June 5, 2023
2023 World Oceans Day Instagram Photography Competition
BY: Andrew Usher
OFFICIAL RULES –
DESCRIPTION:
Oceana’s 2023 World Oceans Day Photo competition is an opportunity for Belizean photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, to showcase the immense breadth and depth of the ocean’s beauty, promise and potential above and underneath its waves.
This year’s categories for submissions include:
- Coastal Communities – Photographs that capture the beauty and resilience of coastal communities, beach culture and the ocean as both a playground for water sport enthusiasts, from kayaking to sailing and diving, as well as source of income for those who depend on the sea, from fishers to tour guides to seaweed farmers.
- Above water and Underwater Seascapes – Shots of waves rolling ashore, sunsets over the water, reflections of the sky on the surface of the sea, or underwater ecosystems and habitats.
- Marine Life – Photos that showcase the fascinating creatures that inhabit the ocean, from colorful fish and coral to majestic sea turtles and whales.
Grand Prize Winner will be announced on June 12th on Oceana’s Instagram Live.
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE OR WIN.
No purchase necessary to participate or win. This Contest will be hosted solely on the Oceana in Belize (“Host”) Instagram page and advertised on the Host’s Instagram and Facebook pages. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.
The official rules will be listed on the Host’s website and Facebook page which will be made accessible via the link in Host’s Instagram bio.
HOW TO ENTER:
To submit your entry for the World Oceans Day Photography Contest, you must:
- Upload your original photo that showcases either of the 2023 photo categories of Coastal Communities, Above water and Underwater Seascapes, or Marine Life to your Instagram Feed.
- Tag the Host’s Instagram page (@oceana_bze) to original photo with the hashtag #WorldOceansDayBZ2023!
- Be following the Host’s Instagram page @oceana_bze; and
- Send the original jpeg photo to ausher@oceana.org with a brief description of the photo.
The photo found by Host’s selection committee to be the most creative, likable, and novel in showcasing any of the three (3) categories, will be declared the winner.
- Open to entrants of all skill levels.
- Entrants must be legal residents of Belize.
- All photos must be original material and must be free of any watermarks.
- Oceana staff and members of the selection committee are not allowed to enter the contest.
- Entries may have been taken from any camera, digital or film (as scanned slides).
Conservation rules will be strictly observed. Flora and fauna should never be stressed or endangered for the sake of a photo. Entries suspected of involving the following behavior will be disqualified:
- Photographers visibly damaging the environment (e.g., gear dragging or kicking up sand, divers exhibiting poor buoyancy control).
- Animals with signs of stress (e.g., puffed puffers, inking octopus).
- Animals moved to an unnatural environment or risky location.
- Marine life being touched or placed (e.g., nudibranchs, coral polyps, seahorse tails).
By submitting photo(s), the entrant affirmatively indicates acknowledgment and acceptance of these Official Rules and all other terms and conditions governing the Contest.
Host will begin accepting submissions on Monday – June 5, 2023, and the eligibility period will end at midnight BZ time on Friday – June 9, 2023.
ELIGIBILITY:
PURCHASE, PAYMENT OR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION WILL NOT INCREASE ODDS OF WINNING. PROMOTION VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. PROMOTION OPEN ONLY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LEGAL RESIDENTS OF BELIZE. IF YOU DO NOT MEET ANY OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, OR ANY OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS IN THESE OFFICIAL RULES, YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO WIN A PRIZE, AND HOST RESERVES THE
RIGHT NOT TO AWARD PRIZES TO YOU. To be eligible to win the prize, entries must be completed and received by Host in the format designated above. Directors, officers and employees of Host and any of their respective affiliated committees, subsidiaries, agents, professional advisors, consultants, advertising and promotional agencies, and immediate families of each are not eligible to win any prizes. All applicable Belizean laws and regulations apply.
WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION:
Host will establish a selection committee, composed of staff from Oceana in Belize who will review all eligible submissions and select the Winner. Winner will be determined based on the subjective opinion of the selection committee about the creativity, likeability, and novelty of the entry. The Winner will be notified via email from the belize@oceana.org email account. All decisions by Host in relation to the Contest are final and binding.
PRIZE:
Contest Winner will receive a GoPro HERO 11 Black Creator Edition – includes HERO 11, Volta (Battery Grip, Tripod, Remote), Media Mod, Light Mod, Enduro Battery and Carrying Case. Prize cannot be cashed in or traded by Oceana. Oceana in Belize reserves the right to change the prize and may include additional prizes for Winner if they become available.
OWNERSHIP
By entering, entrants acknowledge and warrant that the entry photo is their original work and that no third party has any right or claim to the entry. If the photo or video contains any material or elements that are subject to the rights of third parties, the entrant is responsible for obtaining any and all releases necessary to permit the use of the photo or video by Host for any purpose, worldwide in any media now known or hereafter developed, including but not limited to the world wide web, at any time or times. By entering, entrant assigns to Host all copyrights and other intellectual property rights in the entry.
AFFIVADAVIT OF ELIGIBILITY AND PUBLICITY RELEASE:
Where permitted by law, entrants grant Host (which grant will be confirmed in writing on request), its subsidiaries, affiliates and those acting pursuant to their authority, the right to print, publish, broadcast and use, worldwide in any media now known or hereafter developed, including but not limited to the world wide web, at any time or times, winners’ names, pictures, voices, likenesses, city and state of residence for advertising and promotional purposes without additional consideration. Except where prohibited by law, winners will be required to sign an
Affidavit of Eligibility and Release or forfeit the prize. Failure to comply, or return any required releases and related documentation, may result in forfeiture of the prize.
TAXES AND EXPENSES:
All applicable taxes, if any, will be paid by the Winner. These may include income and/or sales taxes based on the retail value of the prizes. Any and all expenses not specifically listed as covered in these Official Rules are the sole responsibility of and will be paid by the Winner.
WINNER LIST AND OFFICIAL RULES:
The Winner’s name and Official Rules will be sent via email to all participants. The Official Rules may also be acquired by sending a request to Oceana in Belize at: Oceana in Belize, World Ocean’s Day Instagram Photography Contest, 2358 Hibiscus Street, City of Belmopan, Belize.
RELEASE AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY:
By participating in this Contest, entrants agree that Host and its affiliates, subsidiaries and agents, and its employees, officers, directors, representatives and agents, advertising or promotion agencies, and legal counsel, as well as Instagram (the “Releasees”) will have no liability whatsoever for, and shall be held harmless by entrants against, any liability for any injuries, losses or damages, claims and actions of any kind to persons, including death, or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of the prizes, entry or participation in this Contest or in any Contest related activity, or any claims based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy or merchandise delivery. Releasees are not responsible for and shall not be liable for: (1) lost or late, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, unintelligible, entries; (2) problems caused by telephonic, electronic, hardware, software programs, networks, the internet, viruses, works, Trojan horses or computer malfunctions (failures, errors or difficulties of any manner); (3) failed, incomplete or delayed computer transmission; and/or (4) any condition caused by events beyond control of Releasees that may cause the Contest to be disrupted or corrupted. Releasees are not responsible if any prize cannot be awarded due to acts of God, acts of war, natural disasters, weather or terrorism. Except where legally prohibited, by acceptance of prize, winners grant (and agree to confirm that grant in writing) permission for Releasees to use their respective names, pictures, voices and likenesses, for advertising or publicity without additional compensation. The Contest is governed by the laws of Belize. All local laws and regulations apply. This Contest is void where prohibited by law.
HOSTED BY: Oceana in Belize, 2358 Hibiscus Street, City of Belmopan, Belize. Tel.:501-822- 2792, www.belize.oceana.org
