Welcome to National Geographic Traveller's Photography Competition 2018
in association with Billingham
Our annual photography competition is now open! Whether you’re a professional or an amateur, this is the competition for you. Simply submit in your preferred category — single shot, portfolio or video — and you’ll be in with a chance of winning a commission, plus one of seven incredible prizes!
How to enter
How to prepare your entry
All submissions must be the entrant’s own work, and they must own the copyright to any photographs or videos entered. Entries must have been taken within two years of the date of entry and may not have won an award in any National Geographic photography contest in the last three years. Only minor burning, dodging and/or colour correction is acceptable, as is cropping.
Photographic entries should be JPEG (.jpg / .jpeg) format and a maximum of 1mb in size. Most photo editing software allows you to reduce the file size of an image.
Video entries can be up to two minutes in length. Videos should be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo.
Closing date
The competition closes at 23:59 GMT on 9 December 2017. Entries are moderated. Not all entries will appear in the gallery and your image may not appear immediately
Terms and Conditions
General Terms and Conditions
The Judges
The independent judging panel will be announced before 30 September 2017. National Geographic Traveller’s art director Chris Hudson will devise the shortlist and will have the final decision.
The Judging Criteria and Timetable
Closing date is the 09 December 2017 at 23:59 GMT.
The National Geographic Traveller (UK) team will send a shortlist of entries to each independent judge. The independent judges will in turn select their three top entries for each of the six categories. The judges’ shortlist will be announced on 16 January 2018, and shortlisted entrants will be notified. National Geographic Traveller’s art director Chris Hudson will then collate the judge’s votes to determine the grand-prize winner, portfolio category winner, four category runners-up and video category winner. Winners will be will be notified by e-mail before 9 February 2018. Decisions of the judges are final and binding.
The Categories
Apply in one of these categories:
Single-shot
Upload a single shot in one of four different themes: Action, Nature, People, Urban.
Video
Submit a YouTube/Vimeo link to a maximum two minute edited video clip.
Portfolio
Entrants need to upload four travel-themed shots based on the same subject.
Entry Criteria
The entry instructions form part of the rules. By entering, you agree to accept and be bound by the rules.
Only online entries will be accepted. A maximum of one entry per person will be permitted.
Photographic entries must be under 1MB and .jpg format. Video entries should be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo. All submissions must be the entrant’s own work, and they must own the copyright to any photographs entered.
Photographs must have been taken within two years before the date of entry and may not previously have won an award in any National Geographic photography contest in the last three years. Only minor burning, dodging and/or colour correction is acceptable, as is cropping.
Who is the competition open to?
The competition is open to residents of the UK and Ireland only. Entrants must be aged 18 or over at the time of entry. Employees and agents of APL Media Limited, Lenses for Hire, Tatra Photography, Qatar Tourism Authority, Qatar Airways, or Billingham, or any company connected with the production or distribution of the promotion, or any of their associated companies are not eligible to take part in the competition, nor are their relatives or members of their families or households.
Copyright and Publicity
Publicity may be given to the winners, winners names and photographs. By entering you agree to allow National Geographic Traveller (UK) to publish your photos in the magazine, on the National Geographic Traveller (UK) website and on the National Geographic Traveller (UK) social media channels. The winning entries may also be used by National Geographic Traveller (UK) and the competition sponsors in marketing material relating to the competition. Winners must co-operate fully for publicity purposes if so required. Entrants must own the copyright to any photographs entered. Entrants will retain copyright to the photographs.
The Prizes
Grand prize winner: Carpathian Mountains
There is one overall prize consisting of one place on Tatra Photography’s six-night Wild Brown Bears photography workshop in the Carpathian Mountains, Slovakia. The winner may be chosen from any single-shot entries or video entries.
The prize includes: return flights from London Gatwick to Krakow; all transport; six nights half-board accommodation; 12 photography sessions (around five hours each) and professional tuition; 300mm-500mm lens hire from Lenses for Hire.
The prize does not include: travel arrangements between the prize winner’s place of residence and departure airport; the cost of any passports or travel documentation required for the prize winner or prize winner’s guest to travel to Poland and Slovakia; vaccinations; travel insurance; personal spending money; any additional extras outside those specified in the prize description. Any additional costs and expenses incurred during the trip will be the responsibility of the prizewinner. The prize winner is advised to purchase suitable travel insurance for the relevant period.
Flights will depart from London Gatwick, however other departure airports can be arranged, subject to availability at the time of booking. Exact flight routes, times and airlines will be at the discretion of Tatra Photography.
Tatra Photography will require the prize winner to fully complete their standard booking from.
The holiday supplied is restricted to aged 18 years or over. Proof of eligibility must be provided on request.
The prize is non-negotiable, non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for another destination or cash alternative. Tatra Photography reserves the right to provide an alternative prize of similar value should the specified prize become unavailable for any reason.
Tatra Photography reserves the right to cancel or amend the terms of this prize and without notice in the unlikely event of a major catastrophe, war, earthquake or any actual, anticipated or alleged breach of any applicable law or regulation or any similar event or if circumstances arise outside of its control.
Portfolio winner: Qatar
The winner of the Portfolio category will receive a six-night holiday to Qatar for two people.
The prize includes: two economy class return tickets from London Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham or Edinburgh to Doha with Qatar Airways; three nights accommodation in a Deluxe Room at the Souq Waqif Boutique Hotel on a B&B basis for two; three nights accommodation in a Premier Sea View Room at the Banana Island Resort by Anantara on a B&B basis for two; and boat transfers to and from Banana Island.
The prize does not include travel arrangements between the prize winner’s place of residence and departure airport; the cost of any passports or travel documentation required for the prize winner or prize winner’s guest to travel to Qatar; transfers between Hamad International Airport Doha and Souq Waqif Boutique Hotel; travel insurance; personal spending money; any additional extras outside those specified in the prize description. Any additional costs and expenses incurred during the trip will be the responsibility of the prizewinner. The prize winner is advised to purchase suitable travel insurance for the relevant period.
The holiday supplied is restricted to aged 18 years or over. Proof of eligibility must be provided on request.
The prize is valid for travel until 30th June 2018 and must be booked at least 30 days in advance. The prize is subject to availability, non-exchangeable, non-transferable and non-refundable. There is no cash alternative. In the event of cancellation by the winner, for whatever reason, no alternative prize will be given.
Qatar Tourism Authority reserves the right to provide an alternative prize of similar value should the specified prize become unavailable for any reason.
Single-shot winner: Billingham bag
One winner will be chosen from each the four photography categories (Action, Nature, People, Urban) and the Video category. Each photography and video winner will receive a Billingham Hadley One bag worth £265.
There are five prizes consisting of one (1) Billingham Hadley One bag worth £265 each, including delivery within the UK and Ireland.
The winner must be 18 years or over. Proof of eligibility must be provided on request.
The prize is non-negotiable, non-transferable and is subject to availability. No cash alternative will be offered. Manfrotto reserves the right to provide an alternative prize of similar value should the specified prize become unavailable for any reason.
For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.