Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award

HAPPINESS

On any given day, as humans we feel a variety of emotions, but one of the most beautiful and heart-warming emotions we can feel, is happiness. This eternal search for happiness has inspired humankind to embark, not only on incredible life journeys, but experience great life moments. It takes a keen photographer’s eye to capture these secret moments of happiness.

WILDLIFE

A category for the adventurer at heart, wildlife photography captures all creatures great and small roaming free within their natural habitat. Photographers are invited to take us on a journey of discovery into the wild, and intrigue us with a rare insight into life within the animal kingdom.

FATHER AND SON

No bond compares to the bonds we have within our families; and no bond is greater than that which we share with our parents. We invite photographers to celebrate and capture what’s at the heart of the relationship a father holds with his son. A son has a unique relationship with his father, constantly aspiring to grow and be nurtured under his wing, to one day step out into the world and be the man he always saw, when he looked into his father’s eyes; Truly the makings of an awe-inspiring photograph.

GENERAL

A category as broad as ‘General’ can be mistaken for lacking inspiration for a photographer, but for a true artist it’s all the direction they need. A photographer sees great compositions around every corner, whether it be walking down the street, driving a car, enjoying lunch in a restaurant, or just relaxing at home. It’s for this very reason that photographer’s best friend will always be their beloved camera; because you never know when inspiration will strike you next.

Please read these rules (the Rules) before submitting your photo(s) [the Photo(s)] to HIPA's 5th season's Competition "Happiness" (the Competition). By participating in the Competition, you (You/ Your/ the Participant) understand, acknowledge and fully, irrevocably and unconditionally agree to abide and be bound by the following Rules:

SUBMISSIONS

1. The Competition is open for online submissions only (the Submissions), through the Competition Online Registration page available on www.hipa.ae.
2. Submissions will be accepted from 00:01 on 21 March 2015 until 24:00 on 31st December 2015, UAE local time, (i.e. GMT +4). No Submissions made after the closing time will be accepted.
3. Participants must be individuals aged eighteen (18) years and over at the time of their Submission(s).
4. You hereby certify that you are eighteen (18) years old or older at the date of submitting your Photo(s) to the Competition. You further understand and agree that HIPA will automatically and without further notice discard any Photo(s) that are found to be submitted by a Participant that is below eighteen (18) years old at the time of its Submission.

YOUR PHOTO(S)

1. You may submit up to one (1) Photo in each category of the Competition. You must provide one (1) title for each Photo.
2. The same Photo must not be submitted in more than One (1) category. Any Photo submitted in more than one (1) category will be, subject to HIPA discretion, and without further notice, discarded from either a category or the entire Competition.
3. Submitted Photo(s) must be in JPEG format, with high quality and resolution, of a minimum 2 MB in size and suitable for publication.
4. Black and white Photos are permitted in all the categories of the Competition.
5. All submitted Photos must not contain any tag(s), signature(s), initial(s), frame, border(s), logo(s) or any other references and/or marks added by the Participant. Basic technical editing of the Photo(s) is acceptable, provided any such editing does not affect the authenticity and/or genuineness of the Photo(s). Advanced editing used to create illusions, deceptions and/or manipulations, including compositing and creative retouching of the Photo(s) is prohibited. HIPA preserves the right to assess and discard from the Competition any submitted Photo(s) deemed, at HIPA's own discretion, contrary to the foregoing.
6. Photos that portray or otherwise include inappropriate and/or offensive contents, including nudity, violence and/or any other contents deemed to be contrary to the UAE religious, cultural and/or public morals traditions and practices will be disqualified.
7. Photo(s) that have won any previous award(s), whether in any HIPA prior competition(s), or in any other competition(s) whatsoever and announced before 31st December 2015, and/or Photos that have been previously used, or are intended to be used, for any kind of commercial purposes, must not be submitted. Any Photo(s) submitted in contrary to the foregoing will be automatically and without further notice discarded from the entire Competition.
8. For the shortlisted photographs, the Award has the right to ask for the original/RAW file. All the shortlisted should submit the original photographs in maximum 7 days. Otherwise, the photograph will be disqualified from the competition.

THE PRIZES

1. HIPA's appointed judging panel shall assess and determine the winning Photos. The results, prizes and the winners will be announced in a public ceremony that will be held on March 2016.
2. The winner(s) will be contacted by HIPA and must provide HIPA with their bank account details and personal details within 7 days from HIPA's request. The cash money prize(s) will be received by each winner within a period of two (2) months following the announcement of the Competition's results.
3. HIPA judging panel have the right, at its absolute discretion, to turn down or reject any Photo(s) or Submission(s) without having to give any notice or explanation to the relevant Participant.
4. Any federal, state/ provincial/ territorial, and/or local taxes, fees and surcharges and taxes (whether foreign or domestic, and including income tax) on any prize that may be awarded to You under the Competition will be solely paid by You.
5. The decision of HIPA's judging panel is final and binding on all Participants in respect to all matters relating to the Competition.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

1. Submitted Photo(s) must be a single work of original material created and/or taken by You, must not contain any materials owned or controlled by a third party for which You have not obtained a license, must not infringe the copyright, trademark, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity.
2. Upon making Your Submission, You grant HIPA, a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty free, sub-licensable right and license to use, publish, reproduce, display, perform, adapt, modify, create derivative works, distribute, have distributed, print, promote Your submitted Photo(s), in whole or in part, in any form, in all media forms now or hereafter known, anywhere in the world for any purpose, related to the Competition, the publication in HIPA promotional digital and/or printed materials and formats broadcast such as on HIPA magazines, printed leaflet and brochures, HIPA website and/or through other public online feeds, promoting subsequent competitions and/or the work of HIPA generally.
3. You must obtain, solely bear the cost for, and provide HIPA within seven (7) calendar days of any request to do so by HIPA, with any or all of the following:
   1. A signed written consent, release and/or permission of each and every identifiable individual person(s) appearing in Your submitted Photo(s), clearly authorizing You to use their picture or likeness for submitting the Photo(s) in the manner contemplated by the Competition, and authorizing HIPA to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the entry(s) for all purposes, in any media now or hereafter known.Please click here to download the draft of the Model Release Form.
   2. A signed written license from the copyright owner of any sculpture, artwork, or other copyrighted material that appears in Your submitted Photo(s), authorizing HIPA to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the relevant entry(s) for all purposes, in any media now or hereafter known; and/or
   3. A signed written license from the owner of any private property included in Your submitted Photo (s), authorizing HIPA to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the relevant entry(s) for all purposes, in any media now or hereafter known.
4. If You have been announced as a winner of the Competition (in any category), You grant to HIPA, a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty free, sub-licensable right and license to use, publish, reproduce, display, perform, adapt, modify, create derivative works, distribute, have distributed, promote Your winning Photo(s), in whole or in part, in any form, in all media forms now or hereafter known, anywhere in the world and for any purpose, including but not limited to: display at a potential exhibition of winners, publication of a book featuring select entries in the Competition, publication in HIPA materials and/or online highlighting entries or winners of the Competition, and promoting the work of HIPA generally.

LIABILITY

1. You hereby hold harmless, release, indemnify and discharge HIPA and its partners, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies, agents and their employees, officers and representatives from all liability, claims, judgments, demands, controversies, agreements, damages, actions and causes of action whatsoever, arising out of or related in any way to the Competition or the conduct of the Competition and the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of any prize awarded, whether in law or in equity, no matter what the cause or nature, and You further waive any claims that You may state or assert against HIPA in association with the Competition or any of its associated activities, or in any way related to or resulting from the Competition even if such injury or claims results from or is caused by the negligence or gross negligence of HIPA, in whole or in part. You further agree to indemnify and hold harmless HIPA from any claim arising out of Your participation in the Competition including, without limitation, all claims brought or asserted by any third party as a result of any injury or loss that You or they may sustain in any way associated with Your participation in the Competition.
2. If HIPA, at its sole discretion, is of the opinion that You have breached any of the Rules, HIPA has the right to disqualify You from the Competition, and in such circumstances You must re-pay to HIPA all costs undertaken by HIPA in relation to Your Submission(s) and participation in the Competition and the awards ceremony, including but not limited to (if and to the extent applicable) any travel costs incurred by HIPA, and re-pay the Competition prize money and return any trophies or certificates at Your own cost to HIPA.
3. Under no circumstance HIPA will be liable for any:
   1. lost, late, misdirected, stolen, illegible or incomplete Submissions
   2. error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, submitted Photo(s);
   3. problems, failures or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, providers, computer equipment, software, email, players or browsers, on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, at any website, or on account of any combination of the foregoing;
   4. incorrect or inaccurate information, caused by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Competition or by any technical or human error which may occur in the processing of the Photos and/or the Submissions; and/or
   5. injury or damage to any Participant or to any computer related to, resulting from or in connection with the Competition.
4. If, for any reason, the Competition is not capable of being conducted as anticipated, due to computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of HIPA, which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Competition, HIPA reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Competition as deemed appropriate, disqualify any Participant, and/or select winners from all eligible Photos submitted prior to the termination, cancellation, modification or suspension. HIPA reserves the right to correct any typo-graphical, printing, computer programming or operating errors at any time.

GOVERNING LAW

The Competition, Your Submission(s) and the Rules shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Emirate of Dubai and the applicable federal laws of the United Arab Emirates, and any aspects or disputes arising out of or in connection with the Competition and/or Your Submission(s) will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Dubai courts.