National Geographic 2017 Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

National Geographic 2017 Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Enter today for a chance to be named the 2017 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year. Each year, photographers around the world send National Geographic Travel gorgeous images that captivate and astonish. Our judges are looking for photos that tell the story of a place and travel moments that inspire.

The official categories are Nature, Cities, and People. Check back each week to see photo galleries of our editors’ top picks and download wallpapers of your favorite images.

Official Prizes

• Grand Prize: A 10-day trip for two to the Galápagos Islands with National Geographic Expeditions 

Each category will feature three winners:

• First place $2,500

• Second place $750

• Third place $500

PRIZES

SPONSOR 

Sponsor is National Geographic Partners, LLC, 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-4688, USA ("Sponsor"). 

TERM 

The National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest (the “Contest”) begins April 14, 2017 at 12:00:00 p.m. US Eastern Daylight Time (“EDT”) and ends June 30, 2017, 12:00:00 p.m. EDT (the “Promotion Period”). ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY JUNE 30, 2017 AT 12:00:00 P.M. EDT.  Information on how to enter and prizes form part of these official rules (“Official Rules”). By submitting an entry, each entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to the Official Rules and warrants that his or her entry complies with all requirements set out in the Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor. This is a skill-based contest and chance plays no part in the determination of winners. 

WHO MAY ENTER 

Contest is open only to individuals who have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry and who reside in the 50 United States, India, Canada (excluding Quebec), United Kingdom, Australia, Austria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Bangladesh, China, Japan, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Indonesia, Spain, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sweden, Turkey, Switzerland and Taiwan. Officers, directors and employees of National Geographic Partners, and its subsidiaries and affiliates (all such individuals and entities collectively referred to herein as the “Promotion Entities”), and their respective immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling and their respective spouses, regardless of where they live) or persons living in the same households of such employees, whether or not related are not eligible to enter the Contest or win a prize.

JUDGING 

Once a Submission is uploaded to the Website it may be made available on the Website and/or Sponsor’s social media accounts for viewing by the general public and any such posting will be deemed made at the direction of the entrant. Judging consists of two (2) rounds of evaluation.  In round one, a panel of judges selected by Sponsor in its sole discretion (at least one of whom will be independent of Sponsor) (“Judges”) will select up to ten (10) entries from among all eligible Submission based on the following criteria (“Judging Criteria”): (1) Creativity 35%; (2) Photographic quality 35% and (3) Composition 30%.  The Submissions selected in round one will proceed to round two.  In round two, the Judges will collectively select a winner for each prize level based on the Judging Criteria.  In the event of a tie, the tied entries will be re-submitted to the Judges for a re-judging between the tied entries alone.  In the event that a tie remains after re-judging, the Submission with the highest score in the creativity criteria will be declared the winner.  Winners will be chosen early to mid-November and will be notified by e-mail.  Decisions of the Judges are final and binding and not subject to appeal. Sponsor shall have no liability for any winner notification that is lost, intercepted or not received by the potential winner for any reason.  If, despite reasonable efforts, a potential prize winner does not respond within five (5) days of the first notification attempt, or if a prize or prize notification is returned as unclaimed or undeliverable to such potential prize winner, such potential prize winner may forfeit the applicable prize and an alternate prize winner may be selected.  If any potential prize winner is found to be ineligible, or if he or she has not complied with these Official Rules or declines the applicable prize for any reason prior to award, such potential prize winner may be disqualified and an alternate winner may be selected. Sponsor may successively attempt to contact up to two (2) potential prize winners of in accordance with such procedure, and if there is still no confirmed prize winner after such attempts have been made, if any, the applicable prize may go unawarded. 

RELEASES 

If the photograph contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, and/or if any persons appear in the photograph, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the photograph, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph in the manner set forth in these Official Rules without additional compensation. If any person appearing in any photograph is under the age of majority in their state/province/territory of residence the signature of a parent or legal guardian is required on each release. 

Upon Sponsor's request, each entrant must be prepared to provide (within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of Sponsor's request) a signed release from all persons who appear in the photograph submitted, and/or from the owner of any material that appears in the Submission, authorizing Sponsor and its licensees ("Authorized Parties") to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the Submission in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest, in any media now or hereafter known. Failure to provide such releases upon request may result in disqualification at any time during the Contest and selection of an alternate winner. 

Similarly, upon Sponsor's request, each entrant must be prepared to provide (within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of Sponsor's request) a signed written license from the copyright owner of any sculpture, artwork, or other copyrighted material that appears in the Submission, authorizing any Authorized Party to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the Submission in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest, in any media now or hereafter known. Failure to provide such releases upon request may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner.  

Finally, upon Sponsor's request, each entrant must be prepared to provide (within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of Sponsor's request) a signed written license from the owner of any private property included in the Submission, authorizing any Authorized Party to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the Submission in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest, in any media now or hereafter known. Failure to provide such releases upon request may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner.  

For the purposes of these Official Rules, the entrant will be deemed to be in receipt of Sponsor's request or notification, (a) in the event that Sponsor sends the request by postal mail, five business days after the request was sent by Sponsor, or (b) in the event that Sponsor sends the request by email, on the day that the email was sent by Sponsor.

For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.