Competition Rules (for Amateur entries)

1. The Competition is open to all members of the public. Any entrants under 16 should receive Parental/Legal Guardian Consent prior to entry. All entries must confirm, on application, their acceptance of the rules of the Contest and these Terms and Conditions. Entries must be submitted by 11.59:59pm (GMT) on 31st January 2008. By entering the Contest, each contestant agrees and acknowledges that WPA is permitted to receive his/her registration data. All personal information will be used by WPA in accordance with its privacy policy.

2. To enter, you must upload your image via the following website: www.worldphotographyawards.org (the "Website"), following the on-screen instructions carefully. Entries should be based on the Categories outlined, information on which can be found on the Website.

3.1 Entries will be judged by the World Photographic Academy (the “Academy”) between the 1st and the 14th February 2008.

3.2 A winner from each category will be selected and announced from the 15th February 2008.

3.3 The winner of the Amateur Sony World Photographer of the Year will be voted for by the Academy from the 15th February 2008. The winner will be notified by email and will receive return flights to Nice (economy class) and hotel accommodation for two people, for the period of the 24th April 2008.

3.4 The decision of the WPA is final and no negotiation will be entered into.

3.5 WPA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify and remove any entry that does not comply with the following requirements, even after the entry is submitted on the Website. WPA will not take part in dialogue with any contestant who has been refused entry or otherwise:

3.5.1 Entries must be original and your own work

3.5.2 You have the right to make your entry available to the competition

3.5.3 Entries containing personally identifiable information about the submitter or any other person(s).

3.5.4 Entries containing any infringing, threatening, false, misleading, abusive, harassing, libelous, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, scandalous, inflammatory, pornographic or profane content.

3.5.5 Entries containing any material that could constitute or encourage conduct which would be considered a criminal offence, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any law.

3.5.6 Entries which infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, contract rights, or any other intellectual property rights of any third person or entity, or which violate any person’s rights of privacy or publicity. This means, for example, that entries must not include:

3.5.6.1 trademarks owned by third parties;

3.5.6.2 copyrighted materials owned by third parties (including movie dialogue or musical compositions); and/or

3.5.6.3 names, likenesses, voices or other characteristics identifying celebrities or other public figures, living or dead.

3.5.7 Entries in which a contestant has purchased or secured the rights to use stock images.

3.5.8 Entries which contain any commercial content that promotes any product or service other than that of WPA. Entries must not contain screen credits.

3.6 Each contestant submitting an entry represents and warrants that:

3.6.1 They have all the necessary rights to enter the Contest and have their entry displayed on the Website.

3.6.2 The entry does not contain or infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, contract rights, or any other intellectual property rights of any third person or entity. Each contestant agrees to fully indemnify WPA in respect of all royalties, fees and any other monies owing to any person by reason of the contestant breaching any of the foregoing.

3.6.3 Each person depicted in the entry has granted permission to be portrayed as shown. Any costumes, props or other materials used must be rented or borrowed with the permission of the owner, and all other relevant permissions must have been obtained.

3.6.4 If the entrant is under 16, he/she has his/her Legal Guardian’s consent to participate in the Contest.

3.6.5 If there is sufficient evidence to suggest malpractice and manipulation of the rating process then WPA has the right to remove the relevant entry or entries and, if necessary, award the prize to a different contestant. WPA’s decisions are final.

3.6.6 If WPA does not receive a valid signed Parental/Legal Guardian consent form for any winner under 16 within 7 clear days of the contestant being declared a winner (excluding the day on which such declaration is made by WPA) WPA will be entitled to select an alternative winner from among the contestants.

3.6.7 By submitting an entry for the Contest, each contestant acknowledges that the Copyright remains that of the photographer. Any photograph used by the SONY World Photography Awards shall carry the photographer's credit line. Use may include, but is not limited to, publication in any WPA media or documentation. All entrants understand that any image submitted to the competition may be used by SONY World Photography Awards, and its Event Partners, for marketing and promotional purposes including, but not limited to, any media such as exhibitions, print and digital media directly related to the SONY World Photography Awards.

3.6.8 WPA assumes no responsibility for any incorrect, inaccurate or incomplete information, whether caused by website users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilised in the Contest, and WPA assumes no responsibility for technical, hardware or software failure of any kind, for lost network connections, garbled computer transmissions, other problems or technical malfunctions with regard to the Contest. WPA assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, corruption, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alteration of entries. WPA is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer on-line systems, servers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail addressed to WPA on account of technical problems, human error or traffic congestion on the internet or any website, or any combination thereof, including any injury o r damage to the contestant’s or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in the Contest. If for any reason a contestant’s entry cannot be viewed or is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer viruses, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud or technical failures, WPA assumes no responsibility.

3.6.9 In no event will WPA, its parents, affiliates, subsidiaries and related companies, Event Partners, its advertising or promotion agencies, or its officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives or agents be responsible or liable for any damages or losses of any kind, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special or punitive damages arising out of any contestant’s access to and use of the Website. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, everything on the Website is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for purpose or use or non-infringement.

3.6.10 In entering the Contest, each contestant agrees to participate in related publicity and to the use of names and likenesses for the purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity without additional compensation. By entering, each contestant releases and holds harmless WPA, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, Event Partners and agents from any and all liability or injuries, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with participation in the Contest or acceptance or use of any prize to the greatest extent as permitted by law.

3.6.11. All entrants must be able to supply a high resolution image suitable for printing in media.

3.6.12. There are no cash alternatives available for prize winners.

3.6.13 Winners will be published online.

3.6.14 WPA's and the Academy’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Promoter: World Photography Awards Limited, 9 Manchester Square, London.