Summer, regardless of whether or not the calendar says so, is here. So let’s make “Picturing Summer at the Garden” the theme for this inaugural monthly NYBG-IGPOTY contest on Flickr!

But first, let’s set some ground rules:

1.Photos must be taken at The New York Botanical Garden, but needn’t be from this month, year, or even decade. Please make sure they adhere to the theme and that you own the copyright to them.

2. Please enter only one photo per calendar week. That means in June you can enter up to five (5) photos, but please submit them a week apart. The weeks of June are defined as: Week 1, 6/1 – 6/4; Week 2, 6/5 – 6/11; Week 3, 6/12 – 6/18; Week 4, 6/19 – 6/25; and Week 5, 6/26 – 6/30.

3. For your photograph to be considered, it must be placed into the NYBG Group Pool and be tagged with the term NYBGIGPOTY.

4. The NYBG Flickr Pool is moderated by NYBG staff. While we work a lot, we tend to not work in the evenings and on weekends, so if your photo does not immediately show up in the pool, that is why; it just hasn’t been approved yet. If several days go by, or if Monday afternoon comes around and your photo still hasn’t shown up in the pool, please let us know.

5. In the spirit of IGPOTY, please feel free to comment on each others photos (nicely, please) and to share tips, tricks, techniques, and stories.

6. One monthly winner and one or two runner’s up will be chosen by a panel of NYBG staff and friends of the Garden. We’re hoping to get commentary on the photos from IGPOTY’s staff as well!

7. The winner will receive a small prize from us, but we haven’t figured out what that will be yet. Stay tuned!

8. Entering the monthly NYBG-IGPOTY contest does not mean that you have been entered into the official International Garden Photographer of the Year contest. Click here to enter.

As a reminder of what IGPOTY is all about: It’s an international garden photography competition run out of the U.K. in conjunction with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.  2011 is the first year that The New York Botanical Garden is participating as the exclusive U.S. partner. IGPOTY is hosting a special commendation for a photo taken here at the Garden in honor of our 120th Anniversary. The winner will receive a year’s Membership to the Garden. The winner of the overall IGPOTY contest will win around $8,000 (depending on the exchange rate). All winners will be published in a book, and will be featured in an exhibition at Kew, and soon at the Garden as well. Everyone who enters the contest may request a written critique of their photographs from IGPOTY’s wonderful panel of judges.

Please let us know if you have any questions by leaving us a comment below. Good luck, and happy shooting!

Photos by Ivo M. Vermeulen, who, like all NYBG Marketing department employees, is not eligible for these monthly Flickr contests.

2011 was less than two weeks old when we announced our Caribbean Garden Photo Contest. After receiving hundreds of submissions and a meeting a whole new batch of flickr friends, your votes narrowed it down to twelve finalists in the categories “sense of place” and “macro.”

Well, the results are in. Your Flickr friends voted with their comments and here are your winners!

Macro Category Winner

By kathleenpimm

Sense Of Place Category Winner

By youngsol

The lucky winners will recieve a spot in an upcoming spring semester photography class offered by the Garden’s Adult Education Program.

Thanks to everyone who participated! What did you think of the contest? How can we make it better? What would you like to see? Let us know in the comments below!

In case you’ve missed some of the previous installments, NYBG photography instructor Rich Pomerantz has a series of how-to videos specifically designed for garden photographers. In this episode, Rich talks about the age-old technique known as the “Rule of Thirds”.

Rich has an upcoming class that will be based out of our Midtown Education Center but will take photo trips to the High Line Park. Be sure to sign up while spots are still available. The flora should be amazing in May!

Do you have a burning question garden photography question that we can pose to Rich? Maybe your question will turn into the next tutorial! You can leave your suggestions in the comments.

We’ve been having a lot of fun with the Caribbean Garden Photo Contest. You guys have submitted hundreds of gorgeous photos (while you’re browsing the photos, be sure to cast a vote by leaving a comment on your favorites), and NYBG photography instructor Rich Pomerantz has been having a blast handing out photo tips on Saturday afternoons.

But, we know that not everyone can get here easily. So we got together with Rich in the Conservatory and filmed this short video tutorial, the first in what will be a five-part series. We hope you like it!

Do you have a burning question garden photography question that we can pose to Rich? Maybe your question will turn into the next tutorial! You can leave your suggestions in the comments.