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APEC Photo Contest 2021

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In today’s digital age, APEC continues its effort to build prosperity for people in the Asia-Pacific region. APEC’s theme this year, as it copes with the stresses of COVID-19, is to call on economies to Join, Work, Grow. Together.

This year, we seek creative visualization of the theme through the APEC Photo Contest 2021 by professionals and amateur photo enthusiasts alike. We encourage you to share your vision through your snaps that capture the theme and priorities, and send them to APEC!

You may choose to interpret any one of the following APEC 2021 theme and priorities:

  • Road to strengthening economic recovery
  • Inclusive and sustainable recovery
  • Innovation and a digitally enabled recovery

The aim of these priorities is to connect and empower people, businesses and communities in all parts of the Asia-Pacific, and help all APEC members thrive in an age of digital disruption while pursuing innovation for an inclusive and sustainable recovery from the pandemic. Your photos can help to tell this story.

HOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST

APEC Photo Contest 2021 participants must submit their entry(s) using the online form provided at here or by tagging APEC on Instagram (@apec). The entry must fulfill all the requirements, as specified, to be eligible to win a prize. Entries that are incomplete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the APEC Secretariat.

INSTAGRAM CHECKLIST FOR SUBMISSION:

Photo submission is open through our Instagram account (@apec) to both professionals and amateur photo enthusiasts alike. Here are the entry requirements for Instagram submission:

  1. Follow APEC Instagram account: @apec
  2. Include the hashtag #APECPhotoContest2021 in the caption

Include a hashtag indicating the APEC priority the photo represents

    1. #TradeResilience
    2. #TradeIntegration
    3. #SustainableRecovery
    4. #InclusiveRecovery
    5. #InnovationAPEC
    6. #DigitallyEnabledRecovery
  1. Include a title and location of the photo in the caption
  2. Make sure the photo follows the general guidelines of the APEC Photo Contest 2021 (see below)
  3. Maximum number of submissions is three photos per account. Participants that submit four or more entries will be disqualified.
  4. Optional: You can also submit a short story as caption with your photos relevant to the chosen priorities. For example: #traderesilience

Those who participate in the contest through Instagram stand a chance to win the APEC Influencer Award, on top of the chance of winning the main prize.

ONLINE FORM SUBMISSION:

For those who do not have access to Instagram and who wish to participate in the contest, you can submit your photos through the APEC Photo Contest 2021 online form. You can access the form here.

  1. Fill in all the details required in the form accurately
  2. Include title and location of the photo
  3. Submit a maximum of three photos
  4. Make sure photos follows the general guidelines of the APEC Photo Contest 2021 (below)

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

  1. The APEC Photo Contest 2021 is open to all amateur and professional photographers
  2. Participants must be citizens or permanent residents of the APEC member economies: Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; People’s Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States; and Viet Nam
  3. The photo can be taken using any kind of camera, including a mobile phone camera
  4. Photos must have been taken in an APEC member economy. Participants need to include or tag the location of the photo in the online form or Instagram caption
  5. Photo format can be square, portrait, or landscape
  6. All photos submitted through online form must be high-resolution digital image files in JPEG format with minimum compression. Each image should not exceed 10 MB in file size
  7. Minor digital manipulation (i.e. color enhancement, cropping) is allowed. Excessively manipulated photos are grounds for disqualification
  8. Collage or photomontage will not be accepted
  9. The photo must be an original work by the participant and most not have been submitted in other photo contests including previous editions of the APEC Photo Contest.
  10. The photo must not contain material that violates or infringes on another’s rights, including publicity and intellectual property rights
  11. Each participant is allowed to submit a maximum of three photos. Participants that submit four or more entries will be disqualified.
  12. Staff of the APEC Secretariat and the host economy organizing committee and its affiliates, as well as their immediate family members, are not eligible to participate in the contest
  13. The decisions of APEC’s judging panel are final
  14. All prizes shall be paid in Singapore dollars
  15. All deadlines for submission and timelines are based on Singapore time GMT +08:00
  16. The Secretariat reserves the right to disqualify any photo submission that does not conform to the rules and guidelines

CONTEST TIMELINE & WINNER SELECTION:

Photo submission opens: 22 July 2021
Photo submission deadline: 27 September 2021, 23:59 (SG - GMT +08:00)

Participants agree that the APEC Secretariat will feature the 10 selected finalist photos on APEC social media channels. The main winners will be selected by a panel of judges consisting of the APEC Secretariat’s Executive Director, the Chair of the APEC 2021 Senior Officials’ Meeting, and award-winning photojournalists and photographers from around the region.

The 10 selected finalists will have the chance to win the APEC Popular Choice Award on top of the opportunity to win the main prize. Members of the public will choose their favorite photo to win the APEC Popular Choice Award via a link posted on the APEC website and social media channels, starting on 6 October 2021 at 10:00 (SG) and closing on 22 October 2021, 17:00 (SG - GMT +08:00). 

All the winners will be announced during APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in New Zealand on the week of 8 November 2021. Results will be published on the APEC website and on APEC’s social media channels.

PRIZES AND JUDGING CRITERIA: 

First Prize – SGD 2,500

Second Prize – SGD 2,000

Third Prize – SGD 1,500

Popular Choice – SGD 1,000

Instagram Influencer – SGD 1,000

Each photo will be evaluated based on the following criteria: (i) interpretation and message of the photo based on APEC 2021 priorities, (ii) composition and quality, (iii) creativity.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

I. Copyright

  1. The participant must be the author and sole owner of the copyright of each photograph submitted.
  2. All images submitted must be original work of the individual submitting them.
  3. The participant shall retain the copyright of the photos submitted in the competition.
  4. The winners shall also grant the APEC Secretariat the right to publish, display and exhibit their submitted photographs in its publications, brochures, and other materials as well as on its website and other online platforms. The photos will be used for non-commercial purposes without payment or fee to the participant. The APEC Secretariat will make every effort to credit photographers but we cannot guarantee that every use of the photographs will contain the photographers' names. 

II. Lost entries

The Secretariat will not be held responsible for any photos lost or not received. 

III. Privacy

By submitting photos, participants agree that if they win, the APEC Secretariat may use the personal information on their entry forms for publicity purposes, with the exception of street address, email address and telephone number.

The finalists and winners consent to the use of their personal information and photos by the APEC Secretariat in publicity in all media, such as online, newspaper, television and radio. 

IV. Liabilities

  1. By submitting photos, participants agree that no claim relating to any damage, loss, injury or inconvenience shall be asserted against the APEC Secretariat, and the directors, officers, employees and assignees from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind resulting from the project.
  2. The participants hereby indemnify and hold the APEC Secretariat harmless from any claims, actions, proceedings costs and expenses arising as a result of any allegation that the relevant participants did not own or are not wholly entitled and authorized to allow publication and reproduction of the work by the APEC Secretariat.
  3. The APEC Secretariat reserves the right to disqualify any entries if the contents are deemed inappropriate or against public interest.
  4. The terms and conditions above are subject to change and/or supplement by the APEC Secretariat at any time during the submission period as and when it deems fit. The APEC Secretariat assumes no liability whatsoever for any outcome as a result of such action.

We look forward to receiving your creative masterpiece!