Rules & Regulations Competition Guidelines, Rules & Regulations 2005
Award Categories
1. Wide Angle: any image 35mm or greater.
2. Macro: any image 35mm or less.
3. Wreck: any image of a vessel or plane submerged for more than 10 years.
4. Creative: any image above or below the water.
5. Novice a) Macro b) Wreck c) Creative d) Wide Angle6. Dil’ Techelbakl Award – female photographer submitting the best image, in the Novice Class.
7. Best Local Images
Entry Classifications
1. Novice Level: for photographers new to the sport of underwater photography and or who have not entered, won or placed in more than three prior underwater photography competitions; and or have not had their photography work published.
2. Open Level: for all other entries not covered under Novice Level
Entry Fees
Entry Fee: $30 per person – Open or Novice Level, participating at anytime during the festival.
Image Formats
Image formats qualifying for prizes are as follows:
1. Film Images: All film entries submitted for judgment must be 35mm E-6 Slides, mounted and identified in accordance with festival “Film Image Identification Rules”.
2. Digital Images: All digital entries submitted for judgment must be on CD-ROM, and identified in accordance with festival “Digital Image Identification Rules”.
3. Disposable Camera Images: All images submitted for judgment must be in accordance with the published rules for this special category available separately at time of registration.
Number of Entries for Judging
Participants may submit a maximum of ONE image in each AWARD CATEGORY.
Judging Criteria
All entries will be judged using the following criteria:
• Technical quality including lighting, exposure and focus
• Difficulty
• Composition
• Visual ImpactPhoto Seminars
Educational photography seminars will be conducted throughout the festival by event judges. A schedule of seminars will be published and made available during the festival.
Prizes
Open Level Classification:
One First, Second and Third Place prize will be presented in each of the award categories of
Wide Angle, Macro, Wreck, and Creative.Novice Level Classification:
One First, Second and Third Place prize will be presented regardless of award category.Entry Categories 5 through 8
One prize only per category, regardless of Entry Classification level.
Dil’ Techelbakl Award
Awarded to the female photographer submitting the best image, in the Novice Level entry classification.
Environmental Awareness Rules
Judges will screen all images submitted in accordance with festival rules, during the competition. Images exhibiting any of the following behaviors will be immediately disqualified:
• Divers damaging the reef.
• Divers kicking up sand.
• Divers kicking up silt on wrecks.
• Marine life showing signs of stress.
• Marine life viewed in an unnatural state or location.
• Marine life being fed or baited.
• Marine life being touched or harassed.
• Divers failing to observe courtesy to other divers.
• Divers violating commonly accepted sport-diving safety standards.
• Judges reserve the right to determine whether images are in violation of these rules.
Disputes
The Festival Committee will assign a “Review Panel” to consider any complaints or disputes regarding competition activities. The Festival Committee reserves the right to make the final decision on all dispute resolutions. Participants agree to abide by the Committee’s decision.
DisclaimerUnderwater Palau Photo Festival organizing committee is not responsible for any travel, tour, or accommodation arrangements. Event participants are solely responsible for making their own arrangements with the service provider(s) of their choice. Festival participants are required to sign an Underwater Palau International Photo Festival Liability Waiver and Release Form, prior to participating in the festival.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
In the event that Underwater Palau International Photo Festival is cancelled, a full refund of entry fees will be offered. Underwater Palau International Photo Festival is not responsible for any cancellation fees levied by travel agents, hotels, or tour operators. Cancellation by participants must be received in writing and acknowledged by the organizing committee. Cancellations received at least 60 days prior to the event are eligible for a full refund of Festival fees. Cancellations received less than 60 days but more than thirty days prior to the event are eligible for 50% refund. No refund is offered for cancellations with less than 30 days written notice. This cancellation policy applies only to Festival event registration. Other cancellation policies may apply for travel, hotel and tour operators, but are not the responsibility of the
Underwater Palau International Photo Festival.
Disqualification
Participants in violation of festival rules are subject to disqualification. Participants are specifically reminded to familiarize themselves with festival “Image Identification Rules” and “Environmental Awareness Rules”. Entry fees will not be refunded in the event of disqualification.
Access to Images by Sponsors
It is a condition of entry that participants permit Festival sponsors to use all winning images for any future promotional or advertising purposes, without fees or restrictions. Image(s) will bear credit to the original photographer. Images remain the property of the photographer.
Good Luck!!!!
PHOTO IMAGE IDENTIFICATION RULES
FILM FORMAT IMAGES
1. Each photographer is assigned a Participant Identification Number (PIN) number, following registration. Please remember your PIN NUMBER, as it will be used throughout the Festival to identify your work.
2. Each roll of film submitted for judging must bear the participants PIN NUMBER as follows:
a) Festival dive boats are equipped with a board on which to write your PIN Number.
b) A photograph must be taken of this board such that your PIN NUMBER clearly and legibly appears in at least one frame of each film-strip submitted for judging.
c) It is the responsibility of each festival participant to ensure that their PIN Number appears on their film-strip (s) as indicated above.
d) Film-strips without identification in accordance with these rules will be disqualified.
3. Each roll of film must be developed as an uncut strip. Filmstrip (s) that have been cut or tampered with in anyway and or without a PIN Number clearly and legibly appearing as described above, will be disqualified.
4. Photographers must present uncut filmstrip(s) containing their contest entries at Festival Headquarters for proper identification, cutting and mounting by Festival Stewards, in order to qualify for judging.
5. The Slide Mounting Jacket of each entry submitted for judging must be clearly marked with the following. Illegible marks may be cause for disqualification:
Photographer PIN Number : Assigned by Festival Committee
Photo Category : Indicate Category Number 1 to 8.
Entry Classification : O = Open: N = Novice6. Film development is the responsibility of each participant, and is at his or her expense.
DIGITAL IMAGE IDENTIFICATION RULES
DIGITAL FORMAT IMAGES
1. Each photographer is assigned a Participant Identification Number (PIN) Number, upon registration. Please remember your PIN Number, as it will be used throughout the Festival to identify your work.
2. Only JPEF or TIFF format images will be accepted. No other formats are valid.
3. Manipulation of images beyond those features available in-camera is not permitted.
4. Any images appearing to have been manipulated by third party software (such as, but not limited to PhotoShop) will be disqualified.
5. Each “smart-card” or “memory stick” being downloaded must bear the participants PIN Number as follows:
a) Festival dive boats are equipped with a board on which to write your PIN Number.
b) Your PIN Number must clearly and legibly appear as an image in each “smart-card” or “memory-stick” being downloaded at the “Digital Lab”.
1. c) Digital photographers are required to download all eligible images to their assigned Festival workstation folder at the end of each day.
d) It is the responsibility of festival participants to ensure that their PIN Number appears on their digital image media as indicated above.
e) Digital image media without identification in accordance with these rules will be disqualified.
3. Specific instructions will be provided at the Digital Lab on preparation and submission of images for judging.
4. Participants will select images for judging from those images archived in their assigned folder on a Festival “Digital Lab” workstation.
5. Image identity must include
Photographer PIN Number : Assigned by Festival Committee
Photo Category : Indicate Category Number 1 to 8.
Entry Classification : O = Open: N = Novice
The Festival Committee will assign a “Review Panel” to consider any complaints or disputes regarding competition activities. The Festival Committee reserves the right to make the final decision on all dispute resolutions. Participants agree to abide by the Committee’s decision. Participants in violation of festival rules are subject to disqualification.