National Geographic Photo Contest

The annual National Geographic Photo Contest is now accepting entries. Every year photographers from around the globe share photographs that transport us to another place, connect with us emotionally, or stir us to action. 

Official categories are People, Places, and Nature. Visit weekly to see photo galleries featuring the top entries and download stunning wallpapers of your favorite photos. 

Have you taken the winning picture? Show us your best and submit your photos for a chance to win $10,000.

TERM

The 2015 National Geographic Photo Contest (the “Contest”) begins September 1, 2015 at 12:00:00 p.m. US Eastern Daylight Time (“EDT”) and ends November 16, 2015, 12:00:00 p.m. US Eastern Standard Time (“EST”). ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY NOVEMBER 16, 2015 AT 12:00:00 P.M. EST. Information on how to enter and prizes form part of these official rules (“Official Rules”). By submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to the Official Rules and warrants that his or her entry complies with all requirements set out in the Official Rules. 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 and have a Your Shot account at the time of entry and who do NOT reside in Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan or Syria. To set up a Your Shot account, register for a free online account at http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com. Employees of National Geographic Society, and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and their 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. CONTEST IS VOID IN CRIMEA, CUBA, IRAN, NORTH KOREA, SUDAN, SYRIA AND WHERE PROHIBITED.

HOW TO ENTER

Each entry consists of an entry form, a single photograph, and an entry fee. The entry fee is US$15 per entry. To enter, visit www.natgeo.com/photocontest; complete an entry form with the required information, including your name, address, telephone number, email address, and photo caption; and submit along with your photograph and fee in accordance with the instructions that follow.

The categories for entries are: (1) People, (2) Places; and (3) Nature (the “Categories”). There is no limit on the number of entries per person. Each entry must comply with the Sponsor Your Shot Photo Guidelines as well as the following requirements:

1. Photographs must be in digital format. Only online entries will be eligible. No print or film submissions will be accepted for entry into this Contest. The photograph need not be taken with a digital camera; scans of negatives, transparencies, or photographic prints are acceptable. All digital files must be 20 megabytes or smaller, must be in JPEG or .jpg format, and must be at least 1,600 pixels wide (if a horizontal image) or 1,600 pixels tall (if a vertical image).

1. Photographs must have been taken within two (2) years before the date of entry and may not previously have won an award in the National Geographic International Photography Contest, the National Geographic Photography Contest, or any National Geographic Traveler photo contest.
2. Only minor burning, dodging and/or color correction is acceptable, as is minor cropping. High dynamic range images (HDR) and stitched panoramas are acceptable. Any changes to the original photograph not itemized here or in the NGS Your Shot Photo Guidelines are unacceptable and will render the photograph ineligible for a prize.
3. Photographs that include sculptures, statues, paintings, and other works of art will be accepted as long as they do not constitute copyright infringement or fraud; provided entrants must be prepared to provide a release form as described below in "Release." When photographing the work of others, it must be as an object in its environment and not a full-frame close-up of another person's art.
4. The photograph, in its entirety, must be a single work of original material taken by the Contest entrant. By entering the Contest, entrant represents, acknowledges, and warrants that the submitted photograph is an original work created solely by the entrant, that the photograph does not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, and that no other party has any right, title, claim, or interest in the photograph.
5. The photograph must not, in the sole and unfettered discretion of the Sponsor, contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content.
6. The caption must be complete and accurate, sufficient to convey the circumstances in which the photograph was taken. Disguising or misrepresenting the origin of your content is cause for disqualification.
7. Watermarks are unacceptable. Unless Sponsor receives a non-watermarked version of the entry within ten (10) days following its request, the entry will be disqualified.

The entries in each Category will be judged separately, in accordance with the Judging Criteria, as defined below. All entries must be submitted and received by November 16, 2015 at 12:00:00 p.m. EST. Proof of submission is not proof of receipt. Entries must be made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry. “Authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, internet domain owner, or other person or organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Sponsor reserves the right to examine the original photograph/source material in order to confirm compliance with these rules.

CONTEST PRIZES

The First Place Winner in each Category will receive US$2,500, and his/her winning photograph will be published in National Geographic magazine.

One Grand Prize Winner will receive, in addition to the First Place prize, US$7,500, and a trip to the District of Columbia, USA from January 13 to January 15, 2016 to participate in the National Geographic Photography Seminar. Trip includes round-trip coach class air transportation between a major airport near Winner’s home and Washington, DC; three (3) nights’ hotel accommodations in Washington, DC; a behind-the-scenes tour of National Geographic headquarters; and access to the all-day Seminar on January 14, where Grand Prize Winner’s winning entry will be projected. The Grand Prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative is available. Approximate retail value (“ARV”) of the Grand Prize is US$11,000-$14,000 (depending on cost of the flight from First Place Winner’s home country). Any difference between actual retail value of Grand Prize and ARV will not be awarded.

Winner is responsible for all taxes and fees associated with prize receipt and/or use. Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible entries received and skill of the entrant.

Potential winners shall be required to sign and return within ten (10) days following an attempted notification, an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability Release, Warranty of Ownership and License, and Publicity Release (“Affidavit”) in which the entrant warrants that he/she is the owner of the photograph (and all the intellectual property rights in the photograph submitted) and grants to Sponsor and its licensees the License described below. Failure to execute and deliver any required documents to Sponsor by the specified deadline may result in disqualification from the Contest, and selection of an alternate potential winner. No prize transfer, assignment, or substitution by winners permitted. If a prize (or part of a prize) is unavailable, Sponsor, in its discretion, reserves the right to substitute the original prize (or that part of the prize) with an alternative prize of equal or greater monetary value and/or specification, unless to do so would be prohibited by law.

NONCOMPLIANCE OR RETURN OF PRIZE NOTIFICATION AS UNDELIVERABLE, WHETHER BY REGULAR MAIL OR BY E-MAIL, MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND SELECTION OF AN ALTERNATIVE POTENTIAL WINNER.

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/contest-2015/