6. Digital files should be at least 300dpi and minimum 2400 pixels on its longest side. Images may be minutely edited for tone, exposure, colour, brightness/contrast. AI generated images and heavy editing will not be accepted.
7. Entries must have been created/captured in 2024 in the province of Alberta, and have not been submitted to another contest or used in another publication elsewhere.
8. By submitting a photograph, permission is granted to AMS to reproduce the photo for promotional, fundraising, marketing and other purposes. Credit will be awarded to the photographer whenever possible. Copyright belongs to the photographer and the AMS will not sell or give permission for commercial use of the photo without written consent of the photographer.
9. Usually consensus dictates that the judges are wrong, but in spite of that, the judges’ decisions are still final.

Prizes:

Category Winners (two total):
One copy of the calendar
$100 cash
Framed copy of winning submission

Calendar Picks (10 total):
One copy of the calendar
Framed copy of winning submission

Check out submissions from the previous photo contests in our Photo Gallery!

Share your entry on social media with the hashtag #MycodiverseABContest (and don’t forget to tag us!)

IG/FB: @albertamycologicalsociety
Tiktok: @abmycology