Official Contest Rules
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
Sponsor and contest period
The Photographer Appreciation Contest is sponsored by Shiny Prints, Jupiter, Florida.
The Contest begins at 12:00 a.m. ET on October 5, 2026 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on October 20, 2026. Entries received outside the Contest Period will not be accepted. The Sponsor's clock is the official timekeeper.
This is a contest of skill. Winners are chosen by judging and public voting, not by chance. The Contest is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram, Facebook, or any other social platform used to promote it.
Prizes
- Shiny Prints' Choice: One 30 × 45 frame-mounted metal print with the surface finish of the winner's choice.
- People's Choice: One 24 × 36 frame-mounted metal print with the surface finish of the winner's choice.
Please visit shinyprints.com to view surface finish and mount information.
Technical requirements
- Format: JPEG or PNG, maximum file size 10 MB.
- Minimum resolution: at least 2400 × 1800 pixels.
- Only one image may be submitted per entrant.
Editing and originality
Basic adjustments such as cropping, exposure, color, contrast, and sharpening are allowed. Photographers may use AI-powered editing tools for those adjustments and for tasks such as noise reduction, masking, and removing minor distractions.
AI-generated images are not allowed. Every entry must start as a photograph the entrant captured with a camera or phone. Content created by text-to-image tools or generative fill that adds new elements is prohibited. Composites of multiple photographs are not allowed. The Sponsor may ask finalists for the original, unedited file.
Each photograph must have been taken by the entrant, be entirely their own work, and must not have won another contest or been published commercially. Entries may not contain watermarks, borders, signatures, or logos.
People and property
If a recognizable person appears, the entrant must have their permission and must provide a signed model release on request. A parent or guardian must sign for anyone under 18. Entrants also need permission for any identifiable private property that requires it.
Content standards
Photographs must not:
- Contain nudity, sexual content, graphic violence, or hateful or discriminatory content.
- Show illegal activity or unsafe behavior.
- Infringe anyone's copyright, trademark, privacy, or publicity rights.
- Include brand logos or trademarks as a main subject.
- Be defamatory or otherwise inappropriate, in the Sponsor's sole judgment.
The Sponsor may disqualify any entry that does not meet these requirements.
Ownership and use of photographs
Entrants keep the copyright to their photographs. By entering, each entrant grants the Sponsor a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to display, reproduce, and publish the entry, with credit to the photographer where practical, solely as promotional content for the Contest and the Sponsor for a period of two years, in any media. The Sponsor will not reproduce or use entries for any other purpose and will not sell entries or license them to third parties.
Winners also agree that the Sponsor may use their name, city, likeness, and entry for publicity without further payment, except where prohibited by law.
General conditions
Agreement to rules. By entering, entrants agree to these Official Rules and to the Sponsor's decisions, which are final on all matters.
Warranty and indemnity. Each entrant confirms the entry is their original work and does not infringe anyone's rights, and agrees to indemnify the Sponsor against any claim arising from the entry.
Release of liability. Entrants release the Sponsor, its affiliates, and the judges from liability for any injury, loss, or damage arising from participation in the Contest or from accepting or using a prize.
Technical problems. The Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, or corrupted entries, or for technical failures of any kind.
Changes and cancellation. If fraud, a technical failure, or anything else beyond the Sponsor's control affects the integrity of the Contest, the Sponsor may modify, suspend, or cancel it and award prizes from eligible entries received before that point.
Disqualification. The Sponsor may disqualify anyone who tampers with the entry process, breaks these rules, or behaves in a disruptive or unsportsmanlike way.
Privacy. Personal information collected is used to run the Contest and as described in the Sponsor's Privacy Policy.
Governing law. These rules are governed by the laws of Florida and the United States. Any dispute will be resolved individually, without class action, in the courts of Palm Beach County, Florida.
