InterAction’s 15th Annual Effective Assistance Photography Contest

What Is InterAction's Photo Contest?

For 15 years, InterAction’s photography contest has focused on incredible humanitarian and development work. Once again, we encourage you to submit your most powerful photos that illustrate innovative, effective, and inspiring efforts in humanitarian assistance and international relief and development.

To honor this milestone, this year we will honor winners in three categories in addition to the grand prize winner. The categories are: Global Development, Humanitarian Assistance, and Mobile Phone.

The Global Development category will highlight photos that show the innovation that is taking place around the world to make communities more self-reliant, sustainable, and equal for all.

The Humanitarian Assistance category will highlight the resilience of communities in the face challenging and harrowing situations, such as a natural disaster or a prolonged conflict. Images of the humanitarian workers who assist these communities will also be accepted. Note: Please be respectful of the individuals in these photos. Graphic or demeaning photos will not be accepted.

The Mobile Phone category will highlight photos (both humanitarian and development –focused) that were taken on a mobile device. We encourage participants to get creative with this category and show us how art and technology can together make an impact.

The Grand Prize Winner will be chosen from all of the submissions and can come from any category: humanitarian, development, or mobile. The Grand Prize winner will not also win one of the categories – the award will be separate.
In every category, photos of self-reliance, innovative technology, shared values, and partnerships are encouraged, though entries are not limited to those topics. All images should focus on people – individuals or groups – and take place outside of the United States.
Submit Photo

Prizes

One Grand Prize Winner will receive $1,000 USD and the Effective Assistance Photography Certificate. The winning photo will also be showcased at InterAction’s Forum, June 20-22.

The three category winners will receive $100 USD and have their photographs displayed on an online gallery at www.interaction.org.

Two runners up per category (six total) will have their photographs displayed on an online gallery at www.interaction.org.

Contest Rules

Contest begins Jan. 30, 2017 and ends March 31, 2017 at 11:59pm EST. All eligible entries must be submitted between these dates.

Entries are limited to three (3) photos per person (please note - the limit is not three per category, but three total).

Entries should be 300 dpi or larger at a size no smaller than roughly 3” x 5” (file sizes less than 8MB please).

All entrants must hold exclusive rights to the photographs they submit and by entering are claiming such ownership. If it is determined an entrant has fraudulently claimed ownership of their submission, the entry will immediately become void and ineligible.

By entering a submission, entrants are granting InterAction perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive rights to display distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of their entry. When reproduced, all photographs will be credited to the photographer when possible. InterAction will not be required to pay for, or seek approval for, any and all usage of photographic submissions. InterAction will not sell photograph entries to other parties. Failure by InterAction to enforce any of its rights at any point does not constitute a waiver of these rights. InterAction reserves the right to suspend or cancel the Contest or modify these rules at its discretion. By receiving a prize, the winner agrees to release and hold harmless InterAction and its employees, directors, and agents from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of or related to participation in the Contest or receipt or use of any prize, whether under a theory of contract, tort, or otherwise.

For any persons appearing in the photograph, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the photograph, the express permission, written, verbal, or otherwise, necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph. If any person appearing in any photograph is under the age of majority in their state/province/territory of residence, the express permission, written, verbal, or otherwise, of a parent or legal guardian is required.

Entry is open to all, with the exception of current InterAction staff.

Judging
A panel including photojournalists and subject area experts will choose the winning photographs. After judging, InterAction will notify the Grand Prize winner of their selection. If the winner does not respond within seven (7) days of notification, InterAction may at its discretion select another image as the new Grand Prize Winner. InterAction will also notify all other winners within this timeframe.