ORGANISING PARTNERS

 ABOUT THE COMPETITION   

The Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation ( VENHF ) in association with Earth Matters Foundation, Photo Militia and Eco One-BHU invite photographers to enter its ‘Unexplored Vindhyas’ Photo Contest. You must read the following rules, terms and legal conditions before submitting any photos!

 THEME                                   

Your images should highlight the importance of Vindhyan range and the regions around, its biodiversity, wildlife, places of ecological importance, and the cultural heritage for which this place is known for. The photographers are advised to show their story telling capabilities through their photographs. The photos will be judged based among the following categories:

1. Forests, Nature and Culture 
2. Rivers and Wetlands
3. Wildlife and Urban Biodiversity

(Refer the description on Vindhyas available online at Britanica website an

d Wikipedia. To see the wildlife protected areas in and around Vindhyas you can see our interactive map)

 SUBMISSION                        

All images must be submitted online here.  Each submitted image must contain caption, location and date of capture.

 ELIGIBILITY AND RULES     

1. ‘Unexplored Vindhyas’ Photo Contest (the "Contest") is open to all photographers except official members of VENHF.
2. Previously published material for which non-exclusive rights were granted may be entered as long as you still maintain the right to grant us a Creative Commons Share Alike (CC SA) 4.0 International license. To know more about CC SA 4.0 International License and why we are using it click here.
3. Maximum 3 photographs are allowed. In case you submit more than 3 photographs, the last 3 photographs submitted by you will be considered for the competition.
4. Maximum file size of the photographs should not exceed 3 MB. Only JPG/JPEG formats will be accepted.(One can use free softwares available on internet to resize images like GIMP and JPEG-CROP)
5. Photographs captured using mobile phone devices/smart phones/tablets are also eligible.
6. If you choose to include people in your submission, you are responsible for obtaining the necessary releases from the individuals depicted, and must be able to provide copies of those releases to VENHF upon request.
7. The Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation shall determine winner eligibility in its sole and absolute discretion. All decisions made by the judges are final.

  DON'T                                  

1. Photographs of pet and domestic animals are not allowed.
2. Images of captive animals photographed in zoos are prohibited.
3. Entrants must not submit images that involve wilful harassment of wildlife, damage to the environment by the photographer, put any individual or animal in danger, or infringe on the rights of any other photographer or person.
4. Photos that have been digitally altered beyond standard optimization (removal of dust, cropping, reasonable adjustments to exposure, color and contrast, etc.) will be disqualified.
5. Photographs should not be watermarked.

 DEADLINES                          

• The online submission of the photographs will start on January 24^th, 2014. The last date for submission of the photographs is 27^th February 2014.
• The nominated photographs will be announced on 15^th March, 2014 through Vindhya Bachao portal and Facebook page. The nominated photographers will be intimated through emails.
• The Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation reserve the right to adjust any deadline(s) as the result of causes beyond its immediate control.

 JUDGMENTS                       

The winner will be declared based on a grade of 10 based on judges and public votes. Maximum grades given by judges are 8, and rest 2 depends on how much votes in the form of likes you can get after your photograph is shared on our Facebook page.

 WINNING PHOTOS             

1. Winners will get exclusive Mike Pandey autographed certificates and merchandise.
2. The winning images with their credentials will be highlighted online through Vindhya Bachao portal and other websites hosted by the partners.

 YOUR RIGHTS                    

You will retain all rights to any photograph you submit -- including ownership if applicable.

If your photograph is formally honoured by the competition as an honourable mention, finalist, runner up or winner, you grant  Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation or Vindhya Bachao a royalty-free, nonexclusive right under Creative Commons Share Alike 4.0 International License, in perpetuity, to:

1. Use the photograph on the Internet in support of our mission.
2. Use the photograph in our communications.
3. Provide your photograph to other individuals and organizations for re- use, related use in news stories, newsletters, reports, slide shows, displays, web pages, and the like.
4. Use, in connection with the Photo Contest, your name, city, state and country of residence in promotions and other publications.
5. Keep the files provided, and to archive the images on CD or in other electronic forms, so that your photos can be used to support our mission and be properly credited.

  LEGAL CONDITIONS         

1. By entering this contest, you agree to certain all of the terms and conditions relating to this contest and you are responsible for understanding Your Rights.
2. By entering, participants agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation and its partners, its respective subsidiaries, affiliates, trustees, officers, employees, attorneys, agents and representatives, from any and all third party liability for any injuries, loss, claim, action, demand or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the competition (collectively, "Losses"), including without limitation any third party claim for copyright infringement or a violation of an individual’s right to privacy and/or publicity right. The Contest is void where prohibited by law.
3. Each entrant in the Contest is responsible for ensuring that he or she has the right to submit the photos that he or she submits to the Contest per these rules.
4. The Contest and Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation’s website are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
5. The Foundation is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the photo competition, or by any technical or human error that may occur in the processing of submissions to the photo competition, including but not limited to any misprints or typographical errors. Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer equipment, servers, providers, computer on-line systems, software, or failure of email on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, including injury or damage to participant's or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating or uploading images or information in the photo contest.
6. If, for any reason, the photo competition is not capable of completion as planned, including but not limited to, any reason of infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the photo competition, Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the photo competition.

See the Guidelines    |  See the Poster 

ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation

Vindhya in our national anthem that reinstated the region's immense importance for the sub-continent has been the greatest inspiration for the campaign Vindhya Bachao which is now a registered not for profit trust Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation dedicated to protect and conserve the beautiful, one of the oldest yet most ignored ecosystem of India. The foundation is based in Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) and has correspondence in Delhi and Varanasi.