Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Year: The Rules

Everything you need to know about dominating the 2015 TRAVEL CATEGORY

• It is the responsibility of each entrant to ensure that they have read and abided by the terms and conditions set out below.

DEADLINES – SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR:

• Competition entries for the Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Year, first runner-up and second runner-up open on February 1 2015 and close on November  27 2015. The year’s overall winners will be announced in December.

DEADLINES / ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE MONTH:

• In 2015, only entrants announced as a Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Month will be considered for the year’s overall prizes. To be considered for the Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Month, entrants must enter a maximum of 10 photographs a month between the following dates in 2015: 

• February 1 and February 28               

 All entries for March’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in February. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in mid-March.

• March 1 and March 31                        

All entries for April’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in March. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in mid-April.

• April 1 and April 30                            

 All entries for May’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in April. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in mid-May.

• May 1 and May 31                              

All entries for June’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in May. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in mid-June.

• June 1 and June 30                           

 All entries for July’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in June. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in mid-July.

• July 1 and July 31                              

All entries for August’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in July. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in mid-August.

• August 1 and August 31                     

All entries for September’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in August. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in mid-September.

• September 1 and September 30          

All entries for October’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in September. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in mid-October.

• October 1 and October 31                 

 All entries for November’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in October. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in mid-November.

• November 1 and *November 27          

 All entries for December’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer must be received in November. The winner will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly in December.

* Take note – entries for December’s Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Month close on November 27, and not on the last day of the month as per the other monthly competitions.

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• The year’s overall winner and two runners-up will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly, as well as on online platforms such as www.timeslive.co.za/travel and our Facebook page in December.

• Each Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Month will be announced in Sunday Times Travel Weekly, as well as on online platforms such as www.timeslive.co.za/travel and our Facebook page.

OVERALL ENTRY CRITERIA:

• All photographs must be e-mailed to travelphoto@sundaytimes.co.za and within competition deadlines to be considered. No late entries will be accepted.

• Each entrant may enter a maximum of 10 photographs a month.

• Only one photograph per e-mail will be accepted. Photographs may thus not be entered in batches of more than one photograph per e-mail. 

• No responsibility will be accepted for lost or delayed entries.

JUDGING CRITERIA:

• Each photograph will be judged across four categories: technical proficiency; artistic value; composition; and ‘wow’ factor.

• Only photographs taken in or after February 2013 are eligible.

SUBJECT MATTER:

• Photos must capture the essence of a destination, whether natural or cultural, and/or its buildings and people, in a creative, skilled and compelling manner. Entries of cityscapes, landscapes and natural features may be entered here. Photos in this category may include flora and animals such as livestock and domestic pets, but photos that focus exclusively on wild animals are only eligible for the wildlife category.

FORMAT OF ENTERED PHOTOGRAPHS:

• Colour as well as black and white photographs will be accepted. Each photograph must be submitted as a high-resolution (at least 240dpi) JPEG and not exceed 3MB in size.

• Take note: only one photograph per e-mail will be accepted. Photographs may thus not be entered in batches of more than one photograph per e-mail. 

• Each photograph must be entered as an attachment to the e-mail, and may not be attached inline. 

• Each photograph must be entered in JPEG format ONLY.

• Photographs must be submitted in a format that is strictly ready for publication. Photographs with borders, watermarks and signatures, and photographs submitted as thumbnails, will not be considered. Caption information may not be written or embedded on the photograph.

PHOTOGRAPHER AND CAPTION INFORMATION:

• Each entry must include the following to be considered:

• Detailed caption information. All caption information must be submitted in the body of the e-mail and not in or on the photograph itself.

• Each caption must include the full name of the photographer, a cellphone number, an alternative number such as a work telephone number or telephone contact for a next of kin, and the photographer’s full South African residential address. South African citizens who do not reside in South Africa may provide their current residential address in instances where this address does not fall within South African borders.

• Each caption must include a title for the photograph, the exact location of the photograph (including place name, province/region and country), brief scene description, the date the photograph was taken (including month and year), the photograph's exposure settings, and camera and lens used. Each caption must also include the scientific name and common name of the main species in the photograph.

EDITING & AUTHENTICITY:

• While moderate editing will be allowed, each entry must be authentic, must be the photographer’s original work and must not infringe the rights of any other party.

 • While moderate editing will be allowed, each entry must be authentic, must be the photographer’s original work and must not infringe the rights of any other party.

• Each entry must accurately reflect the subject matter as it appeared in the viewfinder when the image was captured. Each entry should not be digitally enhanced beyond the basics required to achieve realistic colour balance, sharpness and contrast.

• The goal of this competition is to promote and award realistic, natural-looking images. Extreme saturation and sharpening and digital filters that create arty or cartoonish results will not be considered.

• Contrast – Selective dodging (brightening) and burning (darkening) may adjust the tonal range of an image as long as it closely resembles the original scene or subject.

• Cropping – Cropping is acceptable, but not to the extent that this degrades the quality of the image and makes it unacceptable for printing purposes.

• HDR images – “High dynamic range” images are eligible, however all exposure and post-processing details must be submitted along with the HDR entry.

• Panoramas – Panoramas or stitched images will not be considered.

• The Sunday Times reserves the right to validate the authenticity of any entered photograph. If a photograph is selected for publication, the Sunday Times may ask the entrant to supply the original, RAW file for inspection. Any entrant found to be in breach of these terms will be disqualified.

COPYRIGHT, USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS & COMPETITION MANAGEMENT:

• The copyright of all entered photographs will remain with the copyright holder. Each entrant grants the Sunday Times and the Times Media Group a non-exclusive, irrevocable licence to reproduce, publish and communicate their entered photographs to the public by any means in connection to the competition and exhibit entered photographs and copies thereof in all media throughout the world.

• The Sunday Times and the Times Media Group reserve the right to publish any photographs and any names of competition entrants in Travel Weekly, Travel Weekly’s social media pages, Times Live and in all other online and traditional platforms associated with the Sunday Times Travel Photograph of the Year. No remuneration will be offered.

• The Sunday Times and the Times Media Group reserve the right to publish any entered photographs at public exhibitions. No remuneration will be offered.

• The Sunday Times and the Times Media Group reserve the right to change the competition rules and deadlines at any time and without prior notice.

PRIZES FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR:

• In 2015, the Sunday Times and Canon are giving away R290 000 in cash and photographic gear to the winners in the TRAVEL category:

First prize:

• The Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Year will win cutting-edge photographic gear worth a cool R110 000, featuring – among others – an EOS 5D Mark III, which adds enhanced features that improve video workflow efficiency and still shooting. This camera’s firmware enables HDMI output functionality, and is ideal for professional videographers. It also offers improved AF performance for photographers shooting with telephoto lenses. Following feedback from cinema and TV-production professionals, the firmware includes improved AF performance when capturing still images and offers ‘clean’ HDMI output, enhancing overall video capture, editing and monitoring procedures. This product delivers smart capabilities that allows sports and nature photographers to use AF when getting closer to distant subjects, achieving precision detail when using telephoto lenses. The overall winner will also earn a 24-105mm L lens kit, an EF 85mm f1.2 L USM Mark II lens, an EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS US Mark II lens, and a Pixma Pro-1 photo printer. 

First runner-up:

• The first runner-up will scoop photographic gear worth R70 000. This package includes an EOS 6D, a feather-light DSLR featuring a full-frame CMOS sensor, making it ideal for travel, portrait and landscape photographers. Full of advanced features to assist photographers in capturing outstanding quality landscapes and portraits, the EOS 6D incorporates HDR mode, which enables the capture of both highlights and low lights in tricky lighting conditions. “Multiple Exposures” allows photographers to combine up to nine separate exposures into a single image in-camera. This creates a dramatic effect in the final picture. A silent drive mode offers a more subtle option for shooting candid portraits or weddings, and a single-axis electronic level accessed through the viewfinder or the LCD screen ensures that horizons are level during image composition. To help the first runner-up capture images on the move, the EOS 6D presents Wi-Fi connectivity and GPS functionality. The first runner-up will also win a 24-70mm f4 L lens kit, an EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L IS USM Mark II lens, and a Pixma Pro-1 photo printer.

Second runner-up:

• The second runner-up will win photographic gear worth R57 000. A star offering in this prize package is the EOS 7D Mark II body. The ultimate DSLR to capture action other cameras simply miss, the EOS 7D Mark II builds on the class-leading performance of the iconic EOS 7D, and harnesses technologies found in the flagship, professional EOS-1D X. This revolutionary camera is made for speed, with extreme power and performance providing the freedom for enthusiast photographers to shoot a world of ever-changing action. Completely rebuilt and redesigned, the EOS 7D Mark II delivers all the performance of its predecessor – and much more. Made for life’s fastest moments, the camera can capture an incredible 10 frames per second (fps) without a drop in resolution. Incorporating a new 65-point cross-type AF system and Dual DIGIC 6 processors, this camera sets a new benchmark for electrifying speed and power. Designed to help you capture the perfect moment in outstanding quality, the camera boasts a new 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a native ISO 100-16 000 range, expandable to ISO 51 200. Thanks to an advanced high-resolution, 150k pixel RGB+IR metering sensor and innovative flicker detection, the EOS 7D Mark II ensures beautifully exposed images. Completely adaptable to the way you shoot, the camera offers customisable body controls and a new viewfinder that provides approximately 100% coverage. With pro-level movie features, including live, uncompressed HDMI output and Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology, the EOS 7D Mark II helps you discover new levels of expressive creativity. The second runner-up package also features an 18-135mm IS STM kit, and an EF 70-300mm f4-5.6  L IS USM lens. The second runner-up will win a Pixma Pro-1 photo printer.

Visit www.canon.co.za for more details on Canon’s latest products.

Monthly winners:

• Each Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Month will win R5 000, courtesy of the Sunday Times and the Times Media Group.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO ENTER & WIN THE OVERALL PRIZES?

• Eligibility for the grand prizes at the end of the year is limited to the competition’s monthly winners.

• Entrants who won prizes in previous years’ Sunday Times Travel Photograph of the Year competitions are eligible to enter the 2015 competition. However: 

• An image that featured as a winner, runner-up or highly commended entry in previous years of the Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Year is not eligible for re-entry. 

• An image that has been selected as a winner or runner-up in a national or international competition is not eligible for entry into the Sunday Times Travel Photographer of the Year.

• Photographs by amateur as well as professional photographers are welcome.

• The competition is open to South African residents and citizens. Canon South Africa and the Times Media Group’s employees as well as their immediate families may not enter. Prizes must be taken (or rejected) as awarded, cannot be transferred or deferred and may not be converted to cash. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

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