Prize for Arrowtown photo

Discover Arrowtown is on the hunt for the best photograph of the town, and its taker will receive an award in the inaugural Arrowtown Gold Photography Prize next year

Chairman David Clarke said Arrowtown's historic landscape, stunning surrounds and its many activities made wonderful photographic subjects and the committee decided to run the competition to help photographers "extend themselves" and help Discover Arrowtown "establish the best possible library of quality images that are suitable for the promotion of Arrowtown".

"We anticipate pictures may cover all seasons [and] we may repeat the competition occasionally in future years."

Entries for the prize would close on April 5 next year, before the 2013 Arrowtown Autumn Festival.

Judges would award prizes in four categories - best Arrowtown townscape or landscape; best Arrowtown leisure activities; best Arrowtown photograph in any category by a school pupil; and best photograph overall.

The winner of the grand prize would receive a "distinctive" trophy created for the competition by the Jade and Opal Factory, which is based in Arrowtown.

Mr Clarke said the competition was open to all photographers, whether they were professional or amateur.

Images may not have been previously entered in a competition and photographers could enter up to eight images in total.

While photographers retained the rights to the photographs they submitted, in entering the competition they also gave Discover Arrowtown the right to use the photographs without charge to assist in promoting the town.

Judges would be appointed by Discover Arrowtown and entries had to be submitted by 5pm on April 5.

Mr Clarke said each image had to be presented in print format, be a minimum size of 6 x 8 inches and be accompanied by an electronically readable presentation, for example a USB stick or CD.

Further entry conditions and information are available at www.arrowtown.com or by emailing info@arrowtown.co.nz.