The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with Olympus Corporation and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) Foundation, launched the second annual Picture This photo contest today in Johannesburg, South Africa. The contest, titled Picture This: We Can End Poverty, seeks to show the inspirational work that is being done in many countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight goals agreed on by world leaders to halve extreme poverty by 2015.
“Through the photo contest this year we want to show that the MDGs can be reached, even in the poorest and most disadvantaged countries,” said Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator, at the launch of the contest. “We hope that the contest will bring much needed attention to the quickly approaching deadline for achieving the MDGs, and motivate people and governments in developed and developing countries to redouble their efforts in the fight against extreme poverty.”
This year’s competition is particularly important, as it coincides with the UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals to be held in September in New York. The Summit will bring together world leaders to boost progress against poverty and commit to a concrete action agenda to achieve the MDGs by 2015.
UNDP Goodwill Ambassador and internationally-acclaimed actor Antonio Banderas is one of five judges who will choose the winning photos. “We are at a defining moment in the fight against poverty. The challenges of achieving the MDGs cannot be overcome by a single person, organization or government. All sectors of society need to be mobilized in a call to action for the big push to 2015. This photo contest is the type of initiative that will bring all these different groups together in order to bring attention to the urgency of achieving the MDGs.”
An exhibit featuring the winning photos will be held during the Summit to put a human face on the MDGs.
The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers worldwide. Contestants may submit up to three different photographs, focusing on progress towards one of the eight MDGs, preferably in a developing country.
The eight goals are:
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender equality and empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop a global partnership for development
The deadline for entries is by midnight EST 16 July, 2010.
The other four judges who will choose the winning photos are professional photojournalists: Alexandra Avakian and John Isaac, both award winning photographers, as well as Mark Garten, Head of UN Photo and Paola Messana, AFP Bureau Chief in New York.
In addition to three winners in each of the professional and amateur categories, there will be one “People’s Choice” award. The winner of this category will be selected by the public, who can vote on the photo entries displayed on the Picture This website. The top rated three photos in each of the professional and amateur categories, as well as the “People’s Choice” winning image will be displayed on the sponsors’ websites and shown in at least two exhibitions in Japan and the United States.
The first prize winners in the professional and amateur categories and the “People’s Choice” winner will be flown to an awards ceremony and launch of an exhibition in September in New York.
“The AFP Foundation is once again very pleased to support this photo contest,” said Robert Holloway, Director of the AFP Foundation. “We believe it will give an opportunity to amateur and professional photographers everywhere to show the world how ordinary people around the world are dealing with achieving their most pressing development challenges.”
President of Olympus, Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, said from Tokyo, “We hope that through this initiative, people around the world will be inspired by images showing that the simplest of actions, no matter who you are or where you live, can make a real difference in the effort to halt extreme poverty. The time has come for the world to realize that we all have a role to play to achieve the Goals, and that regardless of where we live or what we do, we all have the potential to contribute to human development in our countries, communities and villages.”
1. GENERAL RULES
1.1 The contest opens Monday, 10 May 2010, at midnight (12:00:00 a.m.) U.S. Eastern Time and closes Friday, 16 July 2010, 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 Photos must have been taken in the past 24 months.
1.4 Entry is free of charge.
1.5 All entries not respecting the theme or the technical/authorship requirements set out below will be systematically ruled out.
1.6 Staff, including family members and relatives, working in the UN system, including 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 Contestants must select one of the eight Millennium Development Goals and submit a maximum of three photos in the Goal that is selected. Ideally, at least one photo should be a vertical shot for purposes of turning it into a poster.
2.4 Only images not yet published may be submitted.
2.5 Each image that is uploaded should include the following information:
Full name of photographer; location of photo; date photo was taken; assign it a letter (A, B, C); include a caption of the photo and the full name of the person/people in the photo.
2.6 The information must be repeated on the entry form.
2.7 Entries will not be returned to contestants.
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.
4.3 The panel will announce its decisions the week of 23 August 2010.
4.4 Decisions of the judges are final and binding and no negotiations may be entered into.
In addition to three winners in each of the two categories – professional and amateur – there will also be one “People’s Choice” award. The winner of this category will be selected by the public who vote on the entered photos, displayed on the Picture This website.
4.5 The first prize in each of the categories (professional, amateur, and “People’s Choice”) will be the latest Olympus cameras and related camera equipment. The second and third prizes for the professional and amateur categories 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 Japan and the United States. The first prize winners in each category and the People’s Choice winner 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, and third parties cooperating in the operation of the contest and contest judges, as if they stood in the place of the organizer.
Contact detail:
In Tokyo: Toshiya Nishigori, Tel.: +1 81-3-5467-4875; toshiya.nishigori@undp.orgIn Johannesburg: Maureen Mundea, Tel.: + 27 11 6035513 or Mobile: + 27 716718734; maureen.mundea@undp.org
In New York: Sandra Macharia, Tel: + 1 212-906-5377; sandra.macharia@undp.org
Moreinfo: http://picturethis.undp.org
