Terms & Conditions

Submissions

  • The Competition is open for online submissions only (the Submissions), through the Competition online registration page available on www.hipa.ae.
  • Submissions will be accepted from 00:01 on 10th January 2025 until 23:59 on 31st May 2025 (UAE local time - GMT+4). No Submissions made after the deadline will not be accepted.
  • Participants must be individuals aged eighteen (18) years or over at the time of the Submission(s).
  • You hereby certify that you are eighteen (18) years old or older at the date of submitting your Photo(s) to the Competition. You further understand and agree that HIPA will automatically and without further notice discard any Photo(s) that are found to be submitted by a participant that is below eighteen (18) years old at the time of the Submission.

Your Photo(S)

  • You may submit up to one (1) Photo in each relevant category of the Competition including the subcategories under the General category, except the Portfolio category where you can submit between 5 - 10 Photo(s) and one video for Drone (Video). You must provide a title and description for each Photo submitted, for the set of photos in the Portfolio category and in Drone (Video).
  • The same Photo must not be submitted in more than one (1) category. Any Photo submitted in more than one (1) category will be discarded from the Competition. Using more than one account for the same person is not allowed.
  • Submitted Photo must be in JPEG or JPG format, with high quality and resolution, of a minimum 5 MB in size, the minimum of the longest edge should be no less than 2000 pixel and the quality no less than 300dpi and to be suitable for publication.
  • Participants are not required to submit should upload their photo(s)/video in RAW format initially. However, if shortlisted, they must upload the RAW or camera original file(s) in any format.
  • Black and white Photo(s) are permitted in all the categories of the Competition except for the Colour subcategory under the General category.
  • For the Portfolio category, you are requested to submit a series of Photo(s) on unified subject matter. The number of permitted Photo(s) is the minimum of 5 and maximum of 10 Photo(s).
  • Drone video rules:
    1. Duration: 30 seconds to 1 minute
    2. Resolution: Minimum Full HD (1920x1080); 4K (3840x2160) preferred
    3. File Formats: MP4, MOV or AVI (Other formats will be rejected)
    4. Codec: (H.264 or H.265)
    5. Maximum File Size: 500 MB
  • All submitted Photo(s) or video must not contain any tag(s), signature(s), initial(s), frame, border(s), logo(s) or any other references and/or marks added by the Participant. Basic technical editing of the Photo(s) or video is acceptable, provided any such editing does not affect the authenticity and/or genuineness of the Photo(s) or video. Advanced editing used to create illusions, deceptions and/or manipulations; including compositing and creative retouching of the Photo(s) or video prohibited. HIPA preserves the right to assess and discard from the competition any submitted Photo(s) or video deemed, at HIPA’s own discretion, contrary to the foregoing.
  • Photo(s) that portray or otherwise include inappropriate and/or offensive contents, including nudity, violence and/or any other contents deemed to be contrary to the UAE religious, cultural and/or public morals traditions and practices will be disqualified.
  • Photo(s) and video that have won any previous award(s), whether in any HIPA prior competition(s), or in any other competition(s) whatsoever and announced before 31st May 2025, and/or Photo(s) or video that have been previously used, or are intended to be used, for any kind of commercial purposes, must not be submitted. Any Photo(s) and video submitted in contrary to the foregoing will be automatically and without further notice disqualified from the entire Competition.

The Prizes

  • HIPA’s appointed judging panel shall assess and determine the winning Photo(s) or video. The results, prizes and the winners will be announced in a public ceremony.
  • The winner(s) will be contacted by HIPA and must provide HIPA with their bank account details and personal details within seven (7) days from HIPA’s request. The cash money prize(s) will be paid to each winner within a period of two (2) months following the announcement of the Competition’s results.
  • Receiving the prize money is subject to receive all the legal documents needed for Bank transfer of attend in person to receive the cheque.
  • HIPA’s judging panel has the right, at its absolute discretion, to turn down or reject any Photo(s) or video or Submission(s) without having to give any notice or explanation to the relevant Participant.
  • Any federal, state/ provincial/ territorial, and/or local taxes, fees and surcharges and taxes (whether foreign or domestic, and including income tax) on any prize that may be awarded to you under the Competition will be solely paid by you.
  • The decision of HIPA’s judging panel is final and binding on all Participants in respect to all matters relating to the Competition.

Photographer Of The Year Submissions

    • Biography:
      • Your bio should describe your specialties and an overall aesthetic of your work in 500 words or less.
    • Eligibility:
      • A brief text, no more than 100 words, in response to the question, “Why do you believe you deserve the accolade of HIP Photographer of the Year?”
    • Achievements:
      • You must submit a minimum of three (3) of your achievements, with a maximum of ten (10) permissible to showcase your skills and experience. These accomplishments must have taken place between April, 1st, 2023, and April, 1st 2024.
      • Each achievement must be accompanied by at least one document (image or any type of file), and may include up to a maximum of ten files in total.
      • You are required to upload your achievements before 30th June 2024 (11:59 pm - UAE standard time).
    • Current Projects:
      • You must present at least one cuurent photography project and are permitted to include up to a maximum of three current projects.
      • At least one document (image or file) for each project and up to a maximum of ten files per project.
    • Future Plans:
      • Each photographer must outline at least one record of their future plans related to POY and can include up to a maximum of three future plans.
      • For each project, you need to include at least one document (image or any type of file), with a maximum of ten files allowed per project.
    • Iconic Photographs:
      • You are required to upload one iconic photograph of your works, with a maximum of three iconic photographs.
    • Edits or Modifications to Submissions:
      • Participants have a 7-day window following successful participation to make changes or edits to their POY submission.

* The above terms can also be found in the Rules tab of our competition page

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

  • Submitted Photo(s) or video must be a single work of original material created and/or taken by you, must not contain any materials owned or controlled by a third party for which you have not obtained a license, permission or approval to use, must not infringe the copyright, trademark, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity.
  • Upon reaching the final stage of judging, you grant HIPA, a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty free, sub-licensable right and license to use, publish, reproduce, display, perform, adapt, modify, create derivative works, distribute, have distributed, print, promote your submitted Photo(s) or video, in whole or in part, in any form, in all media forms now or hereafter known, anywhere in the world for any purpose, related to the Competition, the publication in HIPA promotional digital and/or printed materials and formats broadcast such as on HIPA magazines, printed leaflet and brochures, HIPA website and/or through other public online feeds, promoting subsequent competitions and/or the work of HIPA generally.
  • You must obtain, solely bear the cost for, and provide HIPA within seven (7) calendar days of any request to do so by HIPA, with any or all of the following:
    1. A signed written consent, release and/or permission of each and every identifiable individual person(s) appearing in your submitted Photo(s) or video, clearly authorizing you to use their picture or likeness for submitting the Photo(s) or video in the manner contemplated by the Competition, and authorizing HIPA to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the entry(s) for all purposes, in any media now or hereafter known.
    2. A signed written license from the copyright owner of any sculpture, artwork, or other copyrighted material that appears in your submitted Photo(s) or video, authorizing HIPA to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the relevant entry(s) for all purposes, in any media now or hereafter known.
    3. A signed written license from the owner of any private property included in your submitted Photo(s) or video, authorizing HIPA to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the relevant entry(s) for all purposes, in any media now or hereafter known.
    4. A signed written license or release letter from a person who has the right or is able to assert any right over the Photo(s) (e.g. employer, agency, etc.) authorizing HIPA. HIPA to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the relevant entry(s) for all purposes, in any media now or hereafter known. Upon HIPA’s request, users will be prompted to sign documents directly on our website through the dashboard. This system-enabled feature allows users to complete the Model Release form conveniently online, eliminating the need to download, sign and re-upload the form.
    5. If you have been announced as a winner of the Competition (in any category), you grant to HIPA, a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty free, sub-licensable right and license to use, publish, reproduce, display, perform, adapt, modify, create derivative works, distribute, have distributed, promote your winning Photo(s) or video, in whole or in part, in any form, in all media forms now or hereafter known, anywhere in the world and for any purpose, including but not limited to: display at a potential exhibition of winners, publication of a book featuring select entries in the Competition, publication in HIPA materials and/or online highlighting entries or winners of the Competition, and promoting the work of HIPA generally.

Liability

  • You hereby hold harmless, release, indemnify and discharge HIPA and its partners, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies, agents and their employees, officers and representatives from all liability, claims, judgments, demands, controversies, agreements, damages, actions and causes of action whatsoever, arising out of or related in any way to the Photo(s), the Competition or the conduct of the Competition and the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of any prize awarded, whether in law or in equity, no matter what the cause or nature, and you further waive any claims that you may state or assert against HIPA in association with the Competition or any of its associated activities, or in any way related to or resulting from the Photo(s) or videos, Competition even if such injury or claims results from or is caused by the negligence or gross negligence of HIPA, in whole or in part. You further agree to indemnify and hold harmless HIPA from any claim arising out of your participation in the Competition including, without limitation, all claims brought or asserted by any third party as a result of any injury or loss that you or they may sustain in any way associated with your participation in the Competition.
  • If HIPA, at its sole discretion, is of the opinion that you have breached any of the Rules, HIPA has the right to disqualify you from the Competition, and in such circumstances you must re-pay to HIPA all costs undertaken by HIPA in relation to your Submission(s) and participation in the Competition and the awards ceremony, including but not limited to (if and to the extent applicable) any travel costs incurred by HIPA, and re-pay the Competition prize money and return any trophies or certificates at your own cost to HIPA.
  • Under no circumstance HIPA will be liable for any:
    • Lost, late, misdirected, stolen, illegible or incomplete Submissions;
    • Error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, submitted Photo(s) or video;
    • Problems, failures or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, providers, computer equipment, software, email, players or browsers, on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, at any website, or on account of any combination of the foregoing;
    • Incorrect or inaccurate information, caused by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Competition or by any technical or human error which may occur in the processing of the Photo(s) or video and/or the Submissions;
    • Injury or damage to any Participant or to any computer related to, resulting from or in connection with the Competition.
  • If, for any reason, the Competition is not capable of being conducted as anticipated, due to computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of HIPA, which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Competition, HIPA reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Competition as deemed appropriate, disqualify any Participant, and/or select winners from all eligible Photo(s) or video submitted prior to the termination, cancellation, modification or suspension. HIPA reserves the right to correct any typographical, printing, computer programming or operating errors at any time.

Governing Law

The Competition, your Submission(s) and the Rules shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Emirate of Dubai and the applicable federal laws of the United Arab Emirates, and any aspects or disputes arising out of or in connection with the Competition and/or your Submission(s) will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Dubai courts (as established by Law No. (3) of 1992 and Law No. (13) of 2016).

App Disclaimer

This contest is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Apple Inc. The participants understand that they are providing information to HIPA and not to Apple Inc. Any questions, comments, or complaints regarding the contest should be directed to HIPA and not to Apple Inc.