We’ve got a tradition at PHR where every fall we have a photo contest to see who can take the best amateur photo of a hot rod or musclecar. We know there’s plenty of talented guys out there, because we see the photos right here on the PHR website in our Reader’s Rides section. So why don’t we just use the photos posted here? The simple answer is that the photos just aren’t of a high enough quality to be printed (they’re posted at 72 dpi instead of 300 dpi, which is what we need for the printed page). Our photo contest rules also stipulate that you provide a lot more information on your car than what is required for the website.
With that said, there are a bunch of really cool cars posted on PHR’s Reader’s Rides section that we’d like to see submitted also for the photo contest. There are lots of prizes up for grabs, including a free commemorative T-shirt for the top 20 photo submissions. The top prize is a huge box of swag we’ve been saving all year, and includes plenty of t-shirts, hats, books, DVDs, and other items that come in across the transom. The top 20 guys will get a PHR Photo Contest t-shirt, a copy of the December 2008 issue with their published photo inside, two PHR license plates, and some PHR decals.
We outlined the exact rules in the July 2008 issue of PHR, but in a nutshell, we’re looking for your car! We don’t care if it’s fancy, or even if it’s finished, we just want your best photos. Creativity and attention to photographic details such as composition and lighting do count, so take your time to find a good location, wait for the good sunset light, and use a tripod to hold the camera steady. We suggest you grab a copy of the July issue while it’s still on sale—there are tons of great photo tips in there—but if you missed it, here are the primary details:
Send us a CD with no more than ten images. Make sure the images are high resolution (the max quality setting on your camera). Mail us ten prints of the ten photos that are on the CD, along with the CD, and enclose a cover letter with information about you and your car. We need to know the following: Your name, the name of the car owner, the name of the model (if you choose to use one), the details of the car, the car’s modifications, your hometown, mailing address, email address, and daytime contact information (a cellphone number is good). Send all this to: Source Interlink Media, Popular Hot Rodding Photo Contest, 774 S. Placentia Ave., Placentia, CA 92870. Our entry deadline is August 1, 2008.