How do I submit a photo to the photo contest?

The submission period closed on October 31, 2009, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Why do I need to be logged in to National Geographic in order to submit a photo?

Registering for National Geographic ensures that we have your contact information.

If you've previously registered with National Geographic, please select "I have a National Geographic account and would like to log in" on the log in page. Enter your registered email address and password.

If you haven't previously registered with National Geographic, please select "I would like to sign up for a National Geographic account" on the log in page. Fill out the form and click "Submit." You will next be asked to agree to our Terms and Conditions.

What is the entry fee?

The entry fee is U.S. $12 per photo for entries received before 11:59:00 p.m. ET October 15, 2009. All entries received after 11:59:00 p.m. ET on October 15, 2009, will be subject to an additional fee of U.S. $10 (for a total fee of U.S. $22 per photo).

How do I pay the entry fee?

You must use PayPal to pay the contest entry fee. Your credit/debit card information is maintained by PayPal and is not shared with the National Geographic Society. Please visit the PayPal Help Center if you have further questions regarding this process.

How do I know that you've received my entry?

After you submit your photograph(s) and pay the entry fee, PayPal will send you a confirmation email.

How many photos may I submit?

You may submit a total of six (6) photos to the contest, in one or more of these categories: People, Places, and Nature.

What's the difference between the English Language International Photography Contest and the Worldwide International Photography Contest?

National Geographic magazine is translated and published in 31 local languages. Each of these local language editions may choose to hold its own photography contest.

The contest you may enter here is the English Language International Photography Contest, which is the contest of the English-language edition of the magazine. A winner will be chosen in each of the three categories of the English Language International Photography Contest. Those three first-place winners will then be automatically entered into the Worldwide International Photography Contest.

Each participating local-language edition of National Geographic magazine will also choose first-place winners in each category. Those winners will also be entered into the Worldwide International Photography Contest. A single winner will be chosen in each category as the winner of the Worldwide International Photography Contest.

How will my photograph be judged?

Judging consists of two (2) rounds of evaluation for each category. In round one, each judge in a panel of photographic experts will select ten (10) entries in each category from among all the eligible entries, based on the following criteria: (1) Creativity—50%; (2) Photographic quality—50%.

The entries selected in round one will proceed to round two. In round two, the judges will collectively select a first-place winner in each category.

In the event of a tie, the tied entries will be resubmitted to the judges for a rejudging between the tied entries alone. In the event that a tie remains after rejudging, the entry with the highest score for creativity will be declared the winner.

When will the winners be announced?

Winners of the English Language International Photography Contest will be chosen on or around December 1, 2009, and will be notified by email.

What are the prizes?

First-place winners of the English Language International Photography Contest will win a digital camera kit and have their photos published in National Geographic magazine. The first-place winners of the Worldwide International Photography Contest will receive a trip to National Geographic headquarters and have their photos published in National Geographic magazine. There are no prizes for the Viewers' Choice winners or the honorable mentions.

I'm not a U.S. resident. Can I still participate in the English Language International Photography Contest?

Legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (excluding Arizona, New Jersey, and Vermont) and the District of Columbia, United Kingdom, Canada (excluding the province of Quebec), Australia, Republic of Ireland, India, South Africa, and New Zealand who have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry may enter the English Language International Photography Contest.

Why are Arizona, New Jersey, and Vermont not allowed to participate this year?

Those states do not allow operation of a skill contest that requires an entry fee.

Why is the province of Quebec excluded from participating in the contest?

Running sweepstakes of broad geographical scope requires observing the regulations of all of the jurisdictions in question. The legal complexities of doing so make it prohibitive, if not impossible, to run international competitions—or even ones that are open to all U.S. states and territories, in some instances. Restrictive laws in certain jurisdictions sometimes prompt their ineligibility.

I'm not a resident of one of the countries listed above. Can I participate in the contest?

Please visit our list of participating local-language edition Web sites offering entry into the Worldwide International Photography Contest.

I'm a U.S. resident living abroad. Should I enter my local language contest or the English Language International Photography Contest?

If you are a legal U.S. resident who is living abroad at the time of the contest, please enter the English Language International Photography Contest.

It says I must be the age of majority to enter. What is the age of majority?

The age of majority varies from place to place. You can check out the Web site of your state or local jurisdiction, or call your government offices to get information specific to your place of residence.

I'm not the age of majority. Is there a photography contest that I can enter?

Please visit the National Geographic Kids Web site for information on entering the United States and Canadian International Photo Contest for Kids. You must be between the ages of 6 and 14 on November 2, 2009, to enter this contest. The entry period begins August 3, 2009, and ends November 2, 2009. All entries must be postmarked by November 2, 2009.

I’d like to enter a photo that has previously been published. Is that allowed?

Yes, you may enter a photo that has previously been published.

I’d like to enter a photo that has previously won a contest. Is that allowed?

Photographs that have previously won an award in the National Geographic International Photography Contest or any National Geographic Traveler photography contest in the last three years are not eligible. Photographs that have won other contests may be submitted.

How old can my entry be?

Photographs must have been taken within two years of the date of entry.

Will my photography be seen online?

Selected entries and the entrants' names may be published on the National Geographic Web site at the discretion of the National Geographic Society.

Will I be notified if my photo is chosen for the online galleries?

You will be notified only if you are a first-place winner of the English Language International Photography Contest.

Do photos have to be taken with a digital camera?

Submitted photos do NOT have to be digital photos from a digital camera. Any digital scan will do, as long as the end result is a JPG or JPEG file. You may submit scans of negatives, transparencies, or photographs taken with traditional cameras.

Is image manipulation allowed in the photo contest?

Minor burning, dodging, and color correction are acceptable. Hand tinting is acceptable, as is cropping. Fish-eye lenses are acceptable. High dynamic range images (HDR) and stitched panoramas are acceptable only if the combined parts are all made around the same time. Any changes to an original photograph not itemized here are unacceptable and will render the photograph ineligible for a prize. For more information, please read Director of Photography David Griffin's comments on image manipulation.

We trust our users to submit unaltered files. We can not research every photo entry. However, if a photo is chosen for publication in the magazine, it will be scrutinized for possible alterations.

What should I include in the description of my photograph?

Captions are a good way to engage others in your photography. So take the time to write about the place, time, setting, and situation.

Are captions fact-checked for accuracy?

We trust our users to give accurate caption information, so we do not research or fact-check their captions. However, if a photo is chosen for publication in the magazine, it will be fact-checked.

When I submit a photo to the photo contest, what rights does the National Geographic Society have to my submission?

National Geographic will have the nonexclusive, perpetual right to use your image in connection with the contest and promotion of the contest, in any media now or hereafter known, including, but not limited to: display at a potential exhibition of winners; publication of a book featuring select entries in the contest; publication in National Geographic magazine or online, highlighting entries or winners of the contest.

Please read through the photo contest rules for more information on the rights you grant when submitting a photograph to the International Photography Contest.

I accidentally uploaded the wrong photo and paid the entry fee. Can I delete my entry and submit a new photo?

Unfortunately, due to the large volume of images submitted to the contest, all entries are final and cannot be replaced or modified.

I can't remember which photographs I've already submitted. Can you tell me which of my photographs you've received?

After logging in, you can view your entries on your submission history page. There you can see your caption, image title, tags, and category for each entry. Entries that have been submitted and paid for appear under "Previously Submitted Photos."

Are release forms required when submitting a photograph to the International Photography Contest?

By submitting a photograph to the International Photography Contest you warrant that you are the owner of the image, that you alone own the copyright, and that you have obtained any necessary third-party releases.

If your photograph is selected as a winner of the contest, you may be asked to submit a personal release, a location release, or an artist release. Please do not send any releases unless we've asked you to. Please read through the photo contest rules for more information regarding releases.

The photograph I'd like to submit was taken while I was on vacation. There's no way for me to get a release form. Can I still enter this photograph in the contest?

If your photograph is chosen as a winner of the contest, you may be required to submit a release.

What is a personal release form?

If any person in your photograph is recognizable, you may be asked to provide National Geographic with a personal release form signed by that person or those persons. Images of unrecognizable people do not need personal releases. A personal release form is a binding contract between the photographer and the subject(s) of the photograph. By signing the release, the subject of the photograph forgoes the right to sue for specific types of claims. Download our printable Personal Release form. (You'll need Acrobat Reader to view the download. Get the free plug-in here.)

Do photos of children require personal release forms?

Yes, if the children are recognizable (see answer above). But personal release forms for anyone under the age of majority must be signed by the subject's legal guardian—not by the child. Download our printable Personal Release form. (You'll need Acrobat Reader to view the download. Get the free plug-in here.)

What is a location release form?

A location release form is a binding contract between the photographer and the owner(s) of private property within or upon which a photograph was taken. By signing the release, the owner of the property forgoes the right to sue for specific types of claims. Download our printable Location Release form. (You'll need Acrobat Reader to view the download. Get the free plug-in here.)

What is an artist release form?

An artist release form is a binding contract between the photographer and the copyright holder(s) of any art in the photograph. By signing the release, the copyright holder of the art in the photograph forgoes the right to sue for specific types of claims. Download our printable Artist Release form. (You'll need Acrobat Reader to view the download. Get the free plug-in here.)

Why won't my images upload?

Make sure your images meet the following requirements:
* JPG or JPEG file format (ex. YourImage.jpg or YourImage.jpeg)
* At least 1,600 pixels wide (if a horizontal image) or 1,600 pixels tall (if a vertical image)
* Total file size must be under 5 MB

I didn't receive my confirmation email. Why?

Some ISPs (Internet service providers) commonly install email filters that block or filter emails sent from unknown addresses. If you have a "junk mail" box, check to see if that's where the email landed. If you've installed software to monitor your email, make sure your settings aren't causing your emails to get blocked.

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