Rules

Czech Nature Photo contest rules

(hereinafter ‘the contest’)
Photographers with permanent residence within the Czech Republic even Slovak Republic can participate in the contest.

Contest categories

  • Mammals (wild)
  • Birds (wild)
  • Reptiles, amphibians and underwater life (wild)
  • Invertebrates (insects, crustaceans, molluscs and other – wild)
  • Plants and Fungi
  • Landscape
  • Animals in human care
  • Series
  • Prize for the Best Photograph of Czech Wildlife and Countryside
  • Endanged Species and their Protection

Rules

  1. A maximum of ten separate works can be sent
  2. The photographers must be the authors of the pictures they enter under their name.
  3. A picture can only be entered once. Any pictures entered more than once will not be accepted for the contest.
  4. The panel has the right by majority vote to decide to transfer a work into a different category in the interests of awarding pictures.
  5. Pictures competing in the special “Prize for Best Photograph of Czech Wildlife and Countryside” category will also be included within the relevant main categories by the judges.
  6. Pictures must meet the following requirements:

    File format:

    • JPG (High quality)
    • Max. size 20MB / file

    Files must be in RGB colour space and must include an ICC Profile.
    The photographs must be at least 3000 pixels long on the longest side. Insufficient quality which does not permit a photo’s presentation in large-format print can be a reason for disqualification.
    For selected images, the organiser may request data of maximum quality.

  7. All photographs must include a name and specific description in Czech and ideally also English and the place where the photograph was taken
  8. Competitors attest that their photographs were made with respect for nature, without the use of live bait and were not taken in a manner which led to injury or stress of the photographed animal or damage to its environment. Competitors also bear full responsibility for observing all laws and securing any approval needed if required for taking photographs of the particular animal in the particular location. This approval must be submitted for inspection if requested to do so by the organiser. Suspicion of unethical practices while taking contest photos may result in disqualification.
  9. The content of photographs may not be changed by adding to, rearranging, inverting, distorting or removing any parts of the image. Overall and local corrections of tonality and contrast, cropping, sharpening, noise reduction and minor retouching (cleaning) are permitted. HDR, panorama and focus stacking are permitted on photographs taken on the site at the same time when requirements for an authentic scene being captured are met.
  10. The judges are entitled to request that the original RAW file be sent later for further review of the photograph.
  11. Only photographs uploaded and submitted through the contest website will be accepted.
  12. Pictures can be entered for the contest from 04.04. 2017. The deadline for entering photographs in the pilot 2016 year of the contest is 14 May 2017 at 24:00 Central European Time.
  13. Copyright holders retain all personal copyright to their works. Copyright holders grant Czech Nature Photo contest organiser, Czech Photo Centre, s.r.o., unlimited and non-exclusive licence to use award-winning and other selected photographs (exhibition collections) in the form of high-resolution pictures in any way in order to support and promote the contest and contest organisers, in particular (although not exclusively) in the press, exhibitions, dissemination to the public through television broadcasting, computer or similar networks, making them access in a public archive, etc., without quantitative restrictions throughout the world over the whole term of copyright protection. The authorisation under the preceding sentence may also be partly granted to third parties involved in the contest. The licence is provided without charge. The organiser is entitled to modify the photographs in a reasonable manner, combine them with other copyrighted and non-copyrighted works, especially for the purpose of further use of the works (e.g. graphic processing in preparation for print, etc.) within the scope detailed above.
  14. Copyright holders grant the Czech Nature Photo organiser, Czech Photo Centre, s.r.o., the right to use low-resolution pictures in a non-public archive for education and research purposes without charge for all photographs except those which have won an award or are exhibited.
  15. Competitors will provide the organiser with full personal details (name, surname, professional CV) along with an image (photograph) of the competitor and also give their consent to the use of these details in order to organise Czech Nature Photo exhibitions (including promoting the contest and exhibitions and Czech Nature Photo links with partners) and further to use them subsequently for future Czech Press Nature exhibitions in the Czech Republic and abroad.
  16. Copyright holders declare and guarantee that they are the sole authors of the works entered, that the submission and subsequent use of the photographs will in no way affect the rights or justified interests of third parties, and that no third party can exercise any rights on the ground of use of the photographers by the organiser and/or Czech Photo, o.p.s., or any entity using the photographs on the basis of a sub-licence.
  17. The terms and conditions set out in the contest rules are binding and the organiser reserves the right to reject or disqualify any contest entry if it sees fit to do so. There is no legal claim to participation in the contest.
  18. The judges reserve the right not to award prizes in particular categories where photographs submitted do not meet the contest’s qualitative standards.

Categories

The basic categories ‘Mammals’, ‘Birds’, ‘Reptiles, amphibians and underwater life’ and ‘Invertebrates’ are designed for photographs showing portraits of wild animals or their behaviour in individual groups in an interesting manner. If you are unsure or if a photograph might be included in more than one category, select the one you consider most appropriate. The panel reserves the right to reassign photographs into a different category.

The “Plants and Fungi” category is designed for eye-catching photographs of any representatives of the botanical kingdom, including flowers, bushes, trees and moss, as well as fungi, lichens and algae growing in the wild, whether in the form of individual examples or entire groups. This year only, older photographs can also be sent, with no time restrictions.

The “Landscape” category is designed for photographs which capture the beauty of our planet’s natural scenery in an attractive manner, and with no human impact such as buildings visible. This year only, older photographs can also be sent, with no time restrictions. Within this category, a special prize for the best photograph taken using a drone will also be awarded – if you want to take part, then mention the use of a drone in the photograph description!

The special “Nature in Prague” category is declared by the contest’s joint organiser, Prague City Hall. The city is not just home to people, but also animals which have adapted to their new living conditions and occupied new niches. Their living spaces are within the city’s urban areas and amongst its plants and trees – often in the places we least expect them. This category prioritises photographs which capture this coexistence within Prague’s urban areas and protected areas in an attractive way (animals and plants found in Prague, in protected areas and urban neighbourhoods, woods, parks, gardens, orchards and avenues in the Prague district). This category is not designed for photographs of pets or domesticated animals. Prague City Hall will select the winning photograph from the judges’ shortlist.

Animals in human care – photographs taken in zoos, at workshops or in deer parks. This category is not meant for photographs of dogs and cats.

The special “Series” category is designed for a series of themed related photographs. The series might capture an immediate happening or event, or it could be a set which documents a particular theme over a period of time. The photography topic must always involve nature or its protection. The series should comprise a minimum of 3 and maximum of 9 photographs. The complete series is always counted as one piece of the ten possible within one entry.

The special “Prize for the Best Photograph of Czech Wildlife and Countryside” category is designed for pictures of animals or plants in the wild taken within the Czech Republic – it is not designed for photographs of animals living in human care. The judges will also include photographs in the relevant main categories (Mammals, Birds, Plants, etc.).

The special “Endanged Species and their Protection” category is declared in collaboration with our partner, Prague Zoo. Prague Zoo will select nominated pictures and winners from the judges’ shortlist. Individual photographs and series of a maximum of nine photos documenting endangered animals and the process of their protection can be entered for this category. The photographs can show wild animals or animals living in human care if this care is part of endeavours to protect them (e.g. protective or reintroduction programmes, etc.). Also allowed are pictures showing human and animal interaction as part of activities related to their protection. This year only, older photographs can also be sent, with no time restrictions.

Prizes
Czech Nature Photo Photograph of the Year

The “Photograph of the Year” award is the contest’s main prize. It is awarded to the photograph where the contest judging panel agree on its exceptional qualities. The photographer receives a monetary prize of 20 000 CZK, an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III camera with an M Zuiko Digital ED 14 42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ Pancake lens, an f-stop Lotus photo pack including Medium Slope ICU and a certificate attesting to victory in the contest.

PRIZES WITHIN CONTEST CATEGORIES

The judging panel selects 3 nominated photographs within each contest category, from which they then choose the winner. Winners of individual categories (except for the special “Endangered Species and their Protection” category) receive a monetary prize of 10 000 CZK, a gift voucher worth 5 000 CZK for purchasing photography accessories and a certificate attesting to victory in the relevant category.

In the “Mammals (wild)” category, the winner also receives a set of Fomei binoculars.

In addition, the winner of the “Prize for the Best Photography of Czech Wildlife and Countryside” category also receives a prize awarded by Krkonoše National Park – two days spent in the wonderful natural surroundings of our most renowned national park alongside an experienced guide, spending the night in the Krkonoše wild, and also a prize awarded by Šumava National Park, involving a trip to the wild parts of the park alongside the Park Director, including one night’s accommodation.

In the “Endangered Species and their Protection” category, our main partner, Prague Zoo, also awards the prize of a day taking photos with a photographer, and an experience programme at Prague Zoo.

Prize for Best Photograph from a Drone

Telink, an authorised DJI vendor, will furthermore be awarding a special prize within the Landscape category for the best photograph taken from a drone, comprising a 10 000 CZK voucher for purchasing DJI ARS technology, or for training at the TJI TELINK flight school (courses range from private pilot to professional drone pilot). If you want to compete for this prize, you must state in the description to your photograph entered in the Landscape category that it was taken from a drone!

PUBLIC PRIZE

Exhibition visitors decide on the winner. A public vote will take place over the course of the exhibition, with the winner getting an Olympus TOUGH outdoor camera and diploma attesting to victory in the public prize.