Amateur photographers who enjoy taking pictures of animals and landscapes have an opportunity for their work to be recognized.
Bird & Butterflies is seeking entries for its "South Carolina - Nature's Palette" contest.
The competition will have three categories: critters, scenery and youth (age 16 and under).
"The photos don't have to be taken in Aiken or Aiken County; they can be from anywhere in South Carolina," said Ron Brenneman, who owns Birds & Butterflies with his wife, Dori. "In the scenery category, it would be nice to get pictures from all over the state."
Photos of domestic animals such as dogs and cats or farm animals such as horses and cows won't be accepted in the critters category.
"The subject has to be some kind of wild animal," Brenneman said.
Entries can be dropped off Sept. 7 through 12 at Birds & Butterflies at 117 Laurens St. N.W.
There will be an entry fee of $5 per photo in the critters and scenery categories, and submissions will be limited to two per person.
There will be no entry fee in the youth category.
"The print size for the photos should by 8 inches by 10 inches, and each print should be matted so that it is approximately 11½ inches by 14 inches in size," Brenneman said.
A panel of judges will select first- and second-place winners in each category. Voting for a "People's Choice Award" will be held Sept. 14 to 19.
The contest's winners will be announced during a reception at Birds & Butterflies on Sept. 22 that will start at 5:30 p.m. The prizes will be Birds & Butterflies gift cards.
The photos will be on display at the store until Sept. 26.
This is the sixth year that Birds & Butterflies has sponsored a photo contest. In the past, the store has published and sold a calendar with some of the contest photos in it and donated some of the proceeds to a charitable cause, but there won't be a calendar this year.
"With all the electronic devices that are available now, calendars don't seem to be that popular anymore," Brenneman said.
Last year, the photo contest had around 70 entries.
For more information, call 803-649-7999 or visit www.birdsand butterfliesaiken.com.
Dede Biles is a general assignment reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the newspaper since January 2013.