WHAT DOES THE COMPETITION ENTAIL?

In the Lead photographer challenge you can only participate in the following categories;

• Portrait (Po)
• Journalistic (Jo)
• Product (Pr)
• Sports (Sp)
• Wildlife (Wi)
• Landscape (La)
• City (Ci)

To join enter any photo challenge is simple; fill out the form provided on our website and submit your photos.

Competitors will be contacted on a personal basis where needed and more information about the competition process and progress will be posted on our social media; Facebook and Instagram

Rules of the competition

General

• Entrants must be over 18 years of age. Proof may be required that entrants are duly authorized to participate in the competition. 
• Photographers must be living in Uganda and submitted photos taken in Uganda.
• All submissions must be the photographer’s work and he/she must be able to supply RAW or original files when requested.
• No submissions on behalf of someone else are permitted.
• All captions, personal and technical information must be supplied by the photographer upon request if any further verification is required by the organizers.
• Photographers must obtain all and any permission necessary and where required in their private capacity to photograph any subject matter, be it human or animal, before entering the competition.
• Images can be taken using a DSLR, SLR, Phone, and Drone.
• LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER or any of its associates, members, owners or sponsors will bear no legal responsibility for images published in any media, print or social. Failure to obtain permission which might lead to immediate disqualification.
• LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER does not retain copyright to your photographs outside of the competition procedures, social media posts, and advertisements. Your photograph can be used to further advertise the competition and the related social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram but be credited with your details when and wherever featured. 
• Winners will be announced and featured on the LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER website and social media pages.  
• If you wish, you may place the contest on your page on social networks with the hashtag #Leadphotographer

Images

• If your image won or was placed, in any previous photographic competition, information thereof must be declared upon entry. Similarly, images that have been published, either in print or online, must be accompanied by a declaration (please include details of publication and date). Judges reserve the right to exclude any images deemed to have been used or appeared in public extensively.
• If your image is chosen for publication by another entity after entering this competition, please notify the LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Team immediately through email or contact form on our website.
• You may not enter the same image into the competition more than once.
• Photographers can enter a maximum of 3 images per category entries are open.
• Images submitted must be 2000 pixels on the longest edge and not more than 3000kb (3MB)
• The submitted photograph must have been taken at most 2 years before submission for Portrait, Product and Sports category and within 5 years for Journalistic, Landscape, Cityscape and Wildlife category.
• File names must begin with a category code; Po, Jo, La, Ci etc. and the title of the photo.
• File names must not contain any special characters (e.g. “#” or “<>”) or punctuation (e.g. “!”, “?” or “.”), and no apostrophes.
• Use underscores to indicate spaces( _ line at the bottom).
• Filename extensions must be separated by a dot (.) and may not be any longer than 4 characters.  An example of a good file name: La_Kiyira.jpg, Jo_Katanga_rain.jpg

Subject matter

• Only subject matter taken in and around Uganda is eligible for entry.
• Harassment of both people and animals or destruction of the environment in pursuit of an image will not be tolerated.
• Images will be rejected should there be any baiting and/or manipulation of animal behaviour to the advantage of the photographer. Animals must be free-roaming and not held in captive or restrictive environments, even for rehabilitation purposes. (Zoo aminals are not wildlife)
• Images taken from hides will be accepted. 

Image editing

• Artistic interpretations are allowed to be entered but images must accurately and realistically represent the natural world. We will request the original RAW or JPEG file if any queries arise.

Terms and conditions

1. Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternatives are available.
2. Prizes will be announced on LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER platforms. Facebook and Instagram.
3. Once the closing date for entries is passed. No more photos will be accepted.
4. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
5. All entrants’ personal information will be used only following our Privacy Policy.
6. LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER may re-allot prizes if we are unable to contact selected winners. Please ensure that you provide the correct contact details.
7. Prizes not claimed within three months will be forfeited.
8. Any deviation from the rules and/or attempt to manipulate the outcome of the prize will result in disqualification.
9. The winner’s details and the winning photograph will be released, published or displayed on our website and social media platforms. The winner’s details will be credited alongside the photograph wherever featured.
10. By entering into this competition it is deemed that you have read and understood these rules.
11. The organizers reserve the right to not award any prizes if the standard of images entered is not of a suitable standard and fit for purpose or display.
12. The entrants give permission for LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER’s Team to, discuss and critique their photographs
13. Your photograph can be used to further advertise the competition and the related social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram but be credited with your details when and wherever featured. 

Judges

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER partners and selected crew every year

Prizes 

1.  Each category winner will receive a LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER trophy and a certificate of ownership.
2. Winning photos will be published and displayed on the LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER website and social media platforms as category winners of the year.
3. The lead photographers of the year will receive a digital logo that can be displayed on their social media platforms
4. Each category winner will receive will be eligible to join the private global community where s/he can receive advanced knowledge about photography.
5. Both category winner and runner-up will receive photography business mentorship to enhance the photographer’s financial stability
6.  Additional courses will be available for both winner and runner-up for six months

Note: 

Entries that do not comply with all or a part of the rules or the Lead Photographer Challenge’s terms or any other aspect will be excluded from the competition.

All prizes are at the judges’ discretion and will be final, where images are not enough for a category prize, no prize will be awarded.