1. This competition is open to submission of photographs taken within the Arctic. "Arctic" is hereby referred to in this document as the terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems enclosed within the CAFF border. Submissions are welcomed from photographers worldwide. Members of the CAFF Board, CAFF International Secretariat, competition judges, senior management and others directly involved in the competition amongst competition funders, prize donators, and their families are not permitted to participate.
  2. All information detailing how to enter this competition forms part of these terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the competitor agrees to abide by these rules. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions.
  3. Entries must be submitted through the Arctic Biodiversity Through the Lens competition website and all information requested in the submission form must be completed. Entries must be labeled with the entrant's name, the category letter and a unique number, for example "johndoe_C_01". Entries must be in JPEG format, of 300 ppi and at least 1800 pixels on the longest side. Images should not be cropped more than 50% of the original image size. Entries should furthermore include a title and location of shooting- including the title of the nearest major town and a short description of what the image depicts. Images containing frames or watermarks will not be accepted in the competition. Incomplete submission forms will not be accepted Entrants shortlisted to the second round of the competition will be requested to send a high resolution version of the image (minimum 3500 pixels 300 ppi), caption information, along with RAW-files or untouched JPEG-files for authentication. All entries must be received by the advertised closing time and date (insert date and time here). Late, illegible, incomplete, defaced or corrupt entries will not be accepted.
  4. All images submitted must be the work of the individual submitting them. It is the responsibility of each entrant to ensure that any images they submit have been taken with the permission of the subject and do not infringe the copyright of any third party or any laws. Entrants must warrant that the photograph they are submitting is their own work and that they own the copyright for it.
  5. Rights and ownership of images belong to entrants. However, by entering the competition, the entrant grants the organizers (CAFF) a non-exclusive, irrevocable license and permission to reproduce, publish and communicate the images, including through competition sponsors, in relation to the competition and the Arctic Biodiversity Congress for the duration of five years and in the case of the competition exhibition for a duration of seven years, starting from the date winners are announced (October 10, 2018). This public communication may use worldwide media including electronic and print mechanisms and tools. Entrants agree to permit CAFF to exhibit their image(s) at the Arctic Biodiversity Congress and in further photography exhibit tours. Authors will always be credited when their images are used. Once the Arctic Biodiversity Congress, the competition exhibition and competition are finalized all publications containing an image of the competition may be reprinted freely. If CAFF is interested in re-using some of the images after the five year period negotiations will be entered into with the individual photographer. The grand prize winner is required to provide our sponsor Visit Rovaniemi five images taken in the Rovaniemi area, during the photography trip, to be used freely in marketing purposes.
  6. Ethics;
  • Entrants are required to report on the natural world in a way that is both creative and honest. Images entered must not attempt to deceive the viewer or misrepresent the reality of nature. Digital adjustments including tone and contrast, burning, dodging, cropping, sharpening, noise reduction, minor cleaning work, HDR, stitched panoramas, focus stacking using multiple exposure taken at the same location at the same time are permitted providing that they are reported within the caption information and comply with the competition's principles of authenticity so that they do not deceive the viewer or misrepresent the reality of nature.
  • Entrants must not do anything to injure or distress any animals or destroy habitat in an attempt to secure an image.
  • Entrants (or, in respect of the Youth Competition, entrants and their parent(s)/guardian(s)) are responsible for ensuring full compliance with any applicable national or international legislation and for securing any relevant permits that may be required (which, in the case of human portraits and recordings, will include the subject's permission) and which must be made available on request by the Organisers.
  • Caption information supplied must be complete, true and accurate. Disguising or misrepresenting the origin of the image will constitute a breach of the terms and conditions and images will be disqualified.
  • If the Organisers suspect that an image has been achieved through the use of cruel or unethical practices, including the use of live bait, the entry will be disqualified and the Organisers reserve the right to report the entrant to the applicable authorities.
  • Unless when illustrating an issue regarding the treatment of animals by a third party, the following images cannot be entered:

(i) images of restrained animals or captive animals

(ii) images of animal models or any other animals being exploited for profit.

  1. The winning entries will be those judged to be the most visually appealing, original and self-explanatory under each of the categories. And the overall winning image will be the judged outstanding across all the categories. Entries must be submitted under one of these categories, and a maximum of 7 images may be submitted under each category from each entrant. All entrants under the age of 18 will be automatically entered into the youth photographer category:
  • Arctic biodiversity
  • Landscape in the Arctic
  • Business and science in the Arctic
  • Peoples of the North
  • Youth competition (for photographers younger than 18. Birth year of photographer defines eligibility, not birthday (born 2000 and later.)
  1. Each category winner will receive a prize. The grand prize winner of the competition will be chosen from across the competition categories. Youth are not eligible for the grand prize due to the nature of the award (travel).
  2. Category prizes will be sent to winners within a month of the announcement of winners (October 10, 2018). All prizes are non-transferable and there are no cash alternatives. CAFF reserves the right to substitute prizes at any point during the competition.
  3. Grand prize winner will receive returning flight and four nights accommodation to Rovaniemi, Finland and a series of tours that will be confirmed with the winner and will depend on seasonal availability. Grand prize trip must be taken between June and September 2019. Grand prize winner agrees to select and share five images taken during the trip to the Rovaniemi area with Organizers (CAFF and Visit Rovaniemi) to be used freely (non-exclusive).
  4. Winning entries, names and countries will be published on CAFF, Arctic Council, Arctic Biodiversity: Through the Lens and sponsor websites, social media and promoted during the Congress and will go on display in a number of locations still to be determined.
  5. Events may occur that render the competition itself or the awarding of the prizes impossible due to reasons beyond the control of the Organiser, and accordingly, the Organiser may at its absolute discretion vary or amend the promotion, and the entrant agrees that no liability shall attach to the Organizer as a result thereof.
  6. Icelandic law applies and the exclusive jurisdiction of the Icelandic Courts shall prevail.
  7. The completion will follow this time schedule:
  • Extended deadline for submission is August 14th, 2018. The Closing Date. Entries must be received by 23:59 Greenwich Meantime.
  • August 19th-25th, 2018. High-resolution versions of images will be requested from entrants shortlisted for the second round. Images must be submitted to the Organizers within 4 days.
  • October 9, 2018. Winners and runner-ups announced and opening of photo exhibition at the Arctic Biodiversity Congress in Rovaniemi, Finland.