This Rural Life

Photo Contest


Enter and vote for your favourite photos! Share an original photo that shows the moments, landscapes, people or traditions that make your community feel like home and tell us why they matter to you.

Photo submitted by Ashley A. in our 2022 photo contest

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The theme for 2026: "This Rural Life"

There is a story people sometimes tell about small towns – that a full life is something you have to leave home to find. But across rural Alberta, we know better.


This rural life is chosen. It’s built in the early mornings and wide-open evenings, in the places where neighbours know your name and people show up when it matters. It’s found in the work of the land, the pride of a main street, the laughter at a local rink, the dust of a summer rodeo, the quiet beauty of a back road and the steady comfort of familiar faces.


For this year’s Vision Credit Union photo contest, we’re inviting you to capture what This Rural Life means to you.

Contest Rules & Details

  • How it works

    ✽ Submit your photo that captures life in rural Alberta, and tell us what it means to you.


    ✽ Share your entry on social media to gather votes from friends, family and your community.


    ✽ Use your personal “Refer-A-Friend” link to earn 10 bonus votes every time someone new enters the contest through your link.


    ✽ Entry period: July 2 to August 26, 2026. One entry per person.


    ✽ Voting period: July 2 to September 7, 2026. Vote once every 24 hours for your favourite entries!


    ✽ The top 20 most-voted entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges in a blind vote to determine the final winners.


    ✽ Winners will be announced on Vision’s Facebook and Instagram — follow us to stay in the loop!


    ✽ The two entries with the most public votes will each receive a Community Engagement Award, with a $250 donation to a local organization of their choice.


    ✽ Select entries may also be featured in our special 2027 Vision calendar, including submissions that aren’t prize winners!


    Quick tip: Submit a high-resolution photo and a meaningful story to help your entry stand out.

  • Prizes

    Entries voted in the top 20 will be eligible for one of three top prizes. These entries will be reviewed and winners selected by a panel of community volunteers.


    ✽ 1st Prize: $1000


    ✽ 2nd Prize: $350


    ✽ 3rd Prize: $150


    ✽ Community Engagement Award: The two entries with the most votes will automatically win one $250 donation each to a local Alberta community organization (charity or non-profit) of the winner's choice.


    ✽ Calendar Features: All entries will be eligible to be selected for Vision's limited edition 2027 wall calendar.

  • Rules & Deadlines

    DEADLINES

    ✽ Calendar Deadline: August 16, 2026


    ✽ Contest Deadline: August 26, 2026


    ✽ Last Day to Vote: September 7, 2026



    RULES

    ✽ One entry per person (choose your best photo!). Multiple entries by the same person will be removed.


    ✽ Open to Alberta residents. Including Vision members and non-members.


    ✽ Vote once per entry every 24 hours. You may cast one vote per 24 hours for as many different entries as you'd like.


    ✽ 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners must be Vision members OR be able to pick up their prize at a local Vision branch. Prizes will not be mailed.


    ✽ Charities or non-profits chosen to receive a donation by the Community Engagement award winners must be located in Alberta.



    FULL CONTEST RULES

    By participating, all contestants agree to the official contest rules. Read these rules in full below.

    Official Contest Rules

Frequently Asked Questions

All residents of Alberta are eligible to enter, regardless of whether they are members of Vision Credit Union.


Entries are not open to residents of other provinces or countries at this time.

Calendar entries: August 16

Contest entries: August 28

Voting: September 7


These deadlines allow us enough time to select submissions for the calendar and ensure late entries have a fair chance to collect votes.

Community Engagement winners will be announced the day after voting closes. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be selected and announced in September.

All photos, regardless of vote counts, are eligible to be featured in our 2027 Wall Calendar.


By submitting to the photo contest, you grant Vision Credit Union the right to feature your photo in future promotional materials (with credit to you).

You may vote for each individual photo entry once every 24 hours, but you can vote for as many different photos as you like in that time period.


The top two vote recipients will have a $250 donation made to a charity of their choice, and the top 20 vote recipients will be eligible for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes. So feel free to vote for your own entry and share the love by voting for other photos you enjoy.

  • Submit early (more time to vote = more potential votes)
  • Vote once every 24 hours and encourage friends and family to do the same
  • Share your entry on social media
  • Share your "Refer-A-Friend" link to earn 10 extra votes every time someone new enters the contest through your link
  • Ensure you submit a high-resolution photo (low-resolution photos, unfortunately, will not be eligible for the calendar due to printing requirements)
  • Include a meaningful story about the photo (what it captures, what it means to you) in your caption

If a prize winner is a member of Vision Credit Union: Your prize amount will be deposited directly into your account.


If the prize winner is not a member of Vision Credit Union: Your prize amount will be available for pick up at the Vision Credit Union branch nearest to you.


 If you are unable to make it to a Vision branch, you may choose to have your prize amount donated to a charity of your choice.

You may choose any Alberta-based charity or non-profit of your choice, or any national/international charity with a local Alberta chapter.