Contact(s)
The photo contest closed on Oct. 28, 2016. The winners have been announced. These were the rules/regulations:
Please read and understand these contest rules and regulations before submitting your photo to the contest.
1. Submissions can be uploaded online from May 2, 2016 at 10 a.m. until October 28, 2016 at 12 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
All photos must be submitted in digital format as a JPG file. They must be at least 2100 pixels wide for a horizontal image or 2100 pixels tall for a vertical image.
Before uploading, rename your image in the following format:
ConservationAreaName_YourName.jpg (ie: Rockwood_JaneDoe.jpg)
Alternatively, starting May 2, 2015 at 10 a.m., you may email submissions to photocontest@grandriver.ca or send on a flash drive by mail to:
Photo Contest
Grand River Conservation Authority
400 Clyde Road, PO Box 729
Cambridge, ON N1R 5W6
2. You may enter more than one qualifying photo, to a maximum of twelve (12). All submissions, whether uploaded, sent by e-mail or by regular mail, must include:
The category into which the photograph is being entered;
The name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address of the photographer;
The name of the Grand River Park, conservation area, trail, or the waterway (PDF) where the photo was taken;
A Photographer's Statement of Release (PDF), if needed. See number 3 below.
Note: we reserve the right to change the category into which the photograph was entered without notice, should the photograph better match the intent of one of the other categories.
3. Photos containing identifiable people must be accompanied by a Photographer's Statement of Release (PDF) signed by the photographer that those depicted have given permission for the photograph to be used in various promotional activities by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), Conservation Ontario and/or its partner Conservation Authorities. If photo submissions depicting identifiable people are not accompanied by a Photographer's Statement of Release they will be automatically disqualified. Download a sample Model Release Form (PDF) that you can use for photographs depicting identifiable people. The GRCA recommends you keep the signed and dated Model Release Form in your personal files for future reference.
4. By entering into the contest, the contestant grants the Grand River Conservation Authority, Conservation Ontario and its partner Conservation Authorities the unrestricted rights to use the photograph(s) for any purpose. This includes, but is not limited to, publishing the photograph(s) and/or the photographer's name in print or electronic form for promotional purposes without further compensation or notification. The Grand River Conservation Authority reserves the right to use the photographer's name when publishing their photo during, or after, the contest. The Grand River Conservation Authority endeavors to provide photo credit by way of citing the photographer's name when using contest photos online and in its publications, but note it is not always possible to do so.
To be considered in the contest, all submissions must be original, unpublished photographs taken of or in one of the eligible areas (PDF) and submitted by the amateur photographer who took the photo. The photographer must own all rights to any photographs entered in this contest. It is the responsibility of the contestant to ensure that publication of the photographs raises no legal claims. Accordingly, by entering the contest, you agree to compensate the Grand River Conservation Authority, Conservation Ontario and/or its partner Conservation Authorities fully regarding any claims arising out of the use of your photograph(s). Photograph(s) previously published in full or in part in other publications, contests, etc., are not eligible.
5. Compositional changes to digital files and watermarked photos are not acceptable and will be disqualified; tonal or colour cast corrections, panorama stitching, and High Dynamic Range (HDR) images are acceptable. All entries and contest materials received become property of the Grand River Conservation Authority and will not be returned.
6. The contest runs from May 2, 2016 at 10.a.m. EST to October 28, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. EST. Entries must be received by the contest closing date and time. The GRCA is not responsible for entries that are lost, late, delayed, misdirected, unintelligible, illegible, incomplete, postage due, stolen, returned, separated, damaged, or undeliverable entries or mail. Proof of mailing is not proof of delivery.
7. Limit of one grand prize or one category prize per person or household.
8. Grand prize winners' names and winning photographs will be posted in November, 2016 at www.grandriver.ca and/or elsewhere online. Honourable mentions, and some or all of the submitted photographs, may also be posted at www.grandriver.ca and/or elsewhere online. In addition, submitted photos and photographers' names may be posted at www.grandriver.ca and/or elsewhere online during the course of the contest, and/or after the contest closes.
9. By entering this contest, the participant consents to these Official Rules and Regulations and the decisions of the judges, which are final and binding in all matters to this contest.
The Grand River Parks and Waterways Photo Contest is open to any amateur photographer living in Ontario, except the employees of the GRCA, Conservation Ontario and/or their immediate family members.
A panel of judges will be chosen by GRCA Communications staff. Judges will evaluate photos on the basis of originality, quality, impact and content. All decisions of the contest judges are final.
Email photocontest@grandriver.ca with any questions. Good luck!