Student photographers should be on the lookout for an amazing artistic shot in the next few weeks.

The deadline has been extended for the photography contest with the theme, Photography as Art.

Contest officials didn’t realize until last week that CSUN students were on break so all photographers now have until Feb. 15 to turn in their pictures, said Robert Bladow.

Bladow volunteers with the Valley Cultural Center, who sponsors the event, and helps spread the word about the contest.

The contest is open to high school and college students throughout the San Fernando Valley, as well as amateur photographers.

Bladow said the pictures can be edited with Photoshop and other programs as long as the submitted pictures are still identifiable as a photograph. The entries can be film, digital, black and white, color, computer imaging or mixed media.

Each participant can submit up to three photographs.

“The submissions should extend beyond pictures of their favorite puppy dogs and rainbows,” Bladow said. “The photographer needs to use their skills to make a picture that has an artistic feel to it.”

The Valley Cultural Center sponsors the photography contest as a community outreach program. Enlightening, educating and enriching present and future generations by providing diverse programs of the performing and visual arts is the mission of the Arts Center, according to their Web site.

The pictures will be first judged electronically. The entries will then be narrowed down to 25 photos in each category — high school, college and amateur, said Bladow.

The judging will take place April 17 at a reception in the Westfield Topanga Mall where the pieces will be exhibited through Aug. 31, according to the Web site.

Jim Brammer, a member of the Executive Board of Directors for the Valley Cultural Center said, “the judges have not been selected yet. However, I plan to target the following groups to fill the judges’ panel: local professional photographers, art and photography professors, photojournalism editors, art directors and professional judges from the Professional Photographers of America.”

“Life is more than going to school and work. The contest is to get people more involved in the community,” said Bladow.

Community recognition is one of the prizes the top five winners will get. The photographers in each category will have their winning images displayed in the Valley Cultural Center’s 2010, “Concerts in the Park” Program and Guide. All winners will also be recognized at the 2010 Valley Cultural Center Community Concert Day, where their photos will be displayed, according to the Web site.

Participants with the top three images in each category will get cash and other prizes as well; the highest being $1000 as well as a $250 certificate for print lab services donated by Bay Photo Lab. The second place winner will receive $500 and a $150 certificate, and third prize is $250 and a $50 certificate for the print lab services.

Best in show winners from each category will receive a studio lighting kit donated by Woodland Hills Camera.

The arts center is a non-profit corporation that has been serving the community for over 30 years, bringing in culture, arts, and arts education in the San Fernando Valley. Other events the Center sponsors are: movies in the park, concerts in the park, L.A.P.D. National Night Out and Grateful Hearts.

For more information about the contest or the Valley Cultural Center, visit www.valleycultural.org.