Contest Details

Photo of the Year 2009 will go down in a fashion similar to year's past: 

Step 1: Photo submissions take place from September 20, 2009 through January 6, 2010.

Step 2: Submitted photos will be reviewed by our esteemed judges on January 9, 2010.

Step 3: Photos that make the cut will be posted for online voting between January 10 through January 17, 2010.

Step 4: Photo of the Year 2009 will be chosen and revealed at the party on January 23, 2010!

Judging:
All POTY photo submissions received will be compiled in random order and viewed by an impartial and unbiased panel of judges organized by Uncage the Soul Productions. Their selection process will result in the Top 100 semi-finalist photographs for Photo of the Year and 10 semi-finalist photos each in the categories of Faces, Youth, Professional and Camera Phone (new category). These semi-finalist photographs will then be posted to the Photo of the Year web site, at which time online voting is launched to the world.

Voting:
Visitors to the website between January 10 and January 17, 2010 may vote for their top 10 favorite photos in the Top 100 and their number 1 favorite photo in each of the four other categories. The online voting will conclude at midnight on Sunday, January 17, 2010. The 10 photos in the Top 100 category with the most votes and the winning photo from each of the other four categories, as determined by the online voting, will be printed, framed, and unveiled at the Photo of the Year Awards Party on January 23, 2010. Attendees to the party will each be given a ballot on which they may vote for their one favorite photo. Ballots will be tallied at the event and the winner will be pronounced Photo of the Year 2009.

Prizes:

• The Photo of the Year 2009 winner will receive a $500 cash prize courtesy of Pro Photo Supply and Canon! Second and Third Place may receive some fancy outdoor gear.


• The 10 Top 100 Finalists and the winners of each of the four other categories will receive a framed print of their photo courtesy of Chrisman Picture Frames (a printing/framing value of $200).


• Last but not least, the winner of the Professional category will receive a cash prize of $200, courtesy of Imaging by Fox.