OFFICIAL RULES

OUTSTANDING PHOTO AWARD / OUTSTANDING MATERNITY AWARD

The Outstanding Photo Award | Outstanding Maternity Award is an international competition of technical and artistic merit. 

The contest aims exclusively for public recognition and the granting of the seal of excellence. 

Since 2014, the award has been dedicated exclusively to the celebration of the art of photography.

1- Nature of the Award:

There are no prizes in cash, material goods, or any other form of monetary compensation. 

The value of the award consists of granting the seal of excellence to the winning photographs, providing the author with international recognition and a significant competitive advantage in their professional portfolio.

2- Acceptance of Terms:

By registering and submitting photographs, the participant declares that they are aware of and fully agree to all the rules and conditions established in these Official Rules.

3- Participation and Entries: 

3.1- The international competition is open to all photographers, regardless of their geographical location.

3.2- The competition has no annual or monthly fees; the cost of participation is restricted to the entry fees per image submitted for the current Season. 

The photographer will make the payment only when registering for the current Season through this website. 

3.3- The photographer may participate in all Seasons of interest, with no requirement for continuous participation, annual commitment, or monthly charges.

4- Application Process:

4.1- Complete your registration on our website by filling out your profile.

4.2- Make the payment following the instructions provided on our website and submit your photographs. 

4.3- Should the photographer register but not submit the photographs, these credits will remain active in the system and may be used in the next Season. 

4.4- Ensure that you strictly follow the established instructions for the images, guaranteeing they meet the required standard for participation.

4.5- Irreversibility of Payment: The registration fee is intended to cover administrative and operational costs and is not subject to refund, regardless of the final result of the Season. 

5- Registration Period:

5.1- The opening and closing dates for each Season are established and announced individually on our social media channels by the organizers.  

6- Categories:

6.1- Our award covers various categories, offering a unique opportunity for photographers to showcase their creativity and skill in different styles.

Teen Portraits

Family

Senior

Pet

Birth

Lifestyle

Newborn

Children

Fine Art

Mom-to-Be

6.2- New categories may be implemented in different Seasons at the discretion of the organizers, being duly communicated through official channels before the opening of each cycle.

7 – Guidelines and Rules: 

7.1-  Não são permitidas fotografias com assinaturas, logos, iniciais ou bordas nas imagens. Envie suas fotografias limpas, sem qualquer tipo de identificação do seu nome ou do estúdio. 

7.2- Ensure that the photographs submitted are of your own authorship. 

7.3- Photographs that have already received the seal in previous Seasons of the Outstanding Photo Award | Outstanding Maternity Award are not eligible for participation. 

If submitted, they will be automatically disqualified.

7.4- The Outstanding Photo Award | Outstanding Maternity Award does not permit photographs that constitute plagiarism or any other form of violation of copyright and intellectual property of third parties. 

7.5- Participants are entirely responsible for ensuring that their photographs comply with all copyright and intellectual property laws.

If any violation of copyright or third-party authorship is found, the photograph in question will be disqualified from the competition. 

7.6- Photographs containing images of violence, racism, child nudity, pornography, abuse, illegal activities, drug use, exploitation, discrimination, offensive content, or any other inappropriate material will not be accepted. 

7.7- We reserve the right to disqualify any participant who violates the rules, aiming to promote a respectful and safe environment for all involved.

7.8- Photographs that do not comply with the rules may be disqualified, without refund of the amount paid.

8- Photography Standards:

8.1- We recommend a dimension of 1920 pixels on the longest side.

The shortest side must have a minimum dimension of 1200 pixels. 

To facilitate submission and review, photographs must have a final file size of up to 500K. 

8.2- We accept both color and black and white photographs.

8.3- Both vertical and horizontal photographs are accepted.

8.4- Your photographs may have been captured in any month or year.

8.5- We accept photographs that have already been published on social media. 

9- Evaluation Criteria:

9.1- Each season features renowned judges who collaborate with our Awards. 

9.2- We look for photographs that stand out for their originality:

Composition is fundamental to creating visually attractive and balanced images. 

Technical excellence is an essential characteristic of winning photographs. 

Photographs that convey connection, emotion, narrative, and meaning have a powerful impact. 

Mastery of Light (Use of Lighting), Art Direction, Impact of the "Decisive Moment," 

Final Editing, and Innovation. 

10- Copyright and Image Use:

10.1- By submitting your photographs and being awarded, you agree that the Outstanding Photo Award | Outstanding Maternity Award may display your photographs: on its official website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, other social networks, internal and external magazines, exhibitions, events, newspapers, and national and international digital newspapers. 

10.2- It is important to emphasize that the Outstanding Photo Award | Outstanding Maternity Award is exempt from any responsibility arising from unauthorized reproduction.

10.3- If someone recognizable in your photographs proves there is no proper authorization and requests the removal of said photograph, we will take the necessary measures, and your award will be withdrawn in accordance with our policies of respect for the rights of the individuals photographed.

10.4- It is important to emphasize that the Outstanding Photo Award | Outstanding Maternity Award is exempt from any responsibility arising from unauthorized reproduction and postings. 

11- Selection of winning photographs:

11.1- The judges are experts who possess full autonomy in their decisions. 

Outstanding Photo Award | Outstanding Maternity Award does not interfere with the scores, ensuring the absolute impartiality of the process.

11.2- We do not limit awards to just one image per author.

Multiple photographs may be recognized with the seal of excellence within the same Season.

11.3- The final results derived from the judges' choices will not be disclosed. They are for the internal and exclusive use of the Awards.  

11.4- The judges' decisions are final. 

Promotion: 

12.1. Results Announcement:

The winners of each Season will be officially announced through the Outstanding Photo Award | Outstanding Maternity Award website, with their photographs duly sealed. The publication date will be communicated in advance on our social media channels.

12.2. Download of Sealed Images (Web Version):

Award-winning photographers may save their sealed photographs directly through the website. These images are provided in low resolution, being optimized specifically for social media use and digital display.

12.3. Requesting High-Resolution Sealed Photographs:

Considering that the initial submission of photographs for the competition is done in low resolution, the Awards do not have the participants' original high-quality files. If the photographer desires their sealed work for printing or high-definition portfolio purposes, they must follow this procedure:

The winning photographer must send the awarded photograph, in the original file and identical to the final edit submitted to the competition (in high resolution and without any watermark), to the email: outstanding@outstandingaward.com.

Processing: Upon receipt, the seal will be applied to the photograph and the finalized file will be sent to the author. The file provided by the Organization consists exclusively of the sealed photograph.

13- Verification of Veracity

The Outstanding Maternity Award reserves the right to, at any time, request the original file of the submitted photograph for the purpose of confirming the image's veracity. 

This measure aims to ensure the integrity and authenticity of the participating works, guaranteeing transparency and respect for the other contest participants. We rely on the understanding and cooperation of all photographers to provide the original file should it be requested.

14- Documentation / Visas:

14.1. Purpose: The Outstanding Photo Award | Outstanding Maternity Award has a strictly cultural and artistic purpose.

14.2. We do not issue letters, invitations, or documents for the purpose of visa applications, immigration processes, or any other legal purpose. 

The award is limited exclusively to the recognition of photographic merit.