Et cetera : Give it Your Best Shot - Iowa Tourism Photo Contest

Do you have the eye to capture a unique vacation in Iowa? If so, you have a chance to see your best photography on the cover of the next Iowa Travel Guide, the premier showcase of attractions, events and vacation experiences in Iowa, published by the Iowa Tourism Office.

"We distribute the Iowa Travel Guide to thousands of people from around the state, country and world each month in its print and digital forms," says Shawna Lode, Manager of the Iowa Tourism Office. "We're excited for this opportunity to showcase photographers who have best captured the spirit of Iowa in their photography. Whether it's a candid family picture from an Iowa getaway or a professional scenic portrait, we will showcase the images that best represent our state and its travel destinations."

Open to both amateur and professional photographers, the photo contest kicks off this month on the Travel Iowa Facebook page, www.facebook.com/IowaTourism. People simply need to fill out an entry form and submit a beautiful photo taken while traveling Iowa. Each entry must include something that clearly demonstrates the photo was shot in Iowa. Complete contest rules are posted on the page.

Deadline for submissions is December 21, 2012. Finalists will be chosen and inserted into Travel Guide cover designs that will be posted on the Facebook page where visitors can vote for their favorite. Voting will take place January 23 through February 1, 2013. The cover design with the most votes will be declared the winner on February 4.

Tourism in Iowa generates more than $7 billion in expenditures, employs 63,400 people statewide and generates $328 million in state taxes. The Iowa Tourism Office is part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. For more information about Iowa tourism, visit www.traveliowa.com, call 800.345.IOWA or stop at any Iowa Welcome Center.