Allison Rotella was a winner in 2019 with this photo of the then-closed bridge. (Photo used with permission).
Public to help select top images in six categories
COVINGTON, Ky. – Get your cameras out and head to the river.
July will see the return of the “Focus on the Roebling” photo contest hosted by The Covington-Cincinnati Suspension Bridge Committee (CCSBC), which showcases the historic bridge designed by John A. Roebling.
The committee will be accepting submissions from July 1 to July 31 for the contest, which is open to the public and is being held for the first time in three years.
Each participant will receive a print of their image from Covington-based Madison Photo Works, which is one of the sponsors. The six winners will earn a one-hour trip to the top of the bridge for a photo shoot.
There are three categories -- daytime photos, nighttime photos, and short video – for both the amateur and professional levels. Rules (and technical details) – as well as how to submit your photos – can be read at Roebling Bridge Contest.
- The $25 entry fee lets you submit one to three photos or videos.
- You must be 18 or older and must be the creator/owner of the submitted photographs.
- All photos must contain the Roebling Suspension Bridge or an identifiable element of it.
- A panel will narrow submissions down to the top three in each category, and then the public will vote on the entries they like best. The voting will take place Aug. 8-15 on the contest website above.
The contest wasn’t held in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic and the restoration project on the bridge. In 2018 and 2019, organizers said, 70 to 80 photographers submitted a total of about 200 photographs each year.
Allison Rotella said she entered the contest three years in a row before winning one of the categories in 2019, earning a trip to the top of the bridge.
“I have lived in Cincinnati my whole life and have been a longtime admirer of the Roebling Bridge,” Rotella said. “As a civil engineer interested in structures, I am fascinated by its beauty. When I first heard of the contest in 2017, I was thrilled to learn there was a potential way to get to the top. … The view from the top was worth the wait - it's the best seat in the city. That once-in-a-lifetime experience for me was a dream come true, and it's a privilege to be among the few who have seen the skyline from such heights.”
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