Rules

General

These Rules and Regulations are final on all matters relating to the annual Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year Competition (the “Competition”). By applying, all entrants agree to be bound by these Rules and Regulations.

Sponsors

The sponsors (“Competition Sponsors”) of the Competition are the Canadian Museum of Nature (240 McLeod Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 6P4) and Canadian Geographic Enterprises (50 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1M 2K1).

Eligibility

To be eligible to enter the Competition or win a prize, you must be a permanent resident* of Canada, and not an employee of, a member of the immediate family of, domiciled with or a representative or mandatory of an employee of any division of Canadian Geographic, The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Canadian Museum of Nature or their subsidiaries, affiliates, and agencies or of the jury.

*Legal considerations require restricting the Competition to Canadian residents.

All photographs entered in the Competition must be of Canadian content (i.e. taken in Canada) and taken in 2019. Subjects of the photographs must be native or naturalized species that can be found in the wild in Canada.

Photo entries must be original material and must not have been a winner in another national competition or a previous Canadian Wildlife Photography of the year Competition. Entries also must not have been published or accepted for publication in any medium. Entries posted online on personal websites, blogs or on social media are not considered published for the purpose of this competition, and may be entered for competition consideration. Judges will require the publication history of all photos being considered in the final stages of judging and reserve the right to disqualify photos based on their publication history.

Entrants may not win more than one prize.

For entries in the Youth category (17 or under), you must be under the age of 18 on the day the Competition closes. Entrants who are 18 or over as of the date the Competition closes will not be eligible for the Youth category.

Code of Ethics

Photo entries of animals in captivity or in conditions that are unnatural are not permitted.

Use of live bait to attract or control subjects is not permitted.

Pet or farm animals and commercially cultivated plants are not classified as natural for the purposes of the Competition and must not be represented in any photo entries.

Habitat disturbance should always be kept to a minimum when in natural surroundings. Entrant must ensure that they minimise any impact that their presence has on the subject and its surrounding environment.

Any existing conservation requirements must be obeyed, and local laws upheld.

The Competition Sponsors may exclude any photo entries where the entrant is suspected of having engaged in any unethical practice in connection with the photo entry.

Personal Information

Personal Information collected from Entrants by the Competition Sponsors will be used by the Competition Sponsor or its affiliates to administer the Competition and in connection with the publication of winning photographs. Neither the Competition Sponsors nor its affiliates will share personal information relating to Entrants with any third parties, except as necessary for the administration of the Competition or as may be required by law. The Competition Sponsors will not attempt to contact the Entrant for any purpose other than those outlined in the CG Photo Club Terms of Use or as may be required by law unless they have opted-in to receive relevant communications from the Competition Sponsors. The Competition Sponsors respect the privacy of everyone who enters the Competition.

If you have any questions about Canadian Geographic’s use of your personal information, please contact Canadian Geographic’s Privacy Officer by e-mail at privacy@canadiangeographic.ca or by mail at:

Canadian Geographic
Privacy Officer

50 Sussex Drive

Ottawa, ON

K1M 2K1

Format of Photographs for Submission

Web Version

All entries must be submitted electronically as .jpg files through the website of the Competition (wpy19.canadiangeographic.ca). Digital files should be at least 1,000 pixels wide for a horizontal image or 1,000 pixels tall for a vertical image at 72 dpi. Content alteration of digital files is not acceptable; cropping of photos is permitted, tonal or colour corrections are acceptable, including black and white conversion.

Print Version

Entrants must be able provide a high-resolution version of each photo that they submit (uncompressed TIFF or maximum quality JPEG, Grayscale or Colour (RGB), minimum 4,000 pixels on the longest side). For photographs that are selected as a winning entry, the high-resolution version of the photograph will be required for reproduction by Canadian Geographic and the Canadian Museum of Nature. Entrants who fail to provide a high-resolution version within the time period set by the Competition Sponsors (not to exceed one week following prize notification) will forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be selected by the judging panel. In such a case, no substitute or alternate prizes will be awarded.

Entries and Identification

Photographs may be entered into the six categories as described below:

• Animals in Action: Capturing native animals in motion
• Plants and Trees: Native plants, flowers or trees in their natural habitat
• Birds: Any wild bird photographed in Canada — including sea ducks, waders, raptors and songbirds
• Up Close: Macrophotography of any part of a native plant or animal
• Urban Wildlife: Native plants or wild animals found in an urban setting
• Young Photographers (17 or under)

Photos must be uploaded to the appropriate Competition category. Judges reserve the right to place the entry in an appropriate category or remove a photo completely from the Competition should the photo be deemed inappropriate in general or not suitable for the category to which it was submitted. Photographs that are removed from the Competition are not eligible for any prize. Photographs that are placed in another category by the judges are only eligible to win a prize in the category into which the entry has been placed.

Publication

The top 18 winners’ (6 category winners, 6 runners-up, and 6 honourable mentions) names and photographs will be published at wpy19.canadiangeographic.ca and may be published in a future issue of Canadian Geographic and/or special wildlife photography-themed Canadian Geographic magazine. The winners may also be featured in a future photo exhibition at The Canadian Museum of Nature.

Waiver forms/model releases are the responsibility of the entrant and must be available in the event the photo is selected as a winning photograph.

Copyright Notice

With regard to any photograph submitted to this Competition, the owner of the photo’s copyright retains all copyright.

By uploading a photograph to the Competition, you grant (or warrant that the owner of such materials expressly grants) Canadian Geographic Enterprises and the Canadian Museum of Nature a world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable and non-exclusive right and license to use, copy, adapt, transmit, communicate, publicly display and perform, distribute and create compilations and derivative works or merchandise from any such submitted photograph to promote the Competition and photo exhibition without further compensation to the entrants.

Canadian Geographic Enterprises reserves the non-exclusive right to publish any entry and/or use any entry in its promotional material during or after the Competition without further compensation to the entrants. For Canadian Geographic Enterprises, promotional material shall include without limitation any print or electronic advertising or marketing material such as posters, online images, newspaper ads, television ads, e-mails and social media content.

The Canadian Museum of Nature reserves the right deposit photo entries in its digital archive and retains the non-exclusive right to use, copy, adapt, transmit, communicate, publicly display, distribute and create compilations of the photograph for the Museum’s own exhibitions (including traveling exhibitions),  educational and non-commercial use.

In addition, you grant Canadian Geographic Enterprises and the Canadian Museum of Nature the first right of refusal for licencing winning photos for commercial uses, for example, derivative works or merchandise. Standard licencing fees would apply.

You represent and warrant that you have the right to grant the license set out above.

In the event copyright in any photograph submitted by an eligible entrant belongs to a minor, permission to enter the photo in the Competition, reprint, publish or otherwise reproduce the images, as described above, must have been obtained, in writing, from the child’s parent or guardian prior to entry of the photograph in the Competition. Proof of such permission must be provided to the Competition Sponsors immediately upon request.

Post-exhibition handling of images

At the end of any exhibition of winning photographs, the institution hosting the exhibit must delete digital images and remove the physical photos from public display. These photos may be kept on display in administrative (non-public) areas providing they are clearly labeled with the name of the exhibition and the copyright information.

Deadline

The Competition opens on Nov. 13, 2019 and closes on January 31, 2020. All photographic entries must be uploaded through the Competition website before 11:59 p.m. ET on January 31, 2020.

Entries submitted through fraudulent means or in any way tampered with, incorrect, unclear, forged, mutilated, illegible, indecipherable or mechanically reproduced may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the Competition Sponsors and/or the judging panel (referenced below).

All Entries become the property of the Competition Sponsors and will not be returned.

Selection of Winners

All winners will be selected on the basis of skill as determined by the panel of judges for the Competition.  The winners will be selected by a panel of judges by Feb. 14, 2020.

All photographs submitted into the Competition will be reviewed by a representative of Canadian Geographic and the Competition winners will be selected by a panel of judges including representatives of Canadian Geographic, the Canadian Museum of Nature and the photography community.

Winners will be notified by email or telephone by 5:00 p.m. ET on Feb. 28, 2020.

All prizes will be delivered to the winners by mail.

All decisions of the judging panel are final.

This Competition is based on photography skills alone and not subject to random draw or any other element of chance. The winners of the prizes will be chosen and evaluated based on the following judging criteria: composition, content/originality, technical quality and visual impact.

Responsibility

Canadian Geographic Enterprises is not responsible for any failure of the website during this Competition. Nor is it responsible for any problems or technical malfunctions of computer online systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment, software or any e-mail, online or internet entry lost due to technical problems or traffic congestion on the internet or at any website or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to an entrant’s or any other person’s computer or property related to or resulting from playing or downloading any material in the promotion.

Chances of Winning

The chances of winning a prize will depend on the number of eligible photographs received and the evaluation of the photographs by the judging panel.

Prizes

Winners will receive no compensation, credit or prizing other than as disclosed in these Rules or otherwise provided at the sole discretion of the Competition Sponsors.  Prizes are not transferable; no prize substitutions or equivalents are permitted, except by the Competition Sponsors at their sole discretion.  In all cases, the Competition Sponsors reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value for any of the Competition Prizes.

Allow six to eight weeks for delivery of all prizes.

Category Winners (6 total) 1 per category:

Category winners will receive a Vistek prize pack consisting of a Zhiyun Crane M2 Stabilizer for Compact Mirrorless Cameras and Smartphones (value: $349.99), a MeFoto Globetrotter Air Travel Tripod Kit - Black (value: $299.99), and a Tenba Axis Tactical 24L Backpack - Black  (value: $259.99).

Category winners will also receive a one-year subscription to Canadian Geographic (value: $30).

Additionally, category winners will receive a copy of the book The Natural History of Canadian Mammals by Donna Naughton (value: $75) 4 free admissions to the Canadian Museum of Nature (value: $58), and a selection of Canadian Museum of Nature products (value: $25).

The “Animals in Action” category winner will also receive a Nikon Coolpix W300 compact digital camera (value: $499.95).

Total Approximate Retail Value: $1,067-$1,567

Runners-Up (6 total) 1 per category:

Runners-up will receive a Vistek prize pack consisting of a Benro iFoto Series 1 Carbon Fibre Tripod Kit with IB0 Head (value: $379.99), a Tenba Solstice Backpack 20L - Blue (value: $199.99), and a Matin Optics cleaning set (value: $14.99).

Runners-up will also receive a one-year subscription to Canadian Geographic (value: $30).

Additionally, runners-up will receive 4 free admissions to the Canadian Museum of Nature (value: $58) and a selection of Canadian Museum of Nature products (value: $25).

Total Approximate Retail Value: $707

Honorable Mentions (6 total) 1 per category:

Honorable mentions will receive a one-year subscription to Canadian Geographic (value: $30) and a prize pack of Canadian Geographic special interest publications consisting of Best Wildlife Photography 2020, the Ultimate Canadian Geography Quiz (Vol. 5), Ultimate Canadian Instagram Photos (Vol. 3), Best Maps, and the Best of Canadian Geographic 2019 (value: $50).

Additionally, honourable mentions will receive 4 free admissions to the Canadian Museum of Nature (value: $58).

Total Approximate Retail Value: $138

Prize Conditions

Prize value is an estimate; actual retail value will vary depending on where the prize is shipped.

All prizes must be accepted as awarded and may not be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion, sold, redeemed for cash, combined with any other promotion, or exchanged for a different prize.

By accepting a prize, the prize winner agrees to hold the Competition Sponsors, The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and their respective agencies, affiliates, parent(s), subsidiaries, agents, advertising and promotion agencies and anyone else involved in the development, production or handling of the Competition and their respective directors, officers, employees and assigns, harmless against any and all claims and liability arising out acceptance or use of a prize including, but not limited to, travel-related injuries and/or death. Winners assume all liability for any injury or damage caused, or claimed to be caused, whatsoever and howsoever arising, by participation in this Competition or use or redemption of any prize.

In order to be declared a winner, the selected entrant must sign and return a declaration and release form confirming eligibility and compliance with these Competition Rules and Regulations, consenting to the use, without further compensation, of winner’s name, address (city only) and photograph(s) in any Competition-related publicity and releasing the Competition Sponsors, The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and their respective agencies, affiliates, parent(s), subsidiaries, agents, advertising and promotion agencies and anyone else involved in the development, production or handling of the Competition and their respective directors, officers, employees and assigns from all liability arising in connection with the Competition or the acceptance, use or redemption of a Prize as awarded. The declaration and release must be returned to the Competition Sponsors within ten (10) days after receipt of the declaration and release from the Competition Sponsors. Entrants who fail or are unable to meet any of these Rules and Regulations may be disqualified and alternate winner(s) will be selected.

Any litigation respecting the conduct and awarding of a prize in this Competition in Québec may be submitted to the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux for a ruling. Any litigation respecting the awarding of a prize may be submitted to the Régie only for the purpose of helping the parties reach a settlement. Void where prohibited by law.

Disputes

By participating in the Competition, each Entrant agrees to be bound by these Competition Rules and Regulations. In the event of any disagreement as to whether a person is an Entrant, a potential winner or a winner, or as to the qualification of any Entrant, potential winner or winner to, or the adequacy of any prize or any substitute prize, the decision of the Competition Sponsors will be final.

For Residents of Quebec Only: Any litigation respecting the conduct or organization of a publicity Competition may be submitted to the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux for a ruling. Any litigation respecting the awarding of a prize may be submitted to the Régie only for the purpose of helping the parties reach a settlement.