Photoshare Photo Contest - Frequently Asked Questions

Are you only accepting recent photos? 
There is no restriction on the date of photos.

May I submit photos on behalf of my organization?
Yes. In fact, most of our entries last year were photographed in the context of NGO activities. Keep in mind that generally, if a work is created by an employee within the scope of employment, the employer is considered the author/owner of a "work made for hire." Please check with your supervisor or director for permission to submit photos and for clarification on how the photos should be credited (for example "Center for International Health" or "Jane Doe/CIH"). 

Can I enter a photo that is already in Photoshare?
Photos previously contributed to Photoshare are not eligible for consideration.

What kinds of photos will be accepted?
Original color or black & white prints, slides, negatives, and digital images are acceptable. At a minimum, digital images must be approximately 1024 x 768 pixels. Photos below the minimum resolution, collages, photos without completed entry forms, and photos previously contributed to Photoshare are not eligible for consideration. Photos will be judged on the basis of content (relevance to category) and quality (e.g. lighting, composition, focus) by an independent panel of judges. For entry ideas, see: sample contest photo subject by category

How many photos can I enter?
You may submit one photo per category (8 maximum). You are welcome to participate in as many categories as you wish.

What does Photoshare prefer - prints taken with a traditional camera (e.g. 35mm) or images taken with a digital camera?
Digital images that have good print quality (high resolution and good pixel quality) are equal in value to traditional prints. If you send photos taken with a digital camera, please send UNALTERED ORIGINALS (in particular, please do not crop, adjust color, or make any other changes to a JPEG).

What does Photoshare prefer - TIFFs or JPEGs?
Although we prefer TIFFs for their superior quality, both TIFs and JPEGs are acceptable contest submissions. If you have JPEGs, the most important thing to remember is to never alter or save any changes to your original JPEG. The pixel quality of a JPEG is very "fragile" (every time you save a change to a JPEG, you further compress and degrade the image). The better the quality, the better your chance of winning. If you are concerned about the composition, lighting, or color of your JPEG image, it is better to send the original "as is" than to change it, unless you are confident about your digital imaging skills and you plan to first convert the image to a TIF before making changes.

What does Photoshare prefer - prints or scans of prints?
We always prefer originals, because most of the time, we are able to obtain better quality scans, thereby improving your chances of winning. So, please send your prints, if possible, and we will return them after the contest. We cannot return prints to a P.O. Box. Please provide a street address and phone number where you can be reached by the shipper. 

When will winners be chosen, notified, and announced?
Judging will take place in November. Winners will be notified by e-mail or phone. Winners will be publicly announced in December.