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Contest Rules, Guidelines and Overview

Entry period: April 20th, 2018 through June 5th, 2018

© Kuhnmi

The contest is presented by the SeaDoc Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. SeaDoc has worked since 2001 to protect and improve the health of marine wildlife and its ecosystem through science and education.

1. Salish Sea in Focus opens on April 20, 2018 at 12:01am (Pacific Daylight Time) and closes on June 5, 2018 at 11:59pm. It is open to photographers of all skill levels.
2. Images will be judged anonymously by jurors experienced in the field of nature and wildlife photography. Scores are based on originality, quality, and how well they capture the spirit of the Salish Sea marine ecosystem and its fish and wildlife. All decisions made by the judges and contest organizers are final.
3. All photographers will be notified with their judging results in early July, 2018. The Top 100 images will be viewable on the contest website beginning mid-July, 2018 and continuing into 2019.
4. Prizes include cash (see below) and inclusion in a Seattle celebration on October 4, 2018 at the Pacific Science Center. This recognition event will feature a reception and an awards presentation featuring high-scoring photos.
5. Cash prizes amounting to more than $6,000 will be awarded in five categories, plus three additional cash awards will go to entrants under 18 years of age. The Top 100 images will be featured on http://seadoc.contestvenue.com/.
   1 Grand Prize of $1000
   5 First Prizes of $500 in each category
   5 Second Prizes of $250 in each category
   5 Third Prizes of $100 in each category
   Plus a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize for entrants under 18 years of age (regardless of category)
   
   
   The Top 100 finalist images will be displayed on the contest website. One finalist image will be featured on the home page each day and all 100 will be accompanied by the photographer's name, contact information, and link to website if desired.
6. Categories are:
   Birds and Mammals of the Salish Sea -
   Wild birds and mammals of the Salish Sea marine ecosystem
   Fish of the Salish Sea -
   Marine and anadromous (migrating up rivers to spawn, i.e. salmon), underwater, intertidal, or at the surface.
   'Scapes of the Salish Sea -
   Salish Sea vistas of all varieties including underwater, seascapes, shorescapes, and landscapes
   Invertebrates, plants, and kelp of the Salish Sea -
   Any of the more than 3,000 marine invertebrates of the Salish Sea, underwater, or intertidal
   People of the Salish Sea -
   Humans interacting with the ecosystem (swimming, boating, diving, wildlife watching, diving, beach combing, fishing, etc.)
7. All photos must feature species and locations appropriate to the Salish Sea. If a photo was taken outside of the Salish Sea, but features wildlife that can be found in the Salish Sea, it is eligible as long as it does not include discernable landmarks from non-Salish Sea locales. The Salish Sea is an inland Sea that spans from Olympia, Washington north to the Campbell River, British Columbia and west to Neah Bay. (REGION MAP: http://www.seadocsociety.org/salish-sea-facts/ )
8. Photographers may enter as many images as they'd like at $10 per image or 6 images for $50. Images must be submitted and paid in groups of 6 to get the special rate (6 for $50, 12 for $100, etc.) Entry fees contribute to The SeaDoc Society’s mission. Complete submission guidelines for image specifications are on the Image Specs page.
9. Photographs that have been published in regional books, magazines, or newspapers are not eligible for submission.
10. To insure anonymous judging, images may not contain visible watermarks, text, logos, borders, or other identifying marks. In addition, text that would identify the photographer cannot be entered in the title, location, or description fields of an entry.
11. Copyright and ownership remains with the photographer. By entering, photographers grant permission to publish their Top 100 images on the contest website, the SeaDoc website, newsletter and other educational/non-commercial outreach materials in their mission to protect the Salish Sea, including promotion of future Salish Sea in Focus contests. Unless photographers opt out on the entry form, their names and website links or email addresses will appear adjacent to their images.
12. By entering the contest, each entrant accepts the rules as stated and guarantees that all the information provided is correct and truthful. Entries not accurately represented or not abiding by contest rules will be disqualified. Refunds will not be given in case of disqualification.
13. Salish Sea in Focus nature photography competition is open to anyone not directly involved in judging this contest.
14. Subjects must be in keeping with the theme of nature and wildlife of the Salish Sea. All entries should accurately reflect the subject matter and scene as it actually appeared when captured with the camera.
15. Images accepted in the Salish Sea in Focus contest should capture the Salish Sea marine ecosystem and the wildlife and people who call it home. Landscapes, flora, fauna, macro, aerial, behavior, portrait, underwater, abstract, black & white, and atmospherics are among the subjects and styles that are acceptable.
16. Basic processing including, but not limited to color correction, exposure adjustment, spot removal, saturation, contrast, sharpening, cropping, and noise reduction is acceptable. Content may not be added. Significant content may not be removed. Cosmetic cleanup of minor elements not contributing to the substance of the image is allowed. Tools and filters that alter the appearance with artistic effects or photo composites of more than one scene are not allowed. High dynamic range images (HDR) and stitched panoramas of a single scene are acceptable.
17. Photographs of animals in the wild are favored over those in controlled conditions, but wildlife sanctuaries, aquariums and rehabilitation facilities are acceptable locations for contest images. These should be marked "Captive" on the upload form. However, game farm animals are not allowed. Game farms are defined as private for-profit operations whose primary income is generated from hiring out captive animals for photography, videography and film-making. Also, use of live bait to attract or control subjects is not allowed.
18. Contest organizers may ask for additional information regarding image processing or circumstances of creating images before finalizing any of the Top 100 winners. RAW or original digital files, or original slides or negatives may be required for examination before finalizing the award. If requested, the source images and/or information must be provided within one week of notification or the contending photo may be disqualified.
19. It is the entrant's responsibility to provide an accurate email address for notification. Salish Sea in Focus is not responsible for emails that are not received, so please be sure to set your e-mail program and spam filters to accept e-mail from "contestvenue.com"
20. Entries must be submitted in digital form on the contest website and prepared to contest specifications. The original can be film or digital capture that was created within a camera or cellphone. Scans of negatives or transparencies taken with film cameras are acceptable as long as the files meet submission specifications. Guidelines for preparing and uploading files may be found on the Image Specs page
21. All decisions by the judges and administrators of Salish Sea in Focus are final.
22. By submitting entries, photographers acknowledge that their images do not reflect harm to the environment, harassment of wildlife or trespass and that manipulation altering the material content has not been done. If suspected, images not abiding by the rules of this contest will be disqualified and refunds will not be given.
23. Each image must be the work of the person entering it. By submitting a photograph to the Share the View Photo Contest you warrant that you are the copyright holder of the image, that you alone own the copyright, and that you have obtained any necessary property and model releases. If the photographer is under 18, the signed release by a legal guardian must be submitted and an adult must pay the entry fee to complete the entry process link to minor release form. If your entry prominently includes a person’s face, you may be required to provide the Salish Sea in Focus release form signed by the subject if requested by contest organizers.
24. The contest is administered by www.ContestVenue.com

Please refer to the FAQs page for answers to common questions not addressed in the rules.