Official Contest Rules

We’re looking for stunning photos from the heart of #CoopCountry—rural Missouri, northeast Oklahoma, and southeast Iowa. Every Friday, we feature a photo that shows off the beauty of our co-op service area, and we’d love to include yours!

How to Enter

Deadline: Aug. 30, or when we receive 40 high-quality entries, whichever comes first.

Who Can Enter

  • Open to members of distribution electric cooperatives in Missouri, southern Iowa and northeastern Oklahoma.
  • Winners must be an Iowa, Oklahoma or Missouri cooperative member (within the Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. service area). Your membership will be verified with the co-op you select in your registration form. Check here if your co-op is included in this contest.
  • Must be 18 or older.
  • Must be a member in good standing (not owe an outstanding bill to your electric cooperative). This will be verified with the co-op you select in your registration form.

 

Photo Guidelines for Contestants

What we're looking for

  • Eye-catching landscape photos: sunsets, farms, fields, rivers, wildlife, rural scenes or anything else that captures the spirit of co-op country.
  • No people in photos, please.
  • Horizontal photos are best.
  • No filters, watermarks or graphics.
  • You can view past Feature Photo Friday pictures on our Members First Facebook page.

To give your photo the best chance of being featured, here are some quick tips to follow:

DO:

  • Submit clear, sharp photos – no blurry or pixelated shots.
  • Use natural light – sunrise, sunset or a bright overcast day can make rural scenes look amazing.
  • Frame your shot thoughtfully – wide open skies, fields, barns, water, fences, wildlife, roads and other #CoopCountry vibes are all great.
  • Use horizontal (landscape) orientation – it fits better on our pages.
  • Stick to your region – photos must be taken in rural Missouri, northeast Oklahoma or southeast Iowa (our service territory).
  • Keep it original – your photo must be your own work.

DON’T:

  • Don’t submit photos that include people – even in the background. This contest is for landscapes only.
  • Don’t use AI-generated images or stock photography.
  • Don’t submit photos taken from a moving vehicle or through a window.
  • Don’t send screenshots or photos taken off another screen or social media post.
  • Don’t edit your photo: no filters, no color adjustments, no retouching. Submit it as it was taken.

Want a bonus tip? Take a few extra seconds to wipe your camera lens before shooting. You’d be surprised how many photos get ruined by smudges.
 

Prizes & Winner selection

  • Get featured? If your photo is selected for a Feature Photo Friday post, you’ll receive a $10 gift card. Our team will choose featured photos based on quality and fit for our social media posts. See the photo guidelines above for a better chance for your photo to be used. We will only use one photo per member submission, unless we haven’t reached the maximum 40 quality photos by Aug. 31. 
  • Every entry (even if not selected) goes into a random drawing to win one of four $100 gift cards at the end of the contest. Each member (no matter how many photos are submitted) will only be entered into the random drawing ONE time.
  • The $100 gift card drawing will take place after the contest ends. Winners will be contacted by email or phone by a representative of Associated Electric Cooperative or your local electric cooperative and will only ask for your mailing address if you haven't already provided it. This will just be so we know where to send your gift card. You will NOT be contacted via social media and you will NOT be asked to click on any unknown links or provide any credit card or sensitive personal information, so if someone contacts you for this information please do not share it. Unfortunately there are scammers who try to steal your information and we do not want you to fall victim to these scams.   

 

Photo Use & Permissions

By entering, you give Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc., our six member G&Ts, and their 51 member-distribution cooperatives permission to use your photo(s) on co-op social media pages, websites and for future promotional use, including future photo contests. The primary use will be for the Members First Facebook and Instagram accounts, where we’ll feature one photo every Friday evening. If you provide your Facebook or Instagram handle, we’ll tag you when we post your photo.
 

Fine Print

  • One $10 gift card per selected photo.
  • No purchase necessary to enter.
  • Inappropriate or off-topic submissions will be disqualified.
  • Insufficient information provided on the registration form will disqualify the submission.

 

About us

This contest is part of Members First, a program supported by 51 local electric cooperatives serving more than 935,000 homes, farms, and businesses. Our power comes from six regional G&Ts and one collective G&T—Associated Electric Cooperative. We’re proud to serve the people of this region and showcase the landscapes that power our communities. Learn more about us and find your cooperative here.