Rules

For any help regarding the contest rules please contact picturethis@undp.org

1. GENERAL RULES

1.1 The contest opens 18 June 2009, at midnight (12:00:00 a.m.) U.S. Eastern Time and closes September 30, 2009, 11:59:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time. No entries received after that date shall be considered.

1.2 The contest is open to all photographers, with no restrictions based on age, gender or nationality. Minors are responsible for ensuring their submission is in compliance with the legal requirements of their country.

1.3 Participants must either be a citizen of an African country or have lived in an African country for 12 months between August 2007 and August 2009.

1.4 Photos must have been taken in the past 24 months (between August 2007 and August 2009).

1.5 Entry is free of charge.

1.6 All entries not respecting the theme or the technical/authorship requirements set out below will be systematically ruled out.

1.7 Staff, including family members and relatives, working for UNDP, Olympus Corporation and the AFP Foundation cannot participate in the contest.

2. THE SUBMISSIONS

2.1 There will be two categories of contestants: a) amateur and b) professional.

2.2 Contestants may enter either as amateurs or professionals, but not both.

2.3 There will be two categories of submitted works: a) single photos and b) photo essays. Contestants may enter only one category.

2.4 Single photo submissions: contestants may submit up to five different photos.

2.5 Photo essays should consist of at least four and no more than 10 photos.

2.6 Only images not yet published may be submitted.

2.7 Each image that is uploaded should include the following information:

For Single Photos:
Full name of photographer; location of photo; date photo was taken; assign it a letter (A, B, C etc); include a caption of the photo and the full name of the person/people in the photo

For Photo Essays:
Full name of photographer; location of photo; date photo was taken; assign each photo a number (1, 2, 3 etc); include a caption for EACH PHOTO and the full name of the person/people in the photo

2.8 The information must be repeated on the entry form.

2.9 Entries will not be returned to contestants.

2.10 For photo essays, please make sure you upload your photos from last to first, so that they appear in the right sequence.

3. MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS

3.1 Digital photos only will be accepted.

3.2 Digital submissions should be a minimum size of 3,000 pixels in length at 300 dpi non-interpolated (approximately a 20-meg file when opened in Photoshop).

3.3 No photo should in any way be digitally altered or enhanced except for basic cropping or colour correction. The content and context of the image should in no way be altered or enhanced.

3.4 All captions and relevant information (such as creation date, city/state, country, and caption) must be embedded in the file (for example in the caption field under “field information” in Photoshop).

4. JUDGING AND PRIZES

4.1 Judging will be anonymous.

4.2 All entries will be judged by a five-member panel, which will include four professional photographers appointed by the sponsors: UNDP, Olympus Corporation and the AFP Foundation, a not-for-profit organization whose primary objective is to provide professional training to journalists and photographers, particularly in developing countries.

The panel will announce its decisions the week of 26 October 2009.

4.4 Decisions of the judges are final and binding and no negotiations may be entered into.

4.5 The first prize in each of the four categories (professional single photos, amateur single photos, professional photo essays, and amateur photo essays) will be the latest Olympus cameras and related camera equipment. The second and third prizes will also be Olympus cameras. The best three works in each category will be displayed on the sponsors’ websites and shown in at least two exhibitions: in Africa and the United States. The first prize winners in each category will be invited to the awards ceremony in New York.

5. COPYRIGHT

5.1 Photos submitted for the contest should as far as possible include the names and contact information of all people shown therein. Minors – meaning children under the age of 18 years – should have the signed approval of their parent(s) or guardian(s) before being photographed. Photographers must attach the signed release form from parent(s) or guardian(s) with their entries. Click here for release form. Send the release form to picturethis@undp.org

5.2 All contestants must agree to release the rights to photos submitted for the contest to UNDP and its affiliates for unrestricted and unlimited worldwide usage and distribution free of charge in various media. UNDP will allow Olympus and the AFP Foundation to use these photos on their websites and other media to promote the work of the photographers.

DISCLAIMERS

6. Agreement

6.1 At the time of entry, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and be in agreement with all rules and conditions. The organizer reserves the right to rule on any issue(s) not covered by these rules and disclaimers. In the event that an entrant should disagree with any decision made by the organizer, that entrant will have the right to withdraw his or her entry. All related expenses incurred shall be borne solely by the entrant.

6.2 In the event that the efficiency, security, selection procedure, fairness of the contest or any related operations are deemed to have been compromised by forces beyond the control of the organizer – such as but not limited to troubles relating to computer networks, computer virus infections or unauthorized computer access – then the receipt of some or all entries via the Internet may be postponed or discontinued.

Notes regarding entry

6.3 Entrants are entirely responsible for all entry-related costs, including but not limited to purchase or renting of equipment, use of computer systems, transmission fees, etc.

6.4 Winners will be entirely responsible for any taxes or charges related to the receipt of any prize.

6.5 The decisions of the judges are final. No correspondence will be entered into.

Responsibility

6.6 The organizer is not responsible for any damage or loss that may occur during the sending of entries via the Internet. 6.7 The organizer is not responsible for any problems or damages experienced by the entrant due to forces beyond the control of the organizer, such as but not limited to troubles relating to computer networks, computer virus infections or unauthorized computer access.

6.8 Except in proven cases of malice or gross negligence, the organizer is not responsible for any unfortunate or unwelcome occurrences and/or damages that may befall entrants as a result of entry to the contest.

6.9 Entrants must possess the exclusive rights to each entered work and are responsible for having obtained any necessary permission relating to the subject/subject matter. The organizer will not be responsible for any claims or complaints against infringement of rights or damages from third parties relating to the subject/subject matter of entries, and the entrant agrees to indemnify and hold the organizer harmless in such cases.

6.10 A photograph while displays an identified or identifiable person may infringe on such person’s right of privacy or may disclose such person’s personal information. Entrants shall use due care to avoid any infringement of personal rights including but not limited to obtain necessary permission from such person.

6.11 The above terms and conditions relating to the responsibility of the organizer will apply equally to local UNDP offices, the AFP Foundation and Olympus Corporation, third parties cooperating in the operation of the contest and contest judges, as if they stood in the place of the organizer.