More than simply documenting, a sense of place or a sense or insight into a person transports the viewer to the destination or into the lives of the people in it.
The Travel Photographer of the Year HD video category was originally introduced years ago to reflect the developments in HD video in stills cameras. However, technology has moved really quickly, and today it’s possible to take high quality still shots and shoot video on cameras and devices which were simply not available 10 years ago.
Our HD video category welcomes short travel-related films shot on everything from a mobile phone or a video camera to a Go-Pro or similar piece of kit, as well as on a stills camera. HD video is a new challenge to many photographers but, as technologies converge, we want to see how they are rising to the challenge. Submissions should be short, snappy and engaging. HD videos can consist of moving footage alone, images shot as time-lapse sequences or a combination of stills and video imagery.
There is a strict maximum length of 2 minutes (120 seconds). Shorter videos are acceptable but films longer than 2 minutes will be disqualified. Your video MUST not contain your name in the credits because these are judged anonymously. Winners will be asked to submit a credited version for the winners’ gallery.
You may add a musical soundtrack to your video if you wish, provided that the music is credited, copyright released and free from royalties. Your video should be in a format which can be played both on a computer and through a television screen e.g. QuickTime or wmv.
What subjects can you include?
Anything travel related! Your HD video must give an insight into a country, a place or person and their life.
How to enter?
There is no upload facility for video submissions directly through the TPOTY website but you can pay for your entry and provide a download link using our online entry form, so please follow the register and login information given on our Online Entries page, select the ‘Enter Competition’ button you will see on the My Account page and choose Travel Shorts from the category menu then follow the instructions that appear. Entries in this category can be submitted in one of three ways:
1) Using our online entry page you can provide a WeTransfer, Vimeo or Dropbox link where the video can be accessed and downloaded by TPOTY.
2) If your video isn’t yet online then it can be uploaded to TPOTY’s Dropbox. You would need to use our online entry page to register your entry and pay your fee, then email us after paying your entry fee and ask us to set up a folder in your name.
3) If your internet connection doesn’t allow video-sized uploads, you can send it, with an entry form, by post on a DVD or USB drive to the TPOTY office address (follow the same process outlined for those submitting print entries for full address ). The entry form can be downloaded from this website. The entry fee can be paid online or by post.
How many videos?
One video per entry lasting no more than 2 minutes (120 seconds) in length. It can be shorter than 2 minutes in length. It can consist of moving footage alone, images shot as time-lapse sequences or a combination of stills and video imagery.
Am I eligible?
This category is open to all photographers aged 19 and above.
How many times can I enter?
You can enter this category as many times as you want to.
What is the category entry fee?
£30 for each video entry.
EARLYBIRD ENTRY DISCOUNTS:
We are offering an automatic entry fee discount as follows:
April/ May = 40% off the above entry fees
June/July = 30% off the above entry fees
August/ Sept 20th = 20% off the above entry fees
21st Sept to 25th Oct = No discount on the above entry fees
Enter TPOTY and you can also join Light Club for £1 (instead of £52) and get access to our podcast and Eye for the Light magazine with lots of interesting features.
Do I need to shoot new material to be able to enter this category?
Contemporary photography shot in recent years. As always, ‘travel starts when you leave your home’ and never has this been more important than in a time of global pandemic, so if you can travel to distant lands shoot something closer to home.
Entries close on 25th October, so there is time to shoot new material before the closing date. But we want to stress that, in these extraordinary times, entrants should not make unnecessary journeys or break any lockdown that may be in force in their country of residence in order to take photographs to submit, and archive images are always welcome in TPOTY.
Prize
The winner of this category receives a £500 cash prize.
Image © Jonathan Stokes
Our sponsors and partners
It would not be possible to run Travel Photographer of the Year without the support of our sponsors and partners, and we are hugely grateful for their involvement each year. Click the logo to learn more about each of Travel Photographer of the Year’s sponsor and partners.
