4-H Farm Friends Photography Contest

All entries are due by March 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. and must be submitted online through the link below.

Register Through Google Forms Here!

General Information

• Photos will be printed and displayed at the Beaufort County 4-H Livestock Show & Sale on March 12, 2026 at Coastal Carolina Gin.
• In addition to the judges pick, there will be a "fan favorite" voting option at the livestock show.
• Winners will be announced at the livestock show and will be posted on the facebook on March 13.
• The top three winners in each category will receive a place ribbon.

Rules for the Contest

• This contest is open to all youth in Beaufort County, ages 5-18, and adults, ages 19 years and older, as of January 1, 2026.
• All photographs must be taken by the participant submitting the entry (AI photos will not be accepted).
• Photos must be of animals found on the farm. Including but not limited to: goats, lambs, cattle, hogs, horses, barn cats, dogs, etc. No photos of people will be accepted.
• Participants must enter their photographs within the age division that applies to their age, as of January 1, 2026.
  • Cloverbud: Ages 5-7 (participation only)
  • Junior: Ages 8-12
  • Senior: Ages 13-18
  • Adult: Ages 19+
• Each participant may enter only one photograph.
• Photographs may be in color or black and white.
• Photographs MUST BE SUBMITTED at the highest image resolution possible to display high-quality images, but no larger than 10 GB.
• Photos must have a caption or name to be shared with the photo that does not include the particiapant's name.

Criteria for Judging

Information the judges use when choosing the winners of this contest. If you have any questions about the contest, please contact our 4-H Agent at 252-946-0111 or cquinn@ncsu.edu

• Relevancy to Topic – Is the photo taken of an animal that can be found on the farm?
• Composition/Arrangement – Are the objects in the photo arranged in a meaningful, pleasing manner or are they haphazard? Did the photographer use the best angle or otherwise interesting perspective?
• Focus / Sharpness – Is the object of the photo in focus? If not in sharp focus, does it appear to be an intentional special effect to enhance the image artistically?
• Lighting – Did the photographer use proper lighting of the subject matter? Do any extremes of darkness or brightness lend to or detract from the image content?
• Creativity – Does the photographer show some creative thought or original idea in the making of this image? Is the subject something unusual or is the content of the photo presented in a way we haven’t seen before?