Event Overview

In celebration of International Migrants Day, this photography challenge aims to highlight the resilience, contributions, and collaboration between migrants and host communities in rebuilding communities. The theme "Rebuilding Together through Photography" encourages participants to capture stories of hope, unity, and recovery, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and solidarity in a globalized world. 

Objective

The challenge seeks to create a platform for photographers to showcase their work, promoting awareness of migrant issues and the role of migrants and host community members in rebuilding societies. The event will culminate with a live pitching session where shortlisted participants will present their works to a jury. The winners will be awarded for their creative and impactful theme representation.

Challenge Guidelines and Criteria

📌The challenge is open to both amateur and professional photographers over 18 years of age.

📌The Photographs can be taken with any Camera, i.e. DSLR, Digital Camera, or Phone Camera.

📌Digital photographs to be included in the competition must be in jpg/JPEG format, with a resolution of 150-300 dpi, with a minimum of 2400 pixels on the longest side and a maximum of 6000 pixels.

📌Creativity and Impact: The originality of the photo, storytelling, alignment with the theme, and emotional resonance of the photograph.

📌Photographs should be 1-15 MB Size.

📌Any part of the photo cannot be erased, and no additions can be made to the photo. Darkening or lightening adjustments cannot be used to erase any part of the photo. Filters or effects created by additional applications that do not exist in the original photo cannot be applied. No names or text can be written in the photo. A passe-partout or background cannot be added to the photo.

📌Reasonable adjustments to color, contrast, and density may be made to the photos. Applications or collages that change the essence of the photo will not be accepted. New cropping is allowed, if it conforms to the specified dimensions. The jury's opinion is decisive in this regard. If necessary, the raw files of the photos may be requested from the contestants.

📌The participant declares and agrees that all the photos submitted to the competition belong entirely to them and that all necessary permissions have been obtained, along with other relevant matters.

📌It is considered that individuals visible in the submitted photos have consented to have their photos taken and submitted to a competition, as well as being published in visual, internet, and print media. The responsibility for any disputes arising from these uses lies entirely with the contestant.

📌When photos are submitted captions must be accurate and answer the five basic questions (who, what, where, when, why). All entries must have accurate captions and descriptions, written in English or in Turkish not more than 60 words.

📌No signatures, stamps, or any other identifying mark is allowed anywhere on the entry. The photographer's name should not be mentioned in the captions

📌The submission of challenge photographs will be done online to fablabgzt@iom.int by following the challenge guidelines and criteria.

📌All participants in the competition are deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions specified in the competition rules.

📌The submitted photos should not have won any prize in any contest before the event.

📌Submitted photos must be taken within 2023-2024.

📌Only 3 submissions per person are allowed.

Challenge Structure:

The challenge will be conducted in two phases:

Phase 1: Submission and Shortlisting

✔Participants will send an email to fablabgzt@iom.int with their photographs with a short description of how their work relates to the theme. A jury will shortlist the top 10 photos based on creativity, relevance to the theme, and storytelling potential for Phase 2. Shortlisted participants will be notified by email.

Phase 2: Pitching and Final Judging

✔The shortlisted finalists will present their work during International Migrants Day to a jury and audience, explaining the story behind their photographs. A jury will assess the pitches and select the winners based on originality, thematic connection, and impact. The top 3 winning entries (1^st,2^nd, and 3^rd) will be awarded prizes. Finalists and all award winners will have their work exhibited on International Migrants Day.

Prizes

The top three winners will be awarded.

Challenge Timeline