Rules and Regulations

Yes, we do have a few rules around here. We suggest following them, as we reserve the right to disqualify any photo or photographer for not doing so.

1. Photographs must have been taken in the calendar year 2009.

2. This contest is aimed at hobby photographers and outdoor enthusiasts. Photographs must have been taken by amateur photographers and cannot have been previously used for any promotional or commercial purposes.  If you submit photos to an amateur category (Top 100, Faces, Funny or Youth) and are later judged to be a professional, your photos will be moved over to the Professional category. See our FAQ for details on who we consider an amatuer and who we consider a professional.

3. All photographs must be submitted in a digital form. Photos taken with 35 mm cameras may be digitized upon development or scanned. Please submit the highest resolution images possible. Photo CD's cannot be returned.

4. Photos taken with a digital camera must be submitted in JPEG format and be NO MORE THAN 5MB in size.

5. For all categories except Professional, minor digital enhancement for cropping, red-eye removal, filters, and corrective functions are permitted. Images that have been judged to be significantly altered (including, but not limited to, HDR technology, selective color change, removal of unwanted elements, etc.) will be disqualified*. Images MUST maintain the integrity of the scene as it was photographed. The panel of judges shall determine if any photos do not align with the spirit of the contest, and reserve the right to disqualify photos.

6. Each entrant may submit no more than 5 photographs per $15 submission fee. Proceeds from entry fees go directly to the MESD Outdoor School.

7. Entrants grant Photo of the Year permission to use their photos in any publication, marketing, or fundraising materials for the future promotion of the Photo of the Year event. Photographers will retain original copyrights to their photos. By submitting your photo(s), you agree to these terms.

8. All decisions of the judging panel, online voting, and awards party balloting will be confirmed by Uncage the Soul Productions and are considered final.

* Digital alteration of any type is allowed for photos entered into the Professional category.