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You are here: Home / books / Capture Dakota

Capture Dakota

October 18, 2011 by ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~ 15 Comments

Wade Tree

Earlier this summer I was notified that I needed to enter a contest. Or maybe we should call it a showcase. Either way, I entered about 37 photos. The point of the contest, called Capture Dakota, was to showcase The Dakotas, with photographs taken by anyone who’s been here, or lives here. It was open to both North and South Dakota photographers (amateurs and professionals alike). There was no theme, per-say. The photos just had to have been taken in either state.

Viewers to the contest, as well as those who submitted photos, were able to vote on their favorites, and badges were awarded based on votes. There were photo of the day selections, most popular, and of course, those that got 100 votes were awarded a badge. I could go on and on about the various awards.

The goal of gathering all these photos was to choose the best of the best and put them in a coffee table book. From the submissions, the top voted photos as well as editors’ choices, were selected to shape the book. It contains 200 photos and is 128 pages, and will be released November 17th, 2011.

On Thursday, October 13, I received an email stating that one (or more) of my photos was chosen to be published in the book! Needless to say I kind of jumped up and down in the kitchen when I read that. You see, I had only earned one badge for a photo getting 100 votes, and I hadn’t submitted some of the more popular photos- though I was late to the party by several months! I didn’t expect to get an email stating I’d been published. But, no matter, the editors saw something they liked, and as such I am lucky enough to have at least one photo published in a coffee table book! I had several published last month in Dirt Road Daughters Magazine (in case you were unaware).

A smattering of my entries:

 

Here’s what makes this the most fun- I have no idea what photo(s) they chose, as they’re keeping it a secret until I get the book into my hot little hands! I’ve had the bright idea to do a “guessing” contest with you, the readers/fans.

What I’d like to do is have you go to my Capture Dakota profile page, scroll through my photos (and vote while you’re there, please). Then choose the photo, or photos, that you think made the book- enter by leaving me a comment here on my blog. You can tweet me or Facebook too, but those entries/comments won’t count- they’ll just be for fun! The person(s) (up to 5 winners) who gets it right will be awarded a signed 5×7 of one of the prints that made the book. I think it will be fun to have the contest now, that way we can all be in suspense for the next month together! The contest will begin today- and for kicks and giggles we’ll run it until NEXT Tuesday, October 25th. Entries will close at noon central time.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in purchasing the Capture Dakota book, go here. And, I’ve started an online gallery where all of my submitted Capture Dakota prints may be purchased. They’re not all there yet- but I’m adding them daily. Wouldn’t you love to have some of this art hanging in your house? I know I’d love to have it hanging in your house!

Happy Tuesday and Happy Trails!

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Filed Under: books, contests, cowgirls, photography, pictures, ranching Tagged With: photography

About ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~

Jenn Zeller is the creative mind and boss lady behind The South Dakota Cowgirl. She is an aspiring horsewoman, photographer, brilliant social media strategist and lover of all things western.

After a brief career in the investment world to support her horse habit (and satisfy her mother, who told her she had to have a “real” job after graduating college), she finally took the leap and stepped away from a regular income; trading the business suit once and for all for cowgirl boots, a hat, and jeans. She has not looked back.

When Jenn first moved to The DX Ranch on the South Dakota plains, she never imagined she’d find herself behind a camera lens capturing an authentic perspective of ranching, and sharing it with others. Jenn has always been called to artistry, and uses music, writing, images, home improvement, and her first true love of horses to express her ranching passion.

Horses are the constant thread and much of her work centers around using her unique style of writing to share her horsemanship journey with others in publications such as CavvySavvy, the AQHA Ranching Blog, the West River Eagle, the family ranch website, and her own website.

Using photography to illustrate her stories has created other opportunities -- Jenn’s brand “The South Dakota Cowgirl” has grown to the level of social media “Influencer”. This notoriety has led to work with Duluth Trading Company, Budweiser, Wyoming Tourism, Vice, Circle Z Ranch and Art of the Cowgirl, to name a few. She also serves as a brand ambassador for Woodchuck USA, Arenus Equine Health, Triple Crown Feed and Just Strong fitness apparel. Her photography has been featured by Instagram, Apple, TIME Magazine, The Huffington Post, and Oprah Magazine. Jenn’s work has been published internationally, has been seen in several books and has graced the covers of several magazines.

Jenn became a social media influencer by accident when she started to explore Instagram as a way to share her life on the ranch with folks that don’t get to experience it. It’s grown into an incredible platform that she uses to empower women, create an environment for self improvement and share life on the ranch.

When she’s not working, she loves to drink coffee, play with her naughty border collie named Copper, start ranch colts, and run about the country chasing cans. Her mother still thinks she doesn’t have a “real” job.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sarah Johnson says

    October 18, 2011 at 1:26 pm

    Congrats! That is exciting news! I’m so happy for you and cant’ wait to get a peak at the book! I voted for Sunset Via the iPhone and I’m betting at least that one got in, if not several more. The Rainbow picture, and also the last one…what was it titled…the one with the dirt road peaking over the hill…..well those three were my favorites and I’d publish them if I were putting together a book! One or several, either way, its awesome that you got selected! Congrats again!

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  2. Kristy Jewell says

    October 18, 2011 at 3:58 pm

    Congratulations on the selection(s) of your photos for the book! All of your photography is great-love the emotion felt in many shots. I have several favorites:
    A Coming Home, Buckin Mane, Bucked Off, Headed to Water, Flying, Lifting on the Bronc Rein, and Waiting Their Turn. I’ll be excited to see which pictures are selected!

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    • ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~ says

      November 16, 2011 at 8:21 am

      You’re a winner! Contact me to claim your prize!

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  3. Pseudo says

    October 18, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    Wow! congrats, that is awesome. I clicked on the first link, so the titles in the comment above me I did not see.

    But I’ll vote ; -)

    I say Running Mares, Sunset via the I-phone…. if three then I’d add in Blue Skies, Golden grass…

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  4. Sunnie says

    October 18, 2011 at 9:59 pm

    Awesome, very pretty pictures! I voted for horses from the iphone pic.

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  5. Sharon says

    October 19, 2011 at 12:59 pm

    Gotta go with Coming Home! Love all of them though!

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    • ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~ says

      November 16, 2011 at 8:22 am

      Coming Home was chosen! That makes you a winner! Contact me to claim your prize!

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  6. Carol says

    October 25, 2011 at 11:21 am

    Love the Old Post and Sunset via iPhone – your pictures always make me want to move there! Cant wait to see which ones made the book! Hope they all did!!

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  7. Bridget Kurtenbach says

    October 25, 2011 at 11:45 am

    Wow. It’s really hard to narrow it down to just 3 that are in the book. (If I’m even correct on that number). I think all of them should be in there! 😉 The ones I think will be in there are Coming Home, Bucked Off and Fall storm via iPhone.

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    • ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~ says

      November 16, 2011 at 8:23 am

      You’re a winner, of this contest and the Horse’s Mouth Contest! Contact me to claim your prize!

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  8. Suzie Salmon says

    October 26, 2011 at 9:14 am

    How would I ever choose? They are all so beautiful they should be printed off and bound into your own coffee table book! But since you’re making me, I’d say God’s Watercolors is pretty spectacular…

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    • ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~ says

      October 26, 2011 at 10:03 am

      Speaking of coffee table books- mine about my life on the ranch will be released Summer 2012!

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  9. Ashley says

    October 27, 2011 at 11:51 am

    Shoot Just now remembered about this contest. Have you already picked the winners or did you extend the deadline?

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    • ~the south dakota cowgirl~ says

      October 27, 2011 at 12:18 pm

      I can’t pick the winner until I get the book! 🙂 I don’t know what photos they put into the book, and I don’t get the book until the middle of November!

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      • Ashley says

        October 27, 2011 at 12:20 pm

        True. Guess that does make a difference. Just saw you were closing the contest yesterday and didn’t think about you not having the book, lol.

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