You all like eerie photos, right? I've taken some dandies myself, but I'm no photographer and even if I were, there is no way I can have enough of them. I love them! They inspire me, they influence me, they interest me greatly. I'm sure they interest a great many people. Interesting things increase site traffic. Site traffic means exposure, and exposure means sales. And if there is anything that interests me more than a neat creepy picture, it's selling books so I can make rent.
This is where you all come in. I want pictures of eerie places, abandoned buildings, spooky woods, old back roads, and if possible, the address so I can visit it if I like.
Show me places that you think a vampire might live. Here are some ideas: attics, abandoned houses, old barns (especially ones in corn fields), junkyards, alleys, old factories, mills, mines, asylums (like the old Menninger place in Topeka), garages, slaughter houses, swamps, fences, creeks, streams, anything in the fog, graveyards, churches. Play with angles, lighting, and ambiance to get a cool, eerie look.
CONTEST RULES:
Submissions will be accepted from 12:01 PM (that's one minute past noon), August 10th to 12:01 AM (and that's one minute past midnight), September 10th. All times are Central Daylight Time. Photo must have been taken in the last six months (No earlier than March 10th, 2010). Submission must be the work of the entrant. It's worth nothing if you didn't do it.
The author and his immediate family are not eligible to win anything from this contest. (why the heck would I want to win a copy when I have like twenty six of 'em laying in a box by my door, anyway?) Just to be on the safe side, I am barring anyone credited in the book from entering this contest. Sorry guys.
Minimal photoshopping please. Setting it to black and white is one thing, but altering the sky color or changing reflections is forbidden. It isn't fair to those who don't have a legal copy of the program or the cojones to torrent it. You may upload up to three submissions, but only one may be flagged as an entry.
My wife and I are the judges. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE ENTRANTS ARE THE JURY. Though there will be voting if we can manage it, it's to be viewed as a sort of electoral college: the little guys can vote, but the two of us pick the winner.
We will pick the winning photograph. Our word is beyond contest. I am king of this site and Jana is my queen, and you are to be our subjects. Peons are not allowed to contest our royal highfalutin decrees. Our lawyer assured us that declaring ourselves royalty does not allow us to behead anyone, so we will have to settle for dismissing your entry. And calling you a toad.
Speak up. Offer encouragement and critique of other entries. Let us know which entry you like most. We have keen BS-detection and troll-detection skills. Please do not cut another persons work to bits with overly mean critiques. Also, don't post crap, or we will join in the mockery and trolling.
Make it eerie, spooky, scary, unnerving, and most of all, real. We want photos of places that you think a vampire could live, hunt, or hide.
Rules are subject to change without reason, notification, or logic.
We are not liable for any accidents, injuries, legal hot water, groundings, or the actions taken by any participant of this contest. Use your head and stay safe. Be smart. If you have break rules/laws to get the photograph, think twice. And if you decide to do it anyways, have a buddy distract the cops. Bear in mind that the prize is only worth $15 here, people. It WOULD make a killer story, though, if I had to deliver it to jail!
HOW TO ENTER:
Click in the "Write Something..." box on the Vampire of Meadow Lake's facebook page wall. Click the "Photo" icon underneath the typing box, then choose "Upload a photo" and then "Choose File." The photo will appear in a folder on the page called "Photos by others" for everyone to see. Use the photo tagging system to tag the middle of the photo (or the most interesting part of the photo) with the words "Contest Entry"
WINNER:
The spoils will go to the guy or gal with the photograph we like the best. That guy will receive one signed copy of the newest edition of the novel, either shipped to them or delivered in person, whichever is more convenient to us. No substitutions, exchanges or refunds. There is no guarantee on when we will get it shipped, but we will try to get it done as soon as we can.
Fan choice: the fan choice may or may not receive a prize. Sorry. I'm broke and may or may not be feeling generous at the end of this, so you may receive something; as likely as not it will be a copy of the "exclusive edition" with the bonus short story and typos. Same shipping arrangements as for the main prize winner apply.
Please refrain from having human subjects in your entries. Any photo with a person in it will be dismissed from the contest by default. I do not want to deal with model release forms and all of that good rot, so again, this a photo contest for setting the mood.
RIGHTS MANAGEMENT:
All photos entered into this contest are considered our property. We (Jason M. Petty & his wife Jana M. Petty) reserve the right to use, reproduce and distribute the work all willy-nilly as much as we like without compensation to the photographer. Thanks in advance, suckas!