Manalapan Appreciation: Theme for 4th Annual Photo Contest

will be holding their 4th Annual Photo Contest again this year. The theme for the 2012 photo contest is "Manalapan-An Appreciation of Where I Live".

If you're thinking that the theme sounds familiar, that's because it is! Showing Manalapan appreciation through pictures was the theme of the 1st Photo Contest. 

Photographs can be of any scene, object, event, people, or activity that occurs in Manalapan which kindles an appreciation for living in the township.

“We encourage all Manalapan residents to consider submitting a photo. Whether it came from a walk in one of the parks, a beautiful surprise in a backyard or the capture of a moment of people enjoying themselves at a Manalapan event, any photo that brings out the positive qualities of the Town are welcome. We want to make it as difficult as possible on our Judges,” Mayor Susan Cohen said.

Over the past three years, 160 photographs have been submitted for consideration. Considering only Manalapan Township residents are eligible to enter and each resident is only allowed to submit one photograph - this photo contest is always a success!

“I am appreciative of the Manalapan Arts Council assuming the stewardship of the contest again this year and want to personally thank its leadership and in particular Barbara Miller for agreeing to co-chair the project. I still look at the photos from the 2011 contest which are displayed in our Town Hall Court Room and am so impressed with the talents of this community,” Cohen said.

Beneath each submitted photograph shoud be a brief description (25 words or less) along with the location or event at which the photo was taken.

Awards will be given in the following categories:

• <12-years-old
• 12-17 years-old
• Adult - 18 years-old and over

All of the submitted photographs will be on display at the Manalapan Under the Stars event (also known as Manalapan Day), which will be held on June 16, 2012. At this community event, attendees will get to vote for their favorite photograph, which will be named "People's Choice" winner. The "People's Choice" victor will also be supplied with an award.

Submissions must be made by 4:30 p.m. on May 8, 2012. You can submit the photos via e-mail at photocontest@mtnj.org (the file cannot be larger than 1.5mb), or drop them off at the Manalapan Township Health Department (photographic prints must not be larger than 5"x7").

Please make sure a submission form accompanies the photograph you send in. Submission forms can be found on the Township Web site, or just download the PDF that is attached to this article. (You can find the PDF beneath the photograph at the top of this article page). You can also pick up a submission form at the Manalapan Township Health Department.

For more information, contact David Richardson in the Health Department at 732-446-8345.

Happy photo snapping!