AWARDS

Texas Excellence in Landscaping Awards Young Leader Award Arp Award

Texas Excellence in Landscaping Awards Competition

TNLA Grand Platinum Award 2007-2008 Lawns of Dallas – Harwood International

The Texas Excellence in Landscaping (TEIL) awards competition is for all landscape architects, landscape designers, and commercial landscape firms that devote a major part of their business operation to landscape design, landscape installation, interior landscape and/or landscape maintenance.

• View TEIL 2007-2008 winner slides
• Why should you enter an awards program?
• Tips from the Winners
• Sponsoring the TEIL Award

• Eligibility
• General Rules
• Judging
• Entry Fees
• Download 2008-2009 Entry Form (to come)
• Download 2008-2009 Brochure (to come)

TEIL 2007-2008 Award and January Workshop Sponsors

To view larger photo - click on image.
Platinum Award (Chosen from Gold Award Winners) Lawns of Dallas Commercial Maintenance Harwood International
Gold Award Jason Osterberger Designs Residential Installation Private Estate
Gold Award L & R Landscape Services, Inc. Special Project – Fountain Plaza City of Austin – Town Lake Park
Gold Award Moss Landscaping, Inc. Residential Installation Likari Residence
Gold Award Moss Landscaping, Inc. Residential Installation Hekker Residence

Why should you enter an awards program?
It is work to fill out the TEIL application,take good photos and arrange the slides to comply with the entry requirements, but there are several good reasons why it's worth the effort:

You can use the slide set to promote your work quality. If you win, it's nice to say you are an award-winning contractor.

Use the program to build customer relationships - It means something to your client that their contractor has won an award for their property. They know they have hired a professional.

Recognition motivates employees - It reinforces they are doing a good job and encourages them to continue to improve.

Competition can help improve team performance - There is a great deal of effort that goes into all the final details, and it is also agreat training experience for newer members of the team.

Establishing the discipline of taking photos helps build a photo library of your work.

Judges and award winners agree, one of the keys to a successful entry in the TEIL awards program is early preparation. Though the deadline isn't until November, it pays to start planning your entry early: deciding which project to enter, choosing a photographer, planning the angle and style of photographs if you want to do them yourself.

Some previous winners and a judge from past awards programs have some good advice for all the potential winners.

Tips from the Winners

McDugald-Steel advises focusing in on different plant and material textures. Take up to 50 shots of the same area in order to get a diversity of slides from which to choose. Take photographs at varying times of the day in order to take advantage of different light opportunities. Don't get too technical in the slide descriptions.

Deborah Cole, owner of Greater Texas Landscapes in Austin suggests enrolling in a Saturday photography class if you want to do your own photographs. Cole says she carries her camera everywhere in order to never miss a "good" shot. By taking ten times as many pictures as she needs, she is able to cull out the mediocre slides. She also advises being sure the slides and the narrative emphasize the problems/challenges of the project.

A former judge urges to show and not tell: i.e. if you had to use a crane to move a tree ­ show it. She also urges people to show shots of the crew working on a project, not just the before and after. Aerial shots make it easier for the judges to see the design of a project. erial shots don't require an airplane ­ they can be taken from a roof, parking garage or some other area above the project.

Other photography tips to consider:

• Wet decks and walks photograph better than dry.
• Take before, during, and after photos from the same spot with a point of reference, like a chimney, column, etc.
• A foreground object will create the illusion of three dimensions.
• Photograph your project at the most colorful times of the year taking advantage of blooming seasons.
• Take pictures from many different angles. Shoot close, medium distance, and farther back. When you think you're finished, turn around, look back and shoot - advice from professional photographer Liz Ball, owner of Garden Portraits. Get down on your knees or elevate your position.
• Avoid "bull's eye" compositions. Don't have your main interest dead center.
• Don't cram too much into one picture. Too many elements create confusion.
• Tell the whole story. Include the context in which the plant is growing, whether it's surrounded by mulch or trailing down a stone wall.
• Include focal points: walls, gates, statuary, people.
• Remove distractions and debris. Pinch dead leaves, move the hose.Steady your focus. The sharper the picture the better. set a tripod or rest your camera on a wall. If you have no support structure, hold the camera with two hands cradling the lens in one hand.
• Bracket exposures for difficult light situations. If using light meters rather than automatic settings, take pictures at different speeds: fast, slow, and in-between. Film is cheap, but a picture is worth a thousand words.

TEIL Award Timeline
To help you plan ahead for your Year 2008-2009 entry, here is the timeline.
April-October, 2008 - Hard work and lots of picture taking at peak season
August 2008 - TEIL application information mails to TNLA members
October 6, 2008 - Deadline for TEIL applications in TNLA office
November 2008 - TEIL award judging
December 2008 - TEIL award recipient notification
January 2009 - TNLA Awards Announced

Sponsorships
Not eligible for entry in the awards competition? You can still participate in the program as a sponsor.

For more information about sponsorship or entries contact TNLA.

Eligibility

• Open to all landscape architects, landscape designers, and commercial landscape firms that devote a major part of their business operation to landscape design, landscape installation, interior landscape and/or landscape maintenance.
• Work must be performed in the State of Texas.
• Membership in the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association (TNLA) is not required to enter.

Judging

• A jury of experts in their fields judges the entries and determines award recipients.
• Work is judged on the basis of difficulty, craftsmanship, and relative contribution to the quality of the environment, in addition to specific criteria listed in each category.
• Each of the entry categories is evaluated independently. The type, size, and cost of the project are not criteria for judging.
• All entries are reviewed from the photos submitted. Photos must show sufficient details to allow judges to adequately determine the quality of work performed.
• NOTE: As there is no set number of awards to be presented, judges may recommend as many entries as they determine deserving of special recognition or they may recommend that awards not be given in every category.

Entry Fees

Entry fee for TNLA members is $200 per entry. Non-member fee is $300 per entry. All fees must be paid upon entry.

Entry Deadline

All entries, including photos, plans and other accompanying materials, must be postmarked no later than October 6, 2008.

How to Enter

1. Collect a set of 12 - 15 photos of the project you want to enter - digital images preferred.

2. Digital image requirements:

• Accepted only on CD readable on Mac or PC platform, 300 dpi (dots per inch) minimum, in eps, tif, or jpg format.
• Label the CD with the company name and entry name. Provide a separate CD for each entry submitted.
• Name each image file with the number corresponding to the photo description on the entry form.

3. Slide instructions:

• Label each slide with your company name, the project name, and number corresponding to the slide description on the entry form.
• Place slides in an 8-1/2”x11” plastic slide sleeve. All slides must be placed in a sleeve or they will not be accepted.

4. All photos with the exception of “before” shots must be taken within twelve months of submission.

5. Fill out both sides of the entry form.

6. Enclose entry fee of $200 per entry for TNLA members or $300 per entry for non-members.

7. Mail to Texas Excellence in Landscaping Awards (TEIL Awards), c/o TNLA, 7730 South IH-35, Austin, TX 78745-6698.

NOTE: All entries must be cleared by the owner of the entered project before being submitted. All entry materials submitted become the property of the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association and may be used for publication. No material accepted for entry will be returned for any reason. TNLA accepts no responsibility for copyrights or photographic fees.

General Rules

1. A project which previously has won a TNLA Grand Platinum Award may not re-enter for two (2) years.
2. The project’s name, company logo, or address may not be shown anywhere on the photos. The photos will be pulled and not shown to the judges.
3. All entries will be reviewed from the photos submitted. Photos must show sufficient details to allow judges to adequately determine the quality of work.
4. Each entry should include the date the project was completed or taken over.
5.New this year: submit a hard copy of the design planfor all installation submissions
6. Where applicable to aid in entry judging, landscape plans should be included with the entry, showing locations where photos were taken and overall scope of landscaping in entry. Whenever possible, "in-progress" or "before-and-after" photos of the project should be included. Plans should be submitted on reduced prints, 8-1/2"x11".
7. Any sub contractors used should be listed.
8. All entries must be submitted on a current year entry form. Descriptions should
be TYPED or CLEARLY PRINTED on the entry form or on a separate, single
typewritten page.
9. A single project may be entered in up to two categories if separate entry forms, photos, and fees are submitted for each category entered.