• When are the awards open for entry?

The 2008 awards open for entries on May 14th. The closing date was September 9th 2008 but has been extended until September 24th to give extra time for people who've been travelling this summer to pull their entry together. This closing date will not be extended further and all entries must be submitted by midnight on this date (24.00 hours UK time).

• When will you announce the results?

Shortlisted entries will be announced by the end of November

Results are announced in December.

Entry fees

• Why do you charge an entry fee?

TPOTY is a massive, and expensive, task to organise and administer. The entry fees go towards the prizes, our administration costs and towards TPOTY exhibitions.

You & Your Copyright

• Do I still own the copyright of the images which I enter?

Yes. TPOTY is passionate about photographers’ copyright. When you submit images to us, you agree that we may use them to promote the competition, issue to media to promote the competition, and feature them (if chosen) in TPOTY books, exhibitions and the website. We do not restrict what else you do with your images, and if we are approached to use your images in a way which is not to promote TPOTY, we negotiate a fee on your behalf or put you in touch direct with the person interested in your images.

• Will you claim an unlimited licence for you or your sponsors to reproduce any images which I enter?

No. Absolutely not. This is a trick used by many competitions to get around the copyright issue. By entering TPOTY we ask that you allow us to use your images to promote the awards, in press coverage of TPOTY, in our exhibitions and in the TPOTY books. For any other usage we either ask your permission to negotiate a fee on your behalf or put the person/organisation wishing to use the image in direct contact with you. As a matter of courtesy we also contact you in advance if any of your images are selected for inclusion in one of our books.

Eligible Images

• Do you accept transparencies?

No. In previous years we have accepted transparencies, but have found that too many entrants submitted great pictures as poor quality duplicate slides. This meant that the judges couldn't assess the images properly, and potentially winning entries were poor quality and eliminated as a result. Regretably we've taken the decision to accept prints and online submissions only - and, of course, those prints or online submissions can come from images originally shot as transparencies or shot on film or shot digitally.

• Are panoramic images accepted?

Yes! In fact, our overall winner in 2007 won with panoramic images, and in 2006 there were two panoramic winners, one runner up and a commended.

• Are black and white images accepted?

Absolutely - we'd like to see more B&W images but take a look at the Winners’ Galleries from previous years and you will see some stunning B&W images.

• Are digital images accepted?

Yes.

• How much digital manipulation can I do?

You may use digital manipulation to optimise an image but you are not permitted to add or remove key elements of the composition (though basic cropping is permitted). Brightness, contrast, colour balance can all be adjusted. Dust spots and minor elements etc. can be retouched. Images can be sharpened before printing.

• Can I enter composite or montaged images?

Composite or montaged images, from more than one original image are not eligible. However, multiple exposure 'in camera' is permitted.

Choosing Your Images

• What is a portfolio?

A portfolio is a set of images which fit together to tell a story with a theme. All TPOTY portfolios are four (4) images.

• Is it important to send images which fit the category themes or can I just send my best pictures regardless?

The themes are important as these are what the judges use to select the winning entries. Please make sure you choose images which fit these themes and if you have a fantastic image which doesn't seem to fit then don't be tempted to enter it - keep it for next year.

Online Entry

• Can I submit my entry online?

Yes - click here for further information. You can also enter prints in any category. See 'How to Enter' for full details on submitting prints.

• Will entries be judged online?

First Shot category entries will all be judged on line. For all other online entries judging will be done online until the final shortlisting for each category. Shortlisted entrants who submitted online will then be required to submit prints for final judging.

Image Returns

• Can I have my prints back?

Yes, if you provide a suitable stamped addressed envelope or, for entrants living outside the UK, a suitable addressed envelope and pay for the return postage (see ‘Return of Images’ in the ‘How to Enter’ section for full information).

Staying In Touch

• What if I move house or change email address before you announce the results?

Just email us and we’ll update your records here.

• How often does the TPOTY site change?

We update the site regularly so make sure you refresh your browser whenever you visit the TPOTY site so that you always see the latest pages and information. We also send regular e-newsletters to entrants and interested photographers. If you would like to receive these updates then please click here and send us your contact details.

The 2009 Awards

• Will there be anything different in the 2009 awards?

Yes. The 2009 awards will be launched earlier in the year and the closing date will be in July 2009. We are making this change so that we can publish the TPOTY books on an annual basis rather than every two years.

TPOTY Exhibitions

• Where can I see the winning images exhibited?

Each year we have several exhibitions where you can come along and see the winning images and a selection of other great prints. To find out when and where the exhibitions will be held, visit the exhibitions page on this site or sign up out for our e-newsletter updates.

The Next Book

• When will TPOTY Journey Three be published?

We will have some exciting news about the publishing of the TPOTY portfolio books for you shortly but Journey Three is currently scheduled for publication at the end of 2008.

All images © photographers as credited. No reproduction in any media without permission