Art. 1. Promoter

LuganoPhotoDays
via P.F. Mola 9
CH - 6900 Lugano

in collaboration with:

Fondazione Vicari
via Chiesa 1
CH - 6988 Caslano

Art. 2. Participation requirements

The contest is open to all professional photographers who have reached the age of 18 on May 31st June 30th 2015, irrespective of nationality or residence.

Employees of LuganoPhotoDays, Fondazione Vicari and of the sponsors, the members of the jury, as well as relatives up to second-degree are not permitted to enter the contest.

Art. 3. Duration of the contest

Opening: February 5th, 2015 at 12:00:00 (GMT+1)

Deadline for submission of works: May 31st June 30th, 2015 at 23:59:59 (GMT+1)

Selection of finalists and winner: June July 2015

Award ceremony: October 2015 (LuganoPhotoDays 2015 opening night)

Art. 4. Prizes

For the winner:

- Unique cash prize: CHF 2500.-
- Exhibition in Lugano during LuganoPhotoDays in October 2015
- Accommodation for 1 night in Lugano – single room with breakfast – on the occasion of the award ceremony (LuganoPhotoDays 2015 opening night)

No prize, unless otherwise defined, is paid in cash.

The transfer from home to the award ceremony (and return) are to be borne by the winner.

Art. 5. Award ceremony

The award ceremony will take place in October 2015, on the LuganoPhotoDays 2015 opening night.

If the winner is unable to attend the award ceremony, the cash prize will be presented by bank transfer by November 30th, 2015.

Art. 6. Composition of the jury

The external jury is a panel of 5 experts in the field of photography, publishing or communications. The members and the president of the jury are published on the contest’s website.

The jury’s votes are not subject to appeal.

Art. 7. Registration

Registration to the contest occurs exclusively via internet on www.photocontest.ch.

The participants must provide a valid e-mail address and complete the form with their personal details.

The promoter may request a copy of a valid identity document to verify the truthfulness of the given information at any time. The submission of incorrect or untrue data at the registration will result in disqualification from the contest.

The registration will remain valid for future contests.

Art. 8. Registration fee

The registration fee is CHF 25.- and has to be paid by PayPal or bank transfer.

The registration fee will not be refunded in case of withdrawal or non-admission to the contest (see artt. 10 and 16).

Art. 9. Participation in the contest

Each registrant may participate with a set of 12 photographs part of a same project. The theme is: reportage.

Format of the images to be uploaded on the contest’s website:

- JPEG, RGB a 8bit
- 30 cm length (approx. 3600 pixel) for 300 dpi
- Maximal size 5MB

At the promoter’s request the registrant shall promptly supply a high-quality file.

A description of the project (in Italian or in English) is required. The photographs may also have a title and/or a caption.

Following the confirmation of the entry, the participant may request the removal of the entire series of photographs by contacting the promoter’s technical team. This operation is the equivalent to a waiver by the participant. In order to submit a new series, the participant must pay the entire registration fee again.

Art. 10. Admission

After receipt of the registration fee, the promoter will select the works, only admitting and publishing those who meet the contest rules’ criteria.

Art. 11. Selection – preliminary phase

Each member of the jury will give one mark between 1 (min.) and 5 (max.) to each series of photographs, which have been accepted.

At the end of the preliminary phase the 50 series with the most marks will be selected. In case of a joint runner-up in this phase, the date of confirmation of the registration will be decisive.

Art. 12. Selection – final phase

The jury will assign a second score to the selected works, determining the finalists: the 10 series with the highest marks. In case of a joint runner-up in this phase, the date of confirmation of the registration will be decisive.

The finalists will be notified via e-mail.

Art. 13. Selection - winner

After the preliminary and the final phase, the jury will reunite to determine the single winner among the 10 finalists.

The winner will be notified via e-mail.

Art. 14. Copyright

The participant declares to be the sole and exclusive owner of the uploaded photographs and to detain, if necessary, the lawful releases from the photographed subjects and is solely responsible in the event of a claim by the photographed subject or, in general, by third parties.

Art. 15. Use of images

The photographs remain the exclusive property of the author who authorises the promoter to use, reproduce and publish them by any means, free of charge (with the exception of commercial purposes) and without time limit; in particular, but not as a limiting factor, on the promoter’s website, social network, printed material (flyer, posters, catalogues, …), etc..

The authors are not entitled to economic compensation for the publication of the photographs on magazines, newspapers, website and/or social networks.

The prints from the photographs used for the exhibitions will remain the property of the promoter.

Art. 16. Responsibility

The uploaded contents are solely the responsibility of the authors. The promoter declines any responsibility for the images uploaded by the user and possible infringement of copyright.

In all circumstances, generally, the participating photographers undertake to release and to free the promoter from any claims, request, responsibility and, generally, from any property right or claim by third parties linked to the contents.

The promoter reserves the right not to publish images with pornographic content, violence or racial intolerance; violates privacy and publicity, reputation, honour of others or any applicable law; is vulgar, racially or ethnically offensive, classist or in any way reprehensible; may cause damage in any way to minor children.

Even if already published, the promoter may remove the aforementioned images based on his own and unquestionable judgment without notice and without any claim for repayment.

Art. 17. Service supply

The promoter reserves the right to interrupt or extend the uploading and the voting of the works due to a technical, organisation or legal issue.

In case of an anticipated interruption of the contest, the mentioned jury, according the present guidelines, will evaluate the works of those who have already registered.

No guarantee can be given regarding the continued and complete availability of the website and related application in reason of internet’s own structure which involves many parties.

Art. 18. General Terms

Any legal recourse is excluded. Any controversy regarding the applicability of the present rules and the execution of the contest that cannot be solved amicably shall be brought exclusively before the courts of Lugano with application of the Swiss law.

No correspondence will be held about the contest. The participants acknowledge and accept the present general terms of the contest.

Art. 19. Language

Should the English translation of these Rules differ from the Italian original, the Italian version is binding.