Tips to make your Missouri State Park photos stand out
It’s easier than ever to capture that perfect moment or scene while you’re out with your family. Nearly everyone has a readily available camera with them in their pocket or purse. Not surprisingly, in last year’s Missouri Snapshots Photo Contest sponsored by Missouri State Parks and Rural Missouri, nearly half of the winning photos were shot with a smartphone.
The annual contest is open to amateur photographers who always showcase all that there is to love about connecting with nature and history in one of Missouri’s state parks or historic sites. For the 14th consecutive year, Rural Missouri is teaming up with Missouri State Parks to highlight the beauty of the state park system with the winners in each category receiving a state park vacation valued at approximately $500.
More than 1,000 photos are sent in each year, and the judges are always impressed with the beauty of the entries. It’s important for your photos to stand out to improve your chances of that top spot, so here are a few tips on how to start planning your next Missouri State Parks photo trip.
People (or Pets) Can be the Difference
While landscapes of Missouri Mines State Historic Site or long exposures of stars at night can be selected by the judges, photos including your family, friends or furry companions generally stand out. Our judges generally prefer candid photos, not posed, of you enjoying all there is to do in the parks. Including people or pets is likely a prerequisite to be considered for the Making Missouri Memories category — the second most entered. It could be your grandson reacting to catching his first fish at Montauk or your daughter trying her best to move the boulders at Elephant Rocks. Even if it’s just a small element of the photo, it could elevate your nice photo to an award-winning one.
Get Technical
Bringing specialized gear or a DSLR camera opens up advanced possibilities. A tripod is a must for long- or multiple-exposure photos, such as blurred bikes zooming down the Katy Trail during the Pedaler’s Jamboree. Longer lenses such as a 300mm would give you a huge advantage in making a perfect frame of the bison in Prairie State Park.
Check Your Album
You may already have a winner! Maybe you forgot to enter the 2023 contest or you just found that postcard-worthy photo of the bluff that greets you when camping at Echo Bluff State Park. The photo entered in the contest does not need to be taken during the contest period. Just make sure it is entered online by Nov. 15.
Pick Your Spot
There’s no shortage of great photo opportunities in Missouri’s state parks, which are spread all around the Show-Me State. Our judges are always looking for an intriguing photo of a park, trail or detail that stands out in a crowded field. Maybe it’s a weekend stroll through beautiful Arrow Rock or a horseback rider on an equestrian trail at Lake of the Ozarks State Park. Don’t forget about the history and photo opportunities at the state historic sites as well.
Look High and Low
Most of us generally see the entire world from a similar eye level. Our judges like to see new, different or intriguing angles of state park sites, especially those that are popular such as Ha Ha Tonka’s castle ruins, the most entered area in the contest annually. This could be done by simply bending your knees or lying on your stomach for a low-angle photo while swimming with your family at Sam A. Baker State Park. You can also find an elevated position to shoot down on a scene. If you own a drone, the options are nearly limitless for the interesting perspectives you can capture. Just remember, the photo still must be interesting to be considered.
Watch the Clock
Some of the best light in Missouri’s state parks — and everywhere else — occurs in the few hours after sunrise and before sunset. Early morning sunrises can produce long, beautiful shadows on dew-soaked grass. Depending on the weather, the skies may fill up with red hues or serve as bright yellow or orange backgrounds in the evening, especially as a backdrop over Table Rock Lake State Park. Set your alarm early or stay a little later in the day and you’ll be on your way to taking a gorgeous photo.
Mark Your Calendar
The beauty inside Missouri’s state parks can change dramatically throughout the year, depending on the season. Roaring River State Park in Cassville looks much different on March 1 for the opening day of trout season than it does as the trees change colors along the hiking trails in the fall. Think about when the best time of year would be to visit the park for the photo you want and plan accordingly. If we get an early snowfall before the Nov. 15 deadline, our judges love to see the wintery scenes of the parks.
Don’t Get Disqualified
Scores of photos aren’t considered every year due to not conforming with contest rules. The biggest faux pas that gets entries immediately discarded is submitting photos that show someone not adhering to Missouri State Parks rules and regulations. The most frequent infractions include straying off marked hiking paths, unleashed animals and visiting outside of normal park operating hours. Also, the photo must be taken at a park or historic site maintained by Missouri State Parks. Photos from conservation areas, city or county parks or those operated by the National Park Service won’t be considered. Additionally, photos must be suitable to be printed in Rural Missouri. Screenshots, low-resolution photos and those with watermarks are instant outs.
Covered bridges, water trails, horseback riding, history and more: There’s no shortage of outdoor activities available to Missourians at our state parks and historic sites. Your level of adventure is up to you. It could be a relaxing night camping under the stars Bennett Spring State Park, a hike around Echo Bluff State Park or an exhilarating bike ride around the 87-foot pump track at Finger Lakes State Park.
The Missouri State Parks system is one of the greatest in the United States. One of the best parts of a state park trip is the cost of admission: $0. They’re free thanks to the citizen-supported one-tenth of 1% sales tax — last renewed in 2016 by nearly a 4-to-1 ratio — that ensures future generations will enjoy Missouri’s beauty. The parks are popular destinations across the Show-Me State. More than 20.2 million people visited the parks in 2023 and, undoubtedly, most of them took a photo or two.