Any photographer who is at least 18 years of age and is a legal resident of the United States.

Exceptions:
1. Photographers who derive 5 percent or more of their income from taking photographs are ineligible.

1. Photos should be taken at the following U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facilities and adjacent state parks:

• Francis E. Walter Dam
• Beltzville Dam (and Beltzville State Park)
• Blue Marsh Lake
• Prompton Dam (and Prompton State Park)
• General Edgar Jadwin Dam

Follow this link for facility locations: http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Locations/

2. Contestants can submit three (3) photos per category in the following categories:

• Fall
• Winter
• Spring
• Summer

3. Photo subject matter is open to outdoor recreation activities, nature and wildlife, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Structures (i.e. dams, stilling basins, spillways, levees).

4. Drones are strictly prohibited for use on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property. Aerial photos can only be submitted if they were taken from a plane flight and should be specified in the photograph information during submission. 

5. Photographs containing nudity, obscenity, profanity, pornography, violence, and anything that is lewd or offensive in nature, or otherwise inappropriate images will be excluded from the contest. The U.S. Government reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject and disqualify any images that are considered inappropriate or depicting unsafe activities.

6. No alteration or manipulation of photographs is permitted except for cropping, red eye removal, and/or adjustment of contrast and brightness.

7. Winning photos from previous years will not be considered.

Photos must be submitted by email in a jpeg (.jpg) format, with a maximum file size 3 MB.  

The e-mail must contain appropriate contact information for the entrant, and containing at a minimum, full name, address, and phone number of the entrant. The e-mail must also contain the category designation of the photo submission.

Identification of the location at which the photograph was taken is strongly recommended. Please describe any action depicted in the photo if applicable. Any personal information that is submitted by the contestants will be for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers internal use only and for the sole purpose of this photo contest. Contestant entry information will not be shared with any other parties or appear with entries on the Facebook album where photos will be ‘judged.’

Each entrant may submit up to 3 photos per category (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer). Each photo must be an original photo personally taken by the entrant at a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facility or structure.

A credit will be provided under winning images selected for the digital calendar. Entrants should include how they want their name to appear in the credit line. Descriptions or titles, if any, used with the photos are at the government’s sole discretion.

Entries for each category must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on November 30, 2025 to be considered for the contest.

This year, the 2026 Photography Contest will begin with internal judging by our staff to determine the top 2 photos in each category. On Monday, 12/8, public voting will open to determine the 3rd winner in each category and the calendar cover photo. This updated process ensures a fair voting experience and equal representation for each dam.

Votes will be counted based on the number of ‘likes’ each photo receives during the public voting phase. 

Entrants may tag or identify their photos on Facebook at their discretion. Winning photos will be announced on the Philadelphia District website, Facebook page, and other related media outlets.

The top 3 winners in each category will be featured in the 2026 downloadable calendar. Additionally, their winning photos may be displayed at the Visitor Centers at Blue Marsh Lake, Beltzville Lake, and Prompton Lake.

The submitted images must be the photographer’s original work. The photographer certifies that the images submitted have never been copyrighted or, if copyrighted, that the photographer is the copyright owner. The photographer must be the sole owner of the copyright of any image submitted. The submission of the photograph is your guarantee that you are the author and copyright holder of such photograph. Photographs from the public domain are excluded from the contest. Copyright of the images will remain the property of the photographer. USACE cannot and will not print digital photographs that have previously appeared in commercial newspapers, magazine, or have appeared on commercial websites.

All photographs should be taken at a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facility or structure within the Northern Area of the Philadelphia District.

It is the sole responsibility of the submitting photographer to obtain a written release from any recognizable person in a submitted photo. If the photograph is of a minor child (under 18), a parent’s permission must be obtained. Submittal of the photograph is the entrant’s warranty that the photograph does not infringe on any third party’s rights, and that written permission has been received by the entrant from any third party whose image appears in the photograph. By submitting a photo in this contest, you give the U.S. Government the right to use or display the photo on U.S. Government web pages and publications, as well as the web pages and publications of associated organizations without payment, compensation or other consideration to the contestant. Entrant also gives the government the right to edit, resize, convert, and recompress the photo for viewing convenience and/or faster loading. The submitted photograph may be used singly or in combination with other photographs.

All photos entered in this contest will become the property of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and will not be returned. The entrant of the photos grants the USACE the right to display the photos online, and to use the photos in print or online marketing.

In the event that the ownership of a photograph submitted is challenged in any manner by any person, the Government may disqualify that photograph and will discontinue its use.