Each year, the City of Bellingham and the Whatcom Museum sponsor the Essence of Bellingham photo competition. We add all entries to Whatcom Museum’s historic photo archives. Submitted photos may also appear on BTV, in City publications, on the City website, and in City social media posts. Past competition results are available online. Essence of Bellingham is a fun, free way to help preserve images of life in Bellingham for future generations.
Submitting photos
- Entries are accepted through Oct. 1st for each year’s competition.
- Use the online entry form to enter photos.
Rules
Photo manipulation
Photographers must maintain the integrity of the subject while manipulating images.
Photos cannot be altered by adding, removing, rearranging, reversing, or distorting objects or people within the frame captured by the camera. There are five exceptions:
- Conversion to black-and-white is permitted.
- Cropping is permitted.
- Removing sensor dust and negative scan scratches is permitted.
- Stitching panoramas is permitted.
- Combining multiple exposures into a high-dynamic range is permitted.
Photo editing tools can be used if they do not significantly change, introduce new information, or remove information from the image captured by the camera.
We expect photographers to make common digital adjustments, such as changes to white balance, exposure, color, and contrast. These changes can be made to the whole image or by selecting portions of the image.
AI use
All photo entries must originate with a camera. AI-generated images are not photos.
- No synthetic or artificially generated images are allowed.
- Use of generative fill is not allowed.
Judges may refer to image metadata, use AI detectors, or employ other means to help verify that a competition entry is not wholly or in part AI generated. Photos that judges deem to be made with AI will be disqualified.
AI tools or software to enhance or retouch entrant-captured photographs are allowed if they do not significantly change, introduce new information, or remove information from the image captured by the camera.
Jury process
A jury of representatives from the Whatcom Museum, professional art community, and City of Bellingham staff evaluates submissions using the following criteria:
- How well the photo captures the “Essence of Bellingham”
- Classification of the photographer (K-4, 5-8, 9-12, college, amateur, professional)
- Category of photography
- Photographic quality, including technique and the captured moment
Awards
At the end of the competition year, we send email notifications to all participants who earned awards.
- Best of Show: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place chosen from the Best of Class winners.
- Best of Class: Top photo from each class of photographer
- Best of Category: Top photo in each category within a class of photographer (Kids, College, Amateur, Professional)
- Honorable Mentions: Photos the jury finds exceptional
Contact
Email questions to eob@cob.org about the photo competition.
