Are you an aspiring nature photographer who also happens to spend a lot of free time hiking the Santa Monica Mountains? If you read this site, the answer is probably yes … which is why you should be interested in the 2009 Spirit of the Mountains contest.

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is holding a photo contest for amateur photographers during the month of October, with winners to be published in the parks newsletter OUTDOORS (circulation 20,000). In addition, all entries will be on display at the National Park Service Visitors’ Center in Thousand Oaks from mid-November through the end of January.

They’re accepting entries in both digital and film prints, and the photos can be in one of five categories – Plants, Animals, Scenic Shots, People in Parklands, Memories of the Mountains, and Young Photographers. All photos must be taken within the Santa Monica Mountains Zone, which includes land not technically within the boundaries of the National Recreation Area – like Griffith Park (click here for a PDF of the area). If you’ve got people visible in your photos, they will have to sign a release form, too.

All the rules and forms are available on the contest’s web site, and I expect to see some Modern Hiker readers with some ribbons come November!

Tags: photography contest, Santa Monica Mountains, spirit of the mountains