When Kansas amateur (and even professional) photographers strike out looking for something beautiful to photograph, they often turn to bodies of water — lakes, rivers, even kids splashing in puddles.

The Kansas Water Office understands that passion for the abundance of great natural resources the state is blessed with. And it is actively encouraging Kansans to capture images of the most vital of them all: water.

In November, stakeholders in Kansas water will gather for the 2019 Governor’s Water Conference, and the Kansas Water Office is encouraging Kansas photographers to enter a contest for the best pictures of water in Kansas — any and all uses of water. Examples include irrigation, agriculture, recreation and fun, or water infrastructure including dams, overflow outlets, lakes and rivers.

Worthy entries will be selected for display at the conference, scheduled for Nov. 7-8, 2019 in Wichita. Attendees at the conference will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite photo. The winning photo will earn feature photo status at the conference. It will also, along with second and third place, be displayed in the Kansas State Capitol and KWO during the year.

Entries can be submitted to [email protected] with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. The following formats are accepted: .jpg, .png and .gif. Participants have until Oct. 11 to enter a maximum of five photos that follow contest guidelines.

By submitting photos, participants grant KWO permission to freely use and share photos at the conference, as well as on social media, websites, publications and displays.

The annual Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas is hosted by the Kansas Water Office, K-State /Kansas Water Resource Institute. Major sponsors for the event include Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co.

Categories for the contest include:

Lake/Landscape. Any and all bodies of water and landscapes during any season of the year are eligible. Just be sure that water is visible.

Sunrise/Sunset. Kansas has beautiful skies that can be even more beautiful when viewed over water. If you have a photo showcasing the wonders of a Kansas sunrise or sunset taken around water, submit it to this category. If you check out the winners from last year, you’ll see the sky is popular in many categories.

Grows on water. Anything that grows needs water. So, this category is wide open. Share your pictures of livestock, pets, wild animals, irrigation and farming, or other items that would grow by using water. Just be sure the photo shows the water.

Water at play. Images submitted to this category should showcase any of your recreational photos, whether kayaking or boating, fishing or hunting, swimming, or just plain playing in the water.

Creativity with water. Seriously, get creative! Did you skip a rock across the water, make a giant wave or capture an image of water droplets? Use your imagination.

Youth Division — All Things Water. This division will be submitted and judged separately from the categories above. There is no category for this division, just anything water related. If you have a photo that showcases water in Kansas and are 18 years old or younger, submit it here.

Take a look at the 2018 winners of each category in the slideshow.

Eligibility

Only pictures taken in Kansas are eligible to enter the contest. Photos that have been digitally manipulated or enhanced will be disqualified. Photos that have been edited using Instagram filters will not be accepted. Normal cropping, color correction, etc. is acceptable. Please remove watermarks and trademarks before entering.

Judged on creativity and photo composition, the winning photos will be used on the department's website, social media, publications, brochures, and may be displayed around the KWO building. Prior photo submissions to the KWO contest are not eligible for reentry, but photos taken before this year are acceptable.

Updates on the contest will be provided through the KWO social media pages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For more information about the categories, etc., visit kwo.ks.gov.

This article includes information supplied by the Kansas Water Office.