COLUMBIA — Amateur shutterbugs in Fairfield County can make a name for themselves by using a rural county to their advantage.

The S.C. Department of Commerce is holding its ninth annual Rural Summit Photography Contest and someone will win. Might they be from Fairfield County this year?

Photo submissions should encapsulate rural life in the Palmetto State. The deadline is Feb. 15.

Sponsored by the Small Business and Rural Development Division of the S.C. Department of Commerce, the Rural Summit Photography Contest is part of the annual S.C. Rural Summit conference, which will be held in Aiken on March 4.

The contest is open to the public, and entries should reflect the unique features of rural life in the Palmetto State. Fifteen finalist photos will be chosen by S.C. Department of Commerce staff and displayed at the Rural Summit. Attendees of the Rural Summit will vote, and the winning photo will be announced at the end of the program on March 4.

Photographs must be original work of the applicant and feature rural South Carolina subject matter. Photos may be color or black-and-white, and should be submitted as an 8”x10” image with name of photo, name of photographer, and completed registration and release forms, which are located on the Commerce website at this link: Rural Summit Photo Contest.

For more information about entering the contest, contact Flora Atchison at 803.737.1876 or fatchison@sccommerce.com.