Home to hundreds of acres of lush forests, clear streams and bountiful recreational opportunities, there’s a lot to love about Dowagiac’s public parks.

With its first ever Focus on Dowagiac photography contest, officials with the city aren’t simply wanting to feel the passion its residents and visitors have for these natural resources — they want to SEE it as well.

Opened last Monday on the city’s official Facebook page, the contest allows people to submit up to three photos they have taken inside any of the city’s nearly dozen parks and green spaces, from anytime of the year. The pictures can feature human subjects or simply be a picture of the park’s landscape.

The pool of entries will be whittled down to the top 50, which will then be narrowed down to the best 11 pictures, selected by a public vote and a jury comprised of local officials. The winners will be featured in seasonal display on the wall outside the city council’s chamber, on the second floor of Dowagiac City Hall; the top vote getter will also be featured in a year-round exhibit.

The parks photo contest is the first of four that the city is looking to hold throughout the next year, with future installments set to focus on the community’s architecture, landmarks and sculptures.

To enter the contest, all you have to do it go to the city’s contest page at https://www.facebook.com/dowagiacmichigan, and upload a picture through the easy to follow form.

We encourage our readers to take advantage of this free and fun opportunity to express their love for the community.

All of us on the editorial board have years of experience with photography, as does nearly everyone who works in the news business. While a cliché, the expression “a picture says a thousand words” is one that our industry takes to heart, and some of the most impactful reporting ever recorded has been performed by photographers with newspapers or magazines. We know the value that a great picture can have on our emotions.

Let’s show our neighboring communities why we love our parks, and our city, so much.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.