REQUIREMENTS
To apply for the award, photographers are required to submit the following documents:
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Biography: Limited to 500 characters, spaces included. This should succinctly capture the photographer’s background, key achievements, and area of expertise.
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Curriculum Vitae (CV): Restricted to 2000 characters, spaces included. The CV should detail the photographer's professional history, including notable assignments, exhibitions, and recognitions.
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Project Description: This should be a concise yet thorough synopsis of the proposed project, not exceeding 2000 characters, spaces included. The description must convey the journalistic potential, visual appeal, and humanistic value of the project, outlining its relevance and intended impact.
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Project Proposal: Limited to 3000 characters, spaces included. This detailed document should elaborate on the logistical aspects of the project. It needs to clearly describe how the photographer plans to use the funds to facilitate project completion, specifying the intended methodologies, resources, and timelines.
These elements are designed to provide a comprehensive view of the applicant’s credentials and their proposed project, ensuring that submissions are both feasible and aligned with the award’s objectives.
Entrance Fee: None
ELIGIBILITY & ENTRY GUIDELINES
Eligibility for Professional Photographers
To enter, photographers must be professionals working in journalism or documentary photography. You’ll need to provide a valid document confirming your current professional status, such as:
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A press card indicating your work as a photographer;
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Proof of at least one publication from 2022 or 2023, with your name credited, in a recognized media outlet, either online or in print;
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A journalism union membership card;
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Membership documentation from a recognized photography association indicating professional membership;
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A recent (from 2022 or 2023) letter of reference from a photo agency, editor, media outlet, or publication confirming your work as a photographer;
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If you cannot provide these, you may submit other relevant documents that help clarify your professional status.
Not accepted as proof of professional status:
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CVs or cover letters
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Diplomas
The organization may request additional information to verify your professional standing.
Team Submissions
If entering as a team of two or more photographers, each member must provide proof of their professional status.
Authorship
The photographer(s) entering the contest must be the original creator(s) of the submitted photographs.
Copyright
The entrant, whether a photographer, agent, or representative, must be the copyright holder of the photographs or have authorization from the copyright holder to submit the images.
Category Compliance
Submissions must align with the specified contest categories.
Technical Specifications
Entries must meet the contest's technical requirements.
Publication Status
Photographs may be submitted regardless of whether they have been previously published.
Restricted Event Photos
Photos taken at events with restricted access (e.g., events where only photographers hired by the organizers have access, such as government, political, or corporate events) are not accepted.
Captions
All entries must include accurate captions and descriptions in English. If captions are translated, the original must also be provided. Captions should contain all the necessary details as outlined in the caption guidelines.
Additional Information
Each submission must include relevant information, such as the motivation behind the project, the type of project (assignment or personal), and details on funding.
Ethical Compliance
All entries must adhere to the Visual Storytellers Fund's code of ethics.
Submission Platform: Entries can only be submitted through Picter, the official entry platform for the contest.
Submission Deadline
The deadline to create an account, complete registration, and submit entries for the 2024/25 Contest is Friday, November 1st 2024, at 10:00 Central European Time.
Ineligibility
Members of the Visual Storytellers Fund staff, Supervisory Board, and the 2024/5 Contest jury are not eligible to enter the contest.
Entry Limits
The “Project is in-progress and was not published previously. It can only be entered once.
Anonymity
Photographs must not display the name of the photographer, agency, publication, or any other identifying information. These details can be included in the photograph's metadata but must not be visible on the photograph itself.
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Guidelines on the Use of AI Tools
All photos, Stories, and Long-Term Projects categories must be captured with a camera. “Images created or modified using AI ,synthetic or artificial means, including any form of generative fill, are not allowed”. Any entry found using such methods will be automatically disqualified from the contest.
Permitted Use of AI-Powered Tools
While synthetic or artificially generated content is banned, certain AI-powered tools can be used under specific conditions. These tools must not lead to significant modifications of the original image, add new elements, or remove existing details captured by the camera. Acceptable uses include:
Noise Reduction: Removing noise from an image without introducing new details.
Automated Adjustments: Applying automated enhancements, such as adjusting levels, colors, or contrast, as long as these do not drastically alter the original look of the photo.
Selective Editing: Making targeted adjustments to specific areas of an image, provided these edits do not substantially change the overall content or composition.
The use of these tools is allowed only to a limited extent, which will be determined by the contest organizers and the judging panel.
AI Tools That Are Not Allowed
AI tools that generate new visual elements or make significant alterations to the image’s original content are prohibited. Examples of such tools include:
AI-Based Upscaling Tools: Tools like Adobe Super Resolution and Topaz Photo AI, which use AI to create new pixels for enlarging and sharpening images, effectively altering the original content.
Penalties for Image Manipulation
Entries found to have been manipulated by adding, rearranging, reversing, distorting, or removing people or objects from within the frame will be disqualified. If such manipulation is detected, all entries from the same participant will also be disqualified from the competition. Entrants will be notified of their disqualification after the winners are announced.**
If an image is discovered to have been altered in terms of color (resulting in significant shifts in hue), or if changes in density, contrast, saturation, or other edits have significantly modified the original content (such as hiding or removing details), the entrant will be contacted for clarification. The entrant will have 24 hours to respond after being contacted. If the response is unsatisfactory or not provided within the time frame, the photo may be disqualified. If the disqualified photo is part of a series, any images that meet the contest rules may still be considered.
These guidelines are intended to maintain the contest's fairness and uphold high standards of authenticity in photography.
ELIGIBILITY & ENTRY GUIDELINES
AWARD TERMS FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS
The Visual Storytellers Fund is pleased to announce a grant of $30,000. Additionally, we will award two supplementary grants of $5,000 each to promising emerging photographers. The grant distribution is structured in two installments aligned with the project's milestones. An initial payment of $20,000 is provided upfront to support the commencement of the project, followed by a final payment of $10,000 upon the successful delivery and acceptance of the final work.
The photographs produced under this grant and recipients of Honorary mention will be incorporated into the collection of the Visual Storytellers Fund. As part of the terms of this unrestricted gift, the Fund retains the right to exhibit the images and utilize them on a non-exclusive licensing basis for the purpose of promoting the Fund's activities. However, it is crucial to note that the photographers maintain full copyright over their work, ensuring their creative rights are protected while allowing the Fund to share and celebrate their achievements.