2025 Discover COS Photo Contest

This year, instead of a calendar theme we are transitioning to an artist prompt which can be found below.

Calling all photographers! Get ready to showcase your talent in the 2025 Discover Colorado Springs Calendar photography contest. The 2025 calendar celebrates “Places Less Traveled: Spotlighting the Power of Recreation in Colorado Springs.” We want to see your artistic interpretation of community recreation while spotlighting hidden gems in our city. While still adhering to the restrictions of the contest, show us rarely-featured parks, less-traveled trails, and powerful recreation areas that highlight the unique charm of Colorado Springs. Let your photographs tell the story of Colorado Springs’ unseen beauty and recreation spirit!

Restrictions and Guidelines:

Restrictions and Guidelines:

1. Photos must be submitted by the photographer, who must be the owner of the submitted photo and have full exclusive rights to their submitted image.
2. The photographer of the selected image(s) will grant the City of Colorado Springs and the Parks Department limited non-exclusive rights to the photo for use in the calendar (for which credit may be given to the photographer at the discretion of the City) and for use in promotions for the City.  All submitted pictures must be accompanied by a signed waiver allowing this use.
3. Photo submissions from amateur and professional photographers are welcome.
4. Any person who is identifiable within the picture(s) must sign the individual identified in Photograph waiver.  Signature from unidentifiable individuals is not required.  A guardian must sign for any child under the age of 18.  All submitted pictures must be accompanied by a signed waiver of the subject to be eligible for the contest.
5. All images must be of property owned or managed by the City of Colorado Springs Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services.
6. Park rules must be adhered to when taking the “perfect shot”, including, but not limited to, staying on designated trails and pet leash requirements.
7. Limit of 5 photos submitted per photographer.
8. All photographs must be of landscape orientation.  They must also be standard landscape dimensions.  If a pre-cropped picture is submitted, the Parks Department may be required to make additional crops to get the picture to fit in the correct format.
9. The Parks Department is not responsible for any picture that did not make the submission deadline due to undeliverable spam emails, loss through postal carriers, or cyberspace malfunctions.
10. If you are taking pictures of a sanctioned event, you may need to obtain approval from the event organizer.
11. Jury will be selecting winning photographs based on the provided artist prompt.

Download the waiver

​Photography Submission Requirements:

1. Photos can be submitted via:
   1. Email at calendar@coloradosprings.gov
   2. Dropped off or mailed to the Parks and Recreation Headquarters Office:
      Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department 
      c/o April Allen 
      1401 Recreation Way 
      Colorado Springs, Colorado 80905
2. In the body of the email or submission please include:
   1. Name of Photographer
   2. Contact information
   3. Property or facility where picture was taken
   4. The month in which the picture was taken
   5. Please use the format below to name your photo:
      1. Format: Last name – location(photo submission #)
         Sample: Smith – PikesPeak(1); Smith – PattyJewett(2)
3. Waiver: Permission to Use Photograph and individual Identified in Photograph must be signed and attached.
4. Size of submitted picture:
   1. All Pictures must be submitted digitally (either via email or delivered on CD/thumb drive – submitted material will not be returned)
   2. Pictures should be no smaller than 300 dpi.
      1. Cell phone pictures often do not meet these requirements.  Please verify your cell phone picture is a minimum of 300 dpi before it is submitted.
5. Pixels per inch

Deadline & Award Winners

1. Deadline for Photo Submissions:
   1. Photos must be delivered / emailed to the Parks Department by 5 p.m. on Friday, September 6, 2024. Pictures received after this day will not be accepted. Please plan accordingly if you are mailing your pictures.
   2. Awards will be presented to the selected photographers. Additional information will be available mid-September.