The Michigan Master Gardener Association is celebrating the beauty and impact of gardening through our first-ever Photo Competition! Whether it's a vibrant bloom, a hardworking pollinator, or a thriving community project, we want to showcase the incredible moments our members have captured. Prizes will be awarded for top photos. Read on to learn more about the rules and guidelines for the competition.

2025 MMGA Photo Competition Rules and Guidelines

Eligibility

The photo competition is open to all MMGA members.

Photo Themes

  • Annuals and/or Perennials

  • Community in Action (Member(s) working on a Master Gardener project. This may or may not include other participants.)

  • Container Garden

  • Garden Transformation (Before and After) 

  • Member Spotlight (Photo of a member working in their garden)

  • Produce from the Garden

  • Trees and Shrubs

  • Wildflowers and Native Plants

  • Wildlife Oasis (animals or insects in the garden)

Submission guidelines

  1. The picture must be taken in 2025.

  2. There are no restrictions on the location of where photos can be taken, unless specified within the theme.

  3. If your image includes a plant, you do not need to have grown it.

  4. Images should be submitted through the following form: https://forms.gle/Aot3Fpsjt6dFZWsU6. You must complete one form per submission.

  5. There is a limit of one entry per theme per person (excluding the “Garden Transformation” theme, as before and after photos will be needed). Duplicate images under different themes are not allowed.

  6. All photo entries must be submitted no later than October 1, 2025.

voting

Photos will be judged by MMGA members via a survey. Members will be asked to select their 3 favorite photos when voting.

prizes

Prizes will be awarded across all themes. There will be (1) first-place prize of $100, (1) second-place prize of $50, and (4) runner-up prizes of $25 each. Prizes will be awarded via check. Winners will be announced at the MMGA Annual Meeting in November 2025. Winning images will be shared on the MMGA website, social media channels, newsletters, and as the MMGA sees fit.

usage rights

By submitting a photo, entrants grant the MMGA the right to use the image in the following ways, including but not limited to: the MMGA website, Facebook page, Instagram account, and newsletters. Photos will always include credit to the photographer.