The First Place winner in each Category will each 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 Jan. 8 to Jan. 11, 2013 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, D.C.; three nights hotel accommodations in Washington; a behind-the-scenes tour of National Geographic headquarters; and access to the all-day Seminar on Jan. 10, where Grand Prize winner’s winning entry will be projected. The Grand Prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative is available.
A message about digital manipulation from the Executive Editor of Photography at National Geographic magazine:
Please submit photographs that are un-manipulated and real, and that capture those special moments in time. The world is already full of visual artifice, and we don’t want the National Geographic Photography Contest to add to it. We want to see the world through your eyes, not the tools of Photoshop or setup photography.
Please do not digitally enhance or alter your photographs (beyond the basics needed to achieve realistic color balance and sharpness). If you have digitally added or removed anything, please don't submit the shot. We look at every photo to see if it's authentic, and if we find that yours is in any way deceptive, we'll disqualify it.
In case of the winners, we will ask for the RAW files to be submitted for review.
DODGING AND BURNING: Dodging (to brighten shadows) or burning (to darken highlights) is fine, but please don’t overdo it. Your goal in using digital darkroom techniques should be to adjust the dynamic tonal range of an image so that it more closely resembles what you saw
.
COLOR SATURATION: Just as with dodging and burning, your goal should be to make it real. Please avoid significant over- or under-saturation. A lot of photographers make the mistake of over-saturating color, making their images look cartoonish.
SOLARIZATION, MEZZOTINT, DUOTONE, ETC.: These are discouraged as being too gimmicky. There are a myriad of alteration "filters" available in digital photo software; try not to be swayed to use them. They may be cool and fun, but they won’t help you in this contest.
BLACK-AND-WHITE IMAGES: Acceptable
CROPPING: Acceptable
STITCHED PANORAMAS: NOT Acceptable
HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE (HDR) IMAGES: NOT Acceptable
FISH-EYE LENSES: Unless used underwater, they are NOT acceptable.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/rules/
By entering the Contest, all entrants grant an irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide non-exclusive license to Authorized Parties, to reproduce, distribute, display and create derivative works of the entries (along with a name credit) in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest, in any media now or hereafter known, including, but not limited to: Display at a potential exhibition of winners; publication of a book featuring select entries in the Contest; publication in
National Geographic magazine or online highlighting entries or winners of the Contest. Entrants consent to the Sponsor doing or omitting to do any act that would otherwise infringe the entrant’s “moral rights” in their entries. Display or publication of any entry on an Authorized Party’s website does not indicate the entrant will be selected as a winner. Authorized Parties will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such use. Additionally, by entering, each entrant grants to Authorized Parties the unrestricted right to use all statements made in connection with the Contest, and pictures or likenesses of Contest entrants, or choose not to do so, at their sole discretion. Authorized Parties will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such use.
