CRAIG — The greater sandhill cranes have returned to the Yampa Valley and so has a popular contest for photographers.

The 2018 Yampa Valley Crane Festival Photo Contest is underway, and photographers of all ages and levels are invited to enter.

“Now is a perfect time to photograph the cranes before they begin their nesting cycle,” said Nancy Merrill, president of the Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition.

Rules and registration are as follows.

• Submit photographs by email to cranefestphoto@gmail.com.

• Two submissions per person are allowed.

• Photographers must indicate their entry category: Professional, amateur or youth (younger than 18).

• Along with each photo, entrant must include the photographer's name, age (if younger than 18), phone number, location of the photo, date the photo was taken and a title for the image.

Photos submitted to the photo contest must have been taken in the Yampa Valley between Sept. 1 and Aug. 13.

Winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded at the Yampa Valley Crane Festival, slated for Aug. 30 through Sept. 2, in Steamboat Springs and Hayden.

Complete photo contest rules, rights, guidelines and submission instructions can be found at coloradocranes.org/programs-2/2018-photo-contest.