AURA Awards Rules & Guidelines

General Rules

Eligibility:

• The competition is open to photographers worldwide who are 18 years or older.
• Participants must have the legal rights to use, publish, and submit their images for a photography contest.

Registration & Submission:

• Participation is only possible via the online form on the AURA Awards platform.
• Each submission requires 1 credit, which can be purchased through your account.
• A registration form, image upload, and payment of the participation fee are mandatory to complete the entry process.

Submission Periods:

• The contest consists of four rounds each year, lasting three months per round:
• Round 1: January 1 – March 31
• Round 2: April 1 – June 30
• Round 3: July 1 – September 30
• Round 4: October 1 – December 31

File Requirements:

• Images must be 2048px to 4000px on the longest side.
• File size must be between 1MB and 5MB.
• Accepted color profiles: RGB, Adobe-1998, or Black and White.

Number of Entries:

• Participants may submit as many photos as they wish during the active submission period. Each photo requires a separate submission credit.

Photo Submission Guidelines

Content Restrictions:

• Images must not contain:
• Obscene, offensive, defamatory, or inappropriate content.
• Racist, violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable material.
• The AURA Awards reserves the right to delete or disqualify any image that violates these guidelines without providing reasons.

Originality:

• The participant must own full rights to all submitted photos and ensure that the images are free of third-party rights.
• If people are featured, participants must have consent from all recognizable individuals (or their guardians, in the case of minors).

Editing & AI Use:

• Photos may include post-processing and AI enhancements, as long as the subject remains authentic.
• The AI-Infused category specifically encourages creative use of AI-generated elements like wardrobe, props, or environments.

Exclusion from the Competition:

• Participants using unauthorized tools, submitting false information, or attempting to manipulate the contest will be disqualified.
• Rejected submissions will have their credits refunded but will not be judged.

Judging & Feedback

Evaluation Criteria:
Submissions are judged based on five criteria:

• Light, Pose, Idea, Colors and Emotion.

Feedback:

• Accepted submissions receive detailed scores and feedback for improvement.
• Rejected photos are not judged but may be resubmitted after revision.

Final Decisions:

• Jury decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

Prizes & Recognition

Badges:

• Participants earn Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum badges based on jury scores.
• Category badges are awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each of the 8 categories.

Cash Prizes:

• Round Prizes: Up to €1,000 for Grand Winners and €250, €150, and €100 for category winners.
• Annual Prizes: Photographer of the Year wins €2,000, with €1,000 for 2nd place and €500 for 3rd place.

Certificates & Features:

• Winners receive certificates, magazine features, and social media promotions.

Data Protection & Privacy

Data Storage:

• Participants agree to the storage of their data solely for contest purposes.
• Submitted images will be deleted after the contest concludes.

Publication Rights:

• By submitting, participants grant AURA Awards the right to use their images for promotional purposes, with proper credit.

Withdrawal of Data:

• Participants may withdraw their consent and data at any time by contacting admin@aura-awards.com.

Disclaimer

Liability:
The AURA Awards is not responsible for any loss or damage to submitted images. Participants are encouraged to retain backup copies of their submissions, as the organizers are not liable for any issues arising from data loss or technical malfunctions.

Contest Termination:
The AURA Awards reserves the right to cancel or terminate the competition at any time, without prior notice and without providing specific reasons. This measure may be taken in cases where the proper functioning of the competition cannot be guaranteed, including but not limited to:

• Technical Issues: Such as system errors, server malfunctions, viruses, or manipulation of hardware/software.
• Legal Reasons: Compliance with regulations or laws preventing the continuation of the competition.

If such termination is caused by a participant’s misconduct, the organizers reserve the right to seek compensation for any damages or losses incurred.

Data Privacy:
Participants agree to the storage and use of their submitted data solely for the purposes of this competition. Submitted images and related personal data will be deleted after the contest concludes. For details, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

Acceptance of Terms:
By participating in the AURA Awards, you agree to the terms outlined in this Disclaimer. Continued participation constitutes acceptance of any updates or changes to these terms.

Thank you for participating in the AURA Awards! We look forward to celebrating your artistry. For any questions or concerns, contact us at admin@aura-awards.com.