Three local art experts will serve as judges for Sen. John Proos’ Pure Michigan Summer Photo Contest, the senator announced on Friday.

“I decided to host this online photo contest as a way for Southwest Michigan residents to help highlight the amazing landscapes and summer activities that make our state one of the most picturesque and fun places in the country,” said Proos, R-St. Joseph. “We have seen a great response to this contest, and I am proud that we have three outstanding individuals — one from each county in the 21st Senate District — to judge the photos and choose the finalists.”

The three judges are Jamie Bingaman, executive director of the Box Factory for the Arts in St. Joseph; Donna Grubbs, executive director of the Carnegie Center for the Arts in Three Rivers; and Sharron Ott, art teacher and owner of Papillon Design in Dowagiac.

Friday was the final day for residents of Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph counties to submit their favorite photographs taken this summer on the Pure Michigan Summer Photo Contest page on Proos’ Senate website at SenatorJohnProos.com.

The judging panel will choose the finalist photos, which will then be posted to the John Proos Supporters Page on Facebook. Visitors to the page will be able to vote for the photos they like the most. Each finalist photo will receive one vote for each “like” it gets on Facebook and one vote for each vote it garners on a website poll.

The finalist photos will also be displayed at the Box Factory for the Arts in St. Joseph and the Carnegie Center for the Arts in Three Rivers for further voting this fall. The exact display dates will be announced soon.

“This photo contest is about tapping into the creativity of southwest Michigan residents to showcase what makes our state such an incredible place to live,” Proos said. “At the end of the contest, the photo with the most votes will win and will be displayed in the Michigan Capitol. The winning photo and photographer will be announced during a ceremony at the Box Factory for the Arts.”