The Secret To Winning Prizes in the Photo Contest

If you're still sorting through your photos to find the perfect shot to enter in the "My Wild and Wonderful West Virginia Photo Contest," let us give you some tips.

Generally, to get one of the random prizes, the judges are looking for quality, relevance and creativity.

Most importantly, we want to see you and your loved ones in the shots. We love, love, love seeing how you've captured the lighting across our beautiful mountain scenery, but what we're seeking are pictures of people enjoying it.

We want to see you adventuring. Exploring. Laughing with friends. Paddling a boat, like a recent winner.

Not just anyone can photograph a scene and still it in time, but West Virginia's beauty sets it all out for you. What we're challenging you to do is capture something deeper.

We want the emotion you feel on a trip through the hills, the way a day in the forest brings families together, the awe of watching a BASE jumper soar through the skies for the first time.

The true beauty of this stateisn't its scenery, but the way those sweeping landscapes take your breath away.

Why does this place, this state, and this event, have a piece of your heart? 

If you can show us that, you'll get our attention.

We can't guarantee that will earn you an in for the voting round prizes, but a stunning photo that tells a story speaks louder than one that's simply stunning.