Whether you use a smartphone, point-and-shoot camera or digital SLR, there is a chance to win prizes with your pictures.

Epic Te Puke’s photo competition, run in conjunction with Te Puke Creative Forum, is on now, with Epic dollars and the chance to see your photo enlarged for an open-air exhibition on offer.

There are three competition categories — local pets (open to children 13 or under), local people and local places, which are both open to all ages, but have two age groups.

“I am hoping that we get some awesome entries,” Epic Te Puke marketing manager Rebecca Larsen said.

The competition is a variation on the theme that has been established over the past two Easter events in Te Puke where Te Ara Kahikatea pathway has become a gallery.

This year’s Easter event will be on April 19. Larsen said each year there had been a creative component to Easter celebrations and this year that was photography.

The first year, large, decorated Easter eggs peppered the walkway and in year two, a range of sculptures deemed the best entries in a competition were the attractions for those walking or cycling the pathway.

This time the finalists in the local people and local places sections will be part of the Picture Perfect Easter Trail.

They will be enlarged and printed on aluminium and displayed around the walkway.

The finalists in the local pets category will be placed on easels.

Pets and locals

The local pets section is sponsored by Te Puke Vets and the title is not to be taken too literally.

“It doesn’t need to be pets specifically — it can be an insect or animal life form, aside from a human as we have a people category.”

The local people section is sponsored by recently opened Sub 10 Training and Recovery Ltd and local places sponsored by Todd Jenkins, who has recently joined Property Brokers and Abby Blain who is also from Property Brokers.

“It’s really exciting to see people get into new ventures and getting behind this competition as well and really cool for us to see their support and we want to help them get their businesses up and running.”

Te Puke Creative Forum will judge the entries and on the day there will be the chance to vote for the people’s choice awards, where there will be prizes for first, second and third plus two highly commended prizes.

Organisers are offering a few tips to those wanting to enter: Impact — does the image immediately grab the viewer’s attention?

Creativity: Is the image original and creative in its execution?

Emotive Connection: Does the image evoke emotion and resonate with the viewer?

Technical Ability: Is the photograph well-composed, sharp, and technically proficient? The competition closes on March 14.

There are some rules for the competition — check them out and find out how to enter by visiting the Epic Te Puke website.

Other events

Later next month, Epic will be hosting another one of its annual events — a town summit.

“It’s for anyone organising things in town – events, promotions, initiative – and for people, even businesses, who have things coming up through the year that also want to connect with the community,” said Larsen.

Epic Te Puke marketing manager Rebecca Larsen.

Anyone wanting to find out what is happening in Te Puke is welcome to head along.

“We can all get the year kicked off and once people know what’s happening, collaborations can happen — we can all come together again after the long summer break, get the year kicked off in a positive way.”

Graeme Crossman of Kiwi Country Tours, which offers a wide range of cruise ship passenger tours and began bringing passengers to the town centre earlier this year, has been invited to talk about the initiative.

The summit will be on February 26 at 5pm in the Settlers Lounge, Te Puke Memorial Hall.

There will be a chance for everyone to do a short presentation and time for networking.

Those planning on going along are asked to register at Te Puke Online.