Tennessee Valley residents with a penchant for photography are encouraged to enter the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area’s photo contest, according to a press release.

The MSNHA staff is looking for photos that celebrate the people and places of northwest Alabama. Both amateur and professional photographers are eligible to enter. Deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Entries must be digital, submitted by the person who took the photo and taken within Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone or Morgan counties. Other criteria are listed in the contest guidelines, which are available along with the required entry forms at http://msnha.una.edu.

“We hope people will use this contest as inspiration to discover MSNHA’s many treasures,” said MSNHA Director Carrie Crawford. “From outdoor recreation and beautiful landscapes to our vibrant downtowns, from American-Indian heritage to northwest Alabama’s continuing role and influence in today’s music industry, our area is known around the world. And there’s no better way to share our stories than with our own local images.”

Categories are architecture, downtowns, music, Native American heritage and nature and outdoor recreation, with separate divisions in each category for amateurs and professionals.

Two grand-prize winners — an amateur and a professional — will win dinners at the 360 Grille, donated by Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa in Florence. Grand prizes will be awarded for general excellence.

In addition, first-place winners for each of the five categories will be named. The five category winners in the professional division will win golf passes with golf cart, donated by the city of Decatur. The five category winners in the amateur division will win ice-skating passes, also donated by the city of Decatur.

All winning photographs will be featured on the MSNHA website and social media platforms, and any entry might be used in MSNHA promotions.

Email msnha@una.edu for more information.