Contests
Thank you so much to everyone who sent in entries for the contest. With hundreds of creative, clever and even funny taglines to choose from, it was really hard to choose just one. After much (heated!) discussion we selected “Photography Unfiltered – Inspiration Unlimited” by Kate Thomas. We ultimately chose this entry because it was – well, unlimited. It embraced the idea we wanted the show and community to be boundless, not restricted to one genre, skill level or even media.
Congratulations Kate on winning the cool Rezo 180 AW bag from LowePro.
Another favorite was Aaron K – from a comment on the blog post. We did change it just a bit to “Your passion is our Inspiration” and will be using it as the sign off from the show. As Honorable Mention we will be sending you a LowePro camera strap. Congratulations Aaron!!!
Also we wanted thank Ali Elhajj, Blake Johnson, Bryan Conner, Dennis Morassut, Gary Harris, Irene Liebler, Ivan Boden, Shawn Highfill, Victor Alberts, Paul Balchin, Tamara Pruessner, and Steven Ray Price. Your submissions were among our favorites as well.
Thank you Lowepro for your support of this contest and photography education!
Photography Unfiltered can be found:
We’ve been scratching our heads here at Photography Unfiltered trying to come up with a snazzy tagline for the show. We have some ideas but haven’t hit the “YES!” spot. We are keenly aware that our intelligent audience will likely have some great ideas and therefore, we are launching “Tag Photography Unfiltered” Contest today. In brief, we are looking for a short, catchy, easy to remember line that captures the spirit of the show – inspiration, empowerment, and community. Interested in helping us create the show tagline?
The winner of the contest will receive a Rezo 180 AW bag from LowePro. This messenger bag from Lowepro is AMAZING – in fact, I carry a Lowepro messenger bag on every single shoot.
Entering is quick and easy! Just comment on this blog post with your idea!
If you’d like some additional information about the show check out the intro website also take a moment to Subscribe in iTunes (additional subscription formats coming soon).
Good luck! We are looking forward to reading all the entries!
- Catherine and Ryan
Photography Unfiltered can be found:
TWiT Photo Guest Quest Winners!
Contests, TWiT Photo 
6
Tue 12.13.2011
Robby Cavanaugh
Thank you to all the emerging photographers who entered our first TWiT Photo Guest Quest contest. We definitely do not envy our esteemed judges – Frank Doorhof, Art Wolfe, Tamara Lackey, Colby Brown and Zack Arias! They had the tough job of selecting their top picks from among the hundreds of inspiring and incredible portfolios you submitted through 500px, Facebook, Google+ and Flickr.
Congratulations to Robby Cavanaugh of Rancho Cucamonga, California – you are the winner of the first Guest Quest! Music editorial photographer Zack Arias has this to say about your work: “Overall… it’s a really strong body of work and the photographer should be very proud of what he has accomplished thus far. ‘Shaper of Dreams’ (picture, top) is my favorite. I’d buy a print of that. Love that shot.” For Robby, his source of inspiration “comes from a place of conflict, which then needs to be expressed through photography. Each picture is a very elaborate process that takes a lot of planning and time. I didn’t necessarily choose my theme, it kind of chose me. All of my photos look different, but still come from the same place. I guess you could say the theme is me and my need to tell stories through imagery.”
Elia Locardi
Google+ leaders Elia Locardi and Helen Sotiriadis are another two of the judges’ faves and are our two honorable mentions. Of his portfolio, globetrotter Elia says, “The theme of my entry was ‘Colors of the World’ and it’s a sampling of the travel photography I’ve produced over the last year. My goal with each image is to capture and share, the depth of emotion and sensation I feel when I see these amazing places for the first time.” Helen, who lives in Athens, Greece, submitted a portfolio in binary numbers, “10100 bits” – “20 bits is twenty of my favorite images. They have no central theme other than the simple fact that they represent personal favorites in various styles of photography – landscape, macro, architecture, portrait and concept.” You should definitely check out their portfolios and phenomenal fine art work.
See our other 7 finalists here and a round of applause to Elis Alves, Daniel J Bilsborough, Darina Boycheva, Chris Leboe, Irina Luca, Ed McGowan, Martin Reisch, Mark Theriot, Jean-Charles Renaud and Patrick Shipstad for your creative entries :)
Jon Low, 31
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“Indian weddings are eventful, intimate, colorful and rich in culture. Photography is ultimately exciting especially the setting was in India.”
Matthew Coughlin, 30
Gulf Breeze, Florida
“The past year has been a learning experience for me so every shot you see is a representation of me learning to work with my light and subject matter.”
Joseph Balestra, 25
Philadelphia
“The images are an overall portfolio that show a recent progression and change of light, style and color in my look over the last year.”
Tim Donnelly, 38
Sydney, Australia
“Growing up in the west of Sydney, I learned to never take our beautiful beaches for granted. Therefore, my thoughts are always the same when taking my photos – I love the sea.”
Nuel Paguyo, 40
Fairview, Oregon
“A summation of studio and on-location work that incorporates my vision of intriguing themes, unique environments/backgrounds, and above all very creative lighting.”
Eric Langley, 37
Atlanta, Georgia
“My submitted work represents a small sample of what I see when I am in the fight world. My main goal is to give the viewer a sense of what it is like to be there.”
Wray Post, 52
Near Wray, CO
“It is not my story, but a story of nature. This may be a bit cliche but I believe that when art is spoken from the heart, the subject picks the artist not the other way around.”
The Value of Exposure: TWiT Photo Guest Quest Contest
Contests, TWiT Photo 3
Tue 11.01.2011
Yet another filing cabinet is full with rolls of negatives. The sheets piling up trip after trip, year after year, project after project. Trapped. I have so much imagery and so many experiences to share with no options to “get my work out there”. Something had to change. I feared that I would remain in a kind of purgatory, forever separated from my dream of becoming pro-photographer. I desperately started entering contests in the hopes of gaining exposure for my work. Despite rejections piling in, I persisted in entering as many contests as I could. Then my luck changed. I started to win. My images soon found their way into publications including American Photo, National Geographic Traveller, and PDN. The best prizes were not about winning digital cameras and camera bags. They displayed my work. They allowed me to share my stories, images, and experiences. Much of my current success is due to the initial exposure that my myriad contest entries provided.
Being the host of TWiT Photo has been an incredible experience, and I am fortunate that I spend time learning from some of the world’s most inspirational photographers. TWiT Photo is a platform to allow us to give back to the industry that I love. The Guest Quest contest is our way of providing the opportunity I desperately desired to the next generation of emerging photographers.
Despite good intentions, some have chosen to question the merits of the image rights necessary for us to assume to run the contest. As U.S. citizens, both contest organizers and photographers are obliged by copyright law to use some pretty intense legalese in the contest Terms – this is a fact I have had to face my entire career, and a personal decision I had to make when entering each contest. Similar to the model release that photography subjects are required to sign, which allows for the images to be legally used and manipulated, these Terms allow contest administrators to advertise and display the entrants’ images without violating any rights.
Because the purpose of the Guest Quest contest is to provide exposure to the top emerging photographer, the winner’s images will be shared across many channels. Sharing work in this way can leave the contest organizers open to legal recourse if they have not obtained the proper rights to the work. The legalese – which, to some, can sound frighteningly close to a “rights grab” — exists to cover these bases and allow us to legally offer the contest’s Grand Prize. Without this agreement, we would be unable to organize this or any other exposure driven contest.
It is an honor to receive the work that the participants in TWiT Photo Guest Quest have chosen to share with us thus far. Your efforts and imagery are inspiring and we very much look forward to sharing the portfolio of our Winner on the show. Thank you from the TWiT Photo team.
CreativeLive pioneer Chase Jarvis. NAPP President and No. 1 bestselling author Scott Kelby. Pulitzer Prize winner Vincent Laforet. Are you ready to take your place next to such industry legends?
The premier photo show in the industry—TWiT Photo— is looking to showcase the hottest emerging photographer. TWiT Photo is the flagship photography show on the TWiT Netcast Network, which averages 5 million downloads per month. This contest will provide explosive exposure to our selected guest.
Each week on the show, TWiT Photo educates, inspires and empowers photographers of all levels while chatting with some of the world’s leading and most inspirational image-makers. Here’s your chance to share the spotlight…
You will have the rare opportunity to get your work in front of a prestigious judging panel made up of five past TWiT Photo guests, including Art Wolfe, Colby Brown, Tamara Lackey, Frank Doorhof and Zack Arias. Simply submit a portfolio of images based on a coherent theme to your favorite social media platform (choose from Google+, Facebook, 500px or Flickr).
Reward:
The contest winner will be our guest on a Winter 2011/2012 episode of TWiT Photo and will be featured on the TWiT blog and Catherine Hall Studios blog. Two honorable mentions, including a selection of their work, will be featured in an article on Catherine Hall Studios blog, promoted through Catherine Hall Studios’ Facebook, Twitter and Google+ accounts, and mentioned on TWiT Photo.
Timeline:
Deadline for submission: Nov. 22, 2011, at 11.59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (November 23, 2011 at 7:59 a.m. GMT) (no exceptions)
Winner announcement: Dec. 6, 2011, on TWiT Photo and Catherine Hall Studios blog.
Submission Guidelines:
Entries must be from emerging photographers with 5 years or less professional experience who earn less than 51% percent of their total income from their photography career. To enter, submit a portfolio of 15-20 images based on a cohesive body of work that is a strong representation of your visual style.
For more detailed rules and guidelines on how to upload your portfolio submission, click on the link to the platform of your choice. Please note that you should submit your portfolio to only one platform. Duplicate submissions will result in entrant being disqualified.
Google+ - Updated Link.
500px
Flickr
Facebook
OFFICIAL RULES
Eligibility
TWiT Photo Guest Quest Contest (hereafter referred to as “The Contest”) is open to emerging photographers worldwide. The Contest defines an emerging photographer as one who has 5 years or less professional experience. A “professional photographer” is defined as one who derives a minimum of 51% percent of his or her total income from his or her photography career. At the time of entry to participate, you must be at least 18 years of age. Employees of TWiT LLC and Catherine Hall Studios (hereafter referred to as “Authorized Parties”) and members of their immediate families are not eligible. Void where prohibited by law or regulation.
TWiT Photo aims to foster relations with the social networking community through The Contest and requires all entrants to participate via any one of the four third party services (Google+, Facebook, Flickr and 500px).
Entrants must have the ability to appear via Skype or in person at the TWiT studio in Petaluma, CA. To appear via Skype, entrants must have hardwired DSL/cable high-speed Internet and be available for Skype testing before the show appearance can be confirmed. To appear in person, entrants must be responsible for travel arrangements, including logistics and expenses, to the TWiT studio in Petaluma, CA.
The Authorized Parties reserve the right to verify all eligibility requirements.
Entry and Deadlines
You may submit only 1 (one) entry into the contest on only 1 (one) submission platform. Duplicate submissions will result in the entrant being disqualified. Images must be 1200 pixels on their longest dimension, non-watermarked, and saved in High Quality JPG format in sRGB or Adobe RGB color space.
Submission deadline is at 11.59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on November 22, 2011 (November 23, 2011 at 7:59 a.m. GMT). Pacific Daylight Time Clock used for contest may be accessed here: http://wwp.pacific-standard-time.com/.
Judging Process
The Authorized Parties will conduct preliminary judging on all entries. A panel of qualified judges will review the entries of all finalists and select their top choices on the basis of technique, composition, impact, creativity, visual appeal and cohesive visual style. Based on the judges’ selections, the Authorized Parties will determine the potential winner and honorable mentions in their sole discretion.
Currently, the panel of judges includes Art Wolfe, Colby Brown, Tamara Lackey, Frank Doorhof and Zack Arias. Due to judges’ varying schedules, the judging panel may be subject to change.
Prize
Grand Prize: The contest winner will appear as a guest in a Winter 2011 episode of TWiT Photo and will be featured on the TWiT blog and Catherine Hall Studios blog. The selection of the episode is in the sole discretion of the Authorized Parties.
Honorable mentions: Two additional entrants, including a selection of their work, will be featured in an article on Catherine Hall Studios blog, promoted through Catherine Hall Studios’ Facebook, Twitter and Google+ accounts, and mentioned on TWiT Photo.
Inappropriate Content
Obscene, provocative or otherwise questionable content may not be considered. The Authorized Parties retain sole discretion as to what constitutes inappropriate content and reserve the right to reject entries that are not submitted properly.
Copyright and Permissions
Each submitted photograph, in its entirety, must be a single work of original material taken by the entrant of The Contest. By entering The Contest, entrant represents, acknowledges and warrants that the submitted photograph is an original work created solely by the entrant, that the photograph does not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, and that no other party has any right, title, claim or interest in the photograph.
If the photograph includes other people, you must be prepared to provide a signed written model release from all persons who appear in the photograph. You do not need to send the release with your entry. If you win, we will contact you if a model release is needed.
Licenses/Releases
If the photograph contains any persons or any elements subject to the rights of third parties, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the photograph, any and all legally binding releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph in the manner set forth in these Official Rules without additional compensation.
By submitting an entry, the entrant grants to the Authorized Parties an irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide perpetual license to use his/her name, city, state and country of residence for credit purposes on any TWiT Photo programming; TWiT’s websites; Catherine Hall Studios blog and Catherine Hall Studios’ Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and 500px accounts, without further compensation, notification or permission.
In addition, entrants grant to the Authorized Parties an irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide perpetual license to reproduce, distribute, display and create derivative works of the photographs submitted in the entry, in any media now or hereafter known, including but not limited to: Facebook; Google+; 500px; Flickr; YouTube; TWiT, LLC; TWiT Live; TWiT Photo podcast; TWiT website; TWiT blog; TWiT social media channels; as well as Catherine Hall Studios website; Catherine Hall Studios blog; and Catherine Hall Studios social media platforms, for purposes of the promotion of this Contest and other TWiT, LLC, and/or Catherine Hall Studios’ contests and/or for purposes of advertising and promoting TWiT, LLC, and Catherine Hall Studios on any TWiT Photo programming; TWiT’s websites; Catherine Hall Studios blog and Catherine Hall Studios’ Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and 500px accounts, except as otherwise stated herein, without further compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law.
Right to Disqualify
The Authorized Parties reserve the right to disqualify any entrant who directly or indirectly tampers with the entry process, the operation of the TWiT and Catherine Hall Studios websites or any third party platform, or otherwise violates the rules. Activities that could lead to the disqualification of an entrant include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) any attempt to influence the judges, (b) creation of multiple accounts to submit multiple entries, (c) any type of activity that appears to be (or is even suspected of being) unfair, inappropriate, or gaming the system.
Limitation of Liability
The Authorized Parties are not responsible for entries that are (a) late, stolen, misdirected, damaged, incomplete, garbled or incomplete or (b) not received or reviewable due to computer, Internet or electronic malfunction. The Authorized Parties reserve the right to cancel or modify the contest and award the prize through an alternate means if fraud or technical failure compromises the integrity of the contest, as determined by the Authorized Parties in their sole discretion. By submitting an entry, you agree that the Authorized Parties and its officers, directors, members, managers, employees and agents shall not be liable for injury, losses, damages, or costs of any kind resulting from participation in this contest or acceptance of or use or misuse of a prize or parts thereof. By entering, participants agree to be bound by these rules. In the event of a dispute regarding the identity of the person submitting an electronic entry, the entry will be deemed to be submitted by the person in whose name the third party platform is registered.
Third Party Services
The Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Google, Facebook, Flickr or 500px. Before participating in The Contest, you must agree to the respective terms of your selected submission platform, see the Terms of Service from Google, Facebook, Yahoo and 500px. By participating, entrants agree to release, discharge and hold harmless the Authorized Parties, and each of their respective partners, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies, agents and their employees, officers, directors, and representatives from any claims, losses, and damages arising out of their participation in The Contest or any Contest-related activities and the acceptance of any reward hereunder.
Conditions
The Contest is subject to U.S. federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Certain restrictions may apply. Entries will be void if the Authorized Parties determine the entry to not be an original, or if the entries are illegible, incomplete, damaged, irregular, altered, counterfeit, produced in error or obtained through fraud or theft. Entrants also agree (a) to be bound by these Official Rules; (b) that the decisions of the Judges are final on all matters relating to the Contest; and (c) if he/she wins that the Authorized Parties may use the entrants’ name, photograph, likeness, and/or voice in any publicity or advertising relating to The Contest or future promotions without compensation or approval. In the event that the selected winner is ineligible or refuses the reward, the reward will be forfeited and the Authorized Parties, in their sole discretion, may choose to issue the award to another entrant.
Reward Notification
The winner and two honorable mentions will be notified via their respective submission platforms within one week of the winner announcement on December 6, 2011, on TWiT Photo. If the selected winner or honorable mentions do not respond within seven (07) days of the notification, the reward/s will be forfeited. The Authorized Parties, in their sole discretion, may choose to issue the award/s to another entrant.
This contest is presented by TWiT, LLC, P.O. Box 1018, Petaluma, CA 94953, and Catherine Hall Studios, 3400 Mount Diablo Boulevard, Suite 205, Lafayette, CA 94549.
