Frequently Asked Questions

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    The Competition is open to all entrants aged 18 or over, and is void where prohibited by local law.

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    The only requirement is that the submitted artwork is photography based. Therefore all forms of editing in post production are allowed provided that the results remain photography based. Artificial Intelligence generated images (A.I. Photos) are NOT accepted.

    All photo-based work is eligible, be it film, digital, smartphone, tintype, camera-less, etc.

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    Through our monthly competition, we are committed to helping emerging artists kickstart their professional careers and present their work to a jury comprised of acclaimed artists and top editors such as Steve McCurry, Maggie Steber, Jacob Aue Sobol, Alessia Glaviano, and Ed Kashi. As of today, we have awarded over $130,000 in cash prizes, printed, published and exhibited more than 400 photographers, online and throughout our annual international exhibitions.

    On top of this, we have 800k followers (650k on Instagram with  @theindependentphoto and @tip.magazine, 150k on Facebook) and have had only positive reviews as well as very positive feedbacks on Trustpilot, from previous entrants and winners.

    Trustpilot4.7 on Trustpilot

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    Absolutely! We welcome all photographers. From professionals, semi-professionals, amateurs to total beginners. We are interested in all kinds of photography and we believe everyone has a chance.

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    You can submit up to 6 photos per submission.

    There is no limit and you can submit as many times as you like.

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    Images must be titled. Description is optional although recommended, we want to know about your work! Please note that the word count for the description or statement cannot exceed 250 words.

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    Please make sure that each image is in JPG or PNG format, and less than 6 MB.
    Minimum resolution of 1500px and lower than 10.000 pixels (height or width).
    Ideally, the sRGB color profile is preferred.

    If you still are having problems submitting, please email us at support@independent-photo.com.

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    Yes, there is a $15/$30/$40 fee to enter up to 6 images, unless there is an exceptional promotional offer, or when photographers are able to submit their work for free for specific events.

    All users can pay with Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, etc), Paypal and Apple Pay (on Mac or iPhones).

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    Yes, we respect artists’ rights. You retain full copyright to all your images. Entries may be posted online and winning images may be used in connection with the Competition and promotion of the Competition.

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    There is not really a time limit. The image can be relatively old and still make it to the finalists / winners. However, please keep in mind that we are trying to promote new content and bring exposure to emerging, talented photographers.

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    Each month, a Judge is appointed by The Independent Photographer and the selection process is done anonymously to ensure that each contestant is judged fairly and only based on their work.

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    Winners and finalists are announced during the first half of the month following the competition.

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    The prize money is sent by transfer via PayPal, for security and reliability reasons. However we can also proceed via Bank/Wire transfer if this method is preferred or if PayPal is not supported in their country/region.

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    Winners and finalists will see their work exhibited at our annual exhibitions at the renowned PCB Gallery in London, UK. All details regarding the event are to be shared closer to date, and more details can be found on our Competition page.

    The Independent Photographer will be responsible for all costs related to printing, installing and overall display of the work at the venues.

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    Check our Terms & Conditions section and our Competition Rules here.

    If you still have questions, feel free to email us at support@independent-photo.com.