Rules and regulations of #LegflagChallenge Photo Contest
Outline of Contest
The legflagChallenge competition aims to encourage birdwatchers, bird photographers and all types of citizen scientists to document and report sightings of waterbirds (in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway) that carry leg flags, tags and other types of colour marking. Birds carrying these leg flags and tags provide crucial information about their life histories for professional conservationists and researchers. The information drawn from these observations, in turn, are particularly valuable in helping conservationists develop plans and actions to conserve migratory birds.
Contest period
The #legflagChallenge Contest opens on 4 September 2020 (Friday) and will stop receiving entries by the 15 November 2020 (Sunday), 11:59 p.m.(KST)
Results will be announced in early December 2020 (Exact date to be confirmed subsequently)
Eligibility
The #legflagChallenge photo contest is open to all participants regardless of age, gender, residence and nationality.
All entries must involve images photographed in the countries under the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership’s and/or Oriental Bird Club’s region. These countries include, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei,, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan), India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, North Korea, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia (Far East), Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Timor-Leste, USA (Alaska), Vietnam
Entry categories
Outline
1. Best Photo of tagged Waterbirds
Waterbirds are defined here to include, but not limited to: cranes, waterfowl, shorebirds, rails, herons and egrets, gulls and terns. For a comprehensive listing and definitions, you may consult the EAAFP website for a full listing of families of waterbirds
The following threatened species of particular conservation concern will be of higher priority:
Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Great Knot
Spotted Greenshank
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit
Far Eastern Curlew
Black-faced Spoonbill
Chinese Egret
2. Highest number of entries submitted
Individual with highest number of entries (i.e. most number of species reported) submitted for this campaign
3. Most votes and best caption story
It will be judged from the top 20 caption narratives with the most votes about the bird(s) captured in the photographs
Submission guidelines
Participation in the #legflagChallenge contest is free, there is no registration fee.
All entries must be uploaded to the #legflagChallenge contest page.
Photos should be taken between 1 July 2020 to 15 November 2020.
Each entrant may only submit one entry per species. If multiple entries of one species are submitted, only the first entry will be considered for the Contest. For example, if you have submitted an entry with a photograph of a Great Knot, all other submissions of that species will not be considered. However, you may submit images of other species.
All submitted photographs must be in the form of JPEG files, and must not exceed 5 megabytes in size. Rename the file name to: Photographer's name_MMDD (date of entry), e.g. Sam Park_0905.jpg.
Each submitted entry must be accompanied by a caption in the English language, and which should contain no more than 100 words.
All submitted photographs should clearly reflect the bird subject and the leg flag (or tags attached to the body). Photographs that do not show the birds or the leg flags clearly may be disqualified.
Photographs should not be substantially altered with digital means beyond the standard types of edits (e.g. cropping, reasonable adjustments to exposure, balance, sharpness, colour and contrast, etc.). The judging panel reserves the right and discretion to disqualify an entry if there is reasonable evidence to suggest that the image has been excessively or dishonestly edited.
All contest entrants must be able to supply an image of a reasonably quality suitable for print media, should this be required.
Judging criteria
The judging panel will select winning photographs based on composition, creativity, originality, representativeness (of the subject), and overall impression. Winners will be announced on EAAFP and OBC webpage, and will be notified by email.
The judging panel retains the sole discretion over the selection of any particular entry as a winner. All decisions made by judging panel are final and no negotiation with respect to any decision will be entertained.
Neither the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP), the Oriental Bird Club (OBC) and BirdLife International (hereafter as the ‘contest organisers), nor the judging panel shall bear responsibility for any damaged, lost, late or incomplete entries.
General terms and conditions
Photographs submitted to the #legflagChallenge contest must be the original work of the entrant and must not involve photographs that have been submitted to prior photographic competitions and contests, or have been officially exhibited (or in exhibitions) in any form both online or offline.
By entering this contest, the entrant thereby asserts his/her right to the submitted work, and the right to distribute the submitted photograph in any digital or print form. The entrant retains full rights to the copyrights of the photograph submitted for each entry.
In no event will the contest organizers and sponsors, 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 entrant’s access to and use of the submission website, or in the course of obtaining a photographic image for the contest. 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.
The contest organizers reserve the right to adjust the contest deadline as and when necessary, without prior informing the entrants.
By submitting an entry to this contest, all entrants agree to these terms and conditions.
Rights to use and distribute photographs
By entering the #legflagChallenge contest, you effectively grant the contest organizers a non-exclusive right and royalty-free license in perpetuity, to,
Publish submitted photographs on the contest organizers’ (East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership, Oriental Bird Club, and BirdLife International) media and publications in any print and online format, including but not limited to websites, social media accounts, and printed material such as newsletters, brochures, magazine, calendars, fundraising appeals, public service announcements, grant proposals, reports, awards, displays, mailings and event invitations.
Use, in connection with the #legflagChallenge contest, the entrant’s name, and the location of each image as provided by the entrant for the purposes of promotion on social media and all types of print and digital publications.
Retain the photographic files provided and archive them in the electronic forms as appropriate, so that photographs can be used to support waterbird conservation.
Minimum interference and disturbance to the bird subjects should be observed as far as possible. For instance, photographers should maintain a reasonable distance to allow the birds to behave naturally, whilst avoiding disturbance or stress to birds, especially during breeding season.
Photographs should not attempt to influence the behaviour of bird subjects (e.g. by flushing, playback, chasing, or baiting). Never approach birds with the intention of making them fly.
Photographers are responsible for their own behaviour in the field, and should observe discretion not to trespass, or damage facilities or properties while taking photographs.
All entrants are required to refer to Ethical Birding Guidelines and Code of Ethics (1) and (2)in relation to obtaining photographs in the field.
Prizes
Optical equipment, photography gears, bird books, membership of OBC, and more
Winning photos will be published in EAAFP’s 2021 Calendar.
Personal information
By entering the Competition, entrants agree and acknowledge that contest organizers are permitted to receive and hold your personal information for the purposes of the #legflagChallenge Contest.
Personal information is collected solely for the execution of the #legflagChallenge Contest. For example, to notify winners of results, carry out promotional campaigns and local events during and after the Contest, provide and correspond with entrants contest information, submissions, announce the winning entries, send out feedback questionnaires about the contest and deliver prizes, and for sending out e-newsletters.
Personal data to be collected
Name, country of residence, e-mail address and other context details, websites, Biography
Data protection
Using the appropriate measures, we will work to ensure that your personal data is not used or accessed in an unauthorized way, and outside of the scope on the Contest. We will limit access to your personal data to employees and contractors purely on a needs basis. Where needed, they will process your personal data on our instructions, and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.
Data retention
We take your personal data seriously. Your personal data will be stored no longer than it is necessary for the purpose of your participation in the #legflagChallenge Contest, and in compliance with legal and fiscal obligations. The data retention period is 1 year except for notifying the entrants of the next #legflagChallenge Contest.