PRIZES
FIRST PRIZE
€5000
€5000 paid by direct electronic bank transfer.
and
Certificate
Certificate, letter of thanks from the 212 Committee, a professional portfolio review of your work, exposure on 212 Magazine.

SHORTLIST PRIZE
Certificate and letter of thanks from the 212 Committee to the 10 shortlisted participants.

TIMELINE
Below, you can find a summary of the dates for the competition and work out how best to be prepared for the demands of the competition.
Due to the worldwide pandemic and quarantine measures, 212 Photography Istanbul has been postponed to 8-18 October 2020.
The application period for the International 212 Photography Competition has been extended until 20 September 2020.

INTERNATIONAL 212 PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL
This is where you can enter 10 of your photos into the second edition of International 212 Photography Competition. We do not ask for an entry fee.
We are accepting photos taken at any time, any place, and in any context so now is your chance to show us your best so far!
All entries must be received by the deadline of September 20, 2020 at 23:59 +3 GMT. Please be sure to read the terms and conditions of entry (click here to view them) to be sure that your submission conforms to them.

ABOUT
The 212 Photography Competition is a fully independent body, run by 212 Photography İstanbul and showcasing the best up-and-coming talents of the year from the country, region and around the world. Our team administers a series of photography prizes that call for the very best in photography.
However, the photography competition is only half of the story. While highlighting the photographer’s art through this event, we also produce an international biannual arts and culture magazine, 212 Magazine. With these two entities hand in hand, funded by 212 Studio, the premier boutique photography and production agency in Istanbul, we aim to be as challenging as we are influential – to provide an inclusive space for ideas and perspectives to mix without prejudice and better interrogate social, artistic and cultural phenomena from the region and around the world.
IN SHORT, OUR CONCEPT IS A HYBRID OF AN INCLUSIVE, CREATIVE COMPETITION TWINNED WITH A PASSION FOR INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING AND PHOTOGRAPHY.
By choosing to enter the 212 Photography Competition, you gain the benefit of the prestige and international exposure that comes from entering a competition of this scope. Our aim is to transform the competition into a cultural and artistic tradition that comes out of Istanbul.
First things first. There is no fee, and you are able to submit up to ten photos. Although it is encouraged that the images be selected from 2 or 3 distinctive series, it is not mandatory.
After you enter, the 212 team will sort through the photographs, and present the judges with a shortlist.

OUR COMPETITION IS DESIGNED TO WELCOME WORK FROM PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS OF ALL AGES AND ALL NATIONS, TAKEN ON ANY CAMERA.

WHAT ELSE?
We’d like to set some ground rules.
The competition is open to any photographer or artist using the photographic medium on a regular basis. No age or nationality restrictions apply.

• The competition does not distinguish according to genre; portraits, landscapes, still life, fashion, etc. are all admissible.
• In pursuit of the newcomers of the year, only photographers/artists who have not had a major exhibition in a gallery or cultural institution of international importance may take part.
• Please note that collective submissions – made by two or more artists – are acceptable providing the authors work on a regular basis together and have built a body of work together.

FORMAT
The competition consists of 2 rounds of evaluation:
First round: Entries must be submitted by email at the latest on September 20, 2020 23:59 +3 GMT (see details below). Following this first round, the festival committee will make an initial selection of 10 participants to deliver to the jury. On September 24, 2020 at the latest all entrants will be informed whether they have been selected for the second round, or not.
Second round: 10 selected participants will be evaluated by the jury. All participants of the second round will be informed of the results on October 10, 2020 during the festival.
In order to participate, please adhere to the following steps:

ROUND ONE
Submit your photographs by email by September 20, 2020 23:59 +3 GMT at the latest.
Fill the entry form available on the website www.212photographyistanbul.com
Complete the entry form.
Select a minimum of 5, a maximum of 10 recent images from your work. Images should ideally be selected from 2 or 3 distinctive series. Compress the file and submit (zip file). You will receive an e-mail to the address you have provided in the form once your submission is received successfully.
Files must adhere to the following conditions: digital files in PNG, JPG or PNG format at 72 dpi, RGB, 1080 pixels high if in portrait format, 1920 pixels wide if in landscape format.
Each file must be named according to the following manner: surname_first name_seriestitle_01.jpg
(e.g.: smith_john_thesis_01.jpg for the first file, smith_john_interiors_20.jpg for the twentieth etc.)
 
This application must be sent at the latest on September 20, 2020 23:59 +3 GMT.
We aim to be as honest and transparent as possible, and should you have any concerns or questions about our process, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at any time.
ROUND TWO
10 selected participants will be evaluated by the jury. All participants of the second round will be informed of the results on October 10, 2020 during the festival.

RULES & CONDITIONS
Please read these carefully and ensure your entry complies with them. Doing so is your best chance of winning.
 
1. 212 Photography Competition: General information
1.1 By entering the 212 Photography Competition competition (hereafter ‘Competition’) the entrant agrees to these binding terms.
1.2 212 PRODUKSİYON İLET. FİLM TANITIM HİZ. SAN. VE TİC. LTD. ŞTİ. (Company Number: BEYOĞLU V.D. / VERGI NO: 001 049 7348), trading as 212 Photography Competition is full operator of the competition, and their team administers all of the proceedings (hereafter referred to as ‘Admin’).
1.3 The Competition is not open to anyone involved with the 212 Photography Competition organisation, this includes: employees or staff members of 212 Studio, Yapı Kredi bomontiada and Dogus Group, consultants, sponsors, judges and artists exhibiting during the festival, national and international event hosts.
1.4 All entries must be submitted electronically, and directly through www.212photographyistanbul.com
1.5 All contact from entrants regarding the competition or these terms must be made through contact@212photographyistanbul.com
 
2. Image Rights
2.1 All entries must be in the sole ownership of the entrant and not infringe on the copyright of any other party.
2.2 All entries must be made by the individual whose details are presented with the submission.
2.3 The copyright ownership will remain with the owner after submission and will not be transferred to the Admin.
2.4 The owner of the copyright will be credited in any instance of publication in any media form using their names as provided by them in their submission(s).
2.5 If applicable to the instance, the Admin may also add a hotlink or web pathway to the credit text for the photographic website of the copyright owner. These links will always be the same as those submitted on the entry and Admin are under no obligation to update such information. This responsibility rests solely with the entrant.
2.6  The owner of the copyright agrees to grant Admin a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to reproduce, publish and exhibit their images upon entering the competition. This license specifically applies ONLY to instances that directly involve the competition and the display of the photographs at national and international public events under the name of the 212 Photography Istanbul (Festival). This licence extends but is not limited to cover usage on the Admin website, publicity, email transmission, print media and Admin operated social media. The Admin has the right to use photographs within the frame of the brand collaborations determined upon mutual agreements between the brands and the festival (212 Photography Istanbul). No merchandising or profiteering will be undertaken without seeking separate agreement from the entrant.
2.7 Instances where Admin requires the transmission of copyrighted material for the printing of publicity posters, banners or leaflets and guides, as well as associated publicity, are also to be accepted under this agreement.
2.8 The copyright owner also gives permission for the Admin to send their copyrighted property (image files and captions) to judges on the Admin backend systems to facilitate the judging process.
2.9. In cases of inadvertent uncredited disclosure to the public domain of any material the Admin can take no responsibility. Every effort will be made to ensure that this does not become an eventuality.
 
3. Conditions of Entry
3.1 All entries must be received by the deadline of September 20, 2020 at 23:59 +3 GMT.
3.2 By entering the Competition the entrant acknowledges that this in no way grants them any intellectual property rights over the 212 PHOTOGRAPHY ISTANBUL or the Competition itself. They agree to not use any names, logos or any other intellectual property or make any public statement regarding either Admin of the Competition without gaining prior written consent from Admin.
3.3 Admin places full responsibility with the entrant to having read these terms at the time of entry. Entering the Competition is considered as acceptance of these terms.
3.4 Admin retains the right to disqualify any entrant at any stage and for any reason. These reasons may include, but are not limited to, intellectual property theft, crude or abusive behaviour, dishonest representation and failure to abide by the rules laid out here.
3.5 In the event of disqualification from the Competition the entrant will be offered no prizes or compensation.
3.6 The decision of the Admin is final in all matters pertaining to the competition and no negotiation will be entered into with any entrant or associated parties.
3.7 The Admin reserve the right to waive a breach of any of the rules at their sole discretion.
3.8 By entering the Competition, all entrants agree to maintain the highest standards in all matters relating to the Competition and not bring Admin into disrepute. Behaviour that causes damage to the reputation of the Competition, other entrants, partners, charities, supporters, sponsors or associated parties may lead to the entrant’s disqualification, lifetime banning and further legal action depending on the scale of the infraction.
 
4. File Upload Specifications
4.1 All entries must be submitted in digital JPEG format.
4.2 All entries submitted to the Competition should be 1920 pixels at the longest dimension and be no larger than 3 MB.
4.3 Entries should be saved at a quality level of at least 7 in Photoshop or Lightroom in the colour format of Adobe RGB (1998).
4.4 It is left to the entrant to ensure that the image meets with these requirements by saving the files with no watermarks, stencil, borders or signatures on the image file itself.
4.5 Failure to adhere to these rules may lead to immediate disqualification of the infringing images with no further notice or reasoning given.
4.6 On the second round high resolution files may be requested of entrants who have been selected by the judges and Admin should be in TIFF format if possible, or JPEG. and should be in 8-bit Adobe RGB. They should be cropped the same, and in the same colours as the original JPEG entry. Entrants are requested not to upscale their work.
4.8 Entries that cannot be authenticated or are not of an acceptable quality may be discounted from the Competition by Admin at any time.
4.9 Entries deemed by Admin to have been unrelated to a given theme may be disqualified without notice given.
4.10 Entries into this Competition do not have to have been taken in the Competition year and can be from any time in the past.
 
5. Image Manipulation and Authenticity Assurance
5.1 Image manipulation of digital files that include, HDR, focus stacking, noise reduction, dodging, burning, dust spot removal, sharpening, contrast, tone, and multiple exposure layering (provided that they were all taken in the same session in the same location) are permitted. Details must be provided in the caption at the time of entry for all of the above.
5.2 All EXIF data should be kept intact on the files submitted. EXIF Data which has been modified, is corrupted or missing will be flagged and will lead to the image being disqualified from the Competition.
5.3 Image wide contrast and brightness adjustments, saturation, exposure lens profiling and colour temperature tweaking are exempt from necessary mention in the caption submission and should be considered as commonplace tweaking, and are permitted without the need for acknowledgement.
5.4 All entries that Admin suspects to have been tampered with, falsified or are found to be illegal (under the above rules) may be disqualified from the Competition.
5.5 All entries must be free from the addition of false or unrelated data that does not originate from the initial picture.
5.6 All entries must be a complete record of all that was in the picture to begin with. With the exception of dust spot removal, this pertains to the removal of people, animals, items, objects or parts of objects being completely forbidden.
 
6. The Judging Process
6.1 On the first round, the judging is performed by a committee formed by Admin, on the second round it is performed by a panel of 10 independent judges. These judges are selected by Admin and are appointed to their role by Admin. The competition that the judges will decide on are the shortlist (2nd round) of 10 winners.
6.2 Once Admin has presented the vetted folders of images of the 10 shortlist winners, the judges decide on the photographs that progress to the winners level of the Competition. These images are stored securely and the winners, and winner is to be selected a day before the festival, on the first week of  October 2020.
6.3 After selecting one winner, a runner up award will also be offered to the shortlisted (2nd round) 10 entries.
6.4 Admin reserves the right to disqualify images for any reason throughout the Competition: this includes, but is not limited to explicit or inappropriate imagery, ethical breaches, improper formatting and behaviour of the entrant in matters regarding the competition.
6.5 After the final round of judging is complete, the panel will have selected one overall winner from the 10 shortlisted entries.
6.6 The 212 Photography Prize is the highest prize awarded and no ultimate winner will be selected.
6.7 Judges are placed under a non-disclosure agreement that lasts for the duration of the Competition, and their association with the Admin. Under this agreement, they are forbidden to discuss the competition mechanics, internal image sharing systems, administrative particulars or divulge private personal details of those involved with anyone (including: entrants, sponsors, persons relating to press or media outlets.) Any permission to do so must be properly obtained from Admin in writing ahead of time.
6.8. Notification that an entrant’s photography has been selected for an award is done so in the strictest confidence. Entrants are forbidden to disclose any details of any winning entries to any third party in any way including social media until the Admin grants them written permission to do so.
6.9 Admin retains the right to add to or replace any number of the Competition judges at their sole discretion at any stage.
 
7. Ethical Requirements
7.1 Admin respects the rights of nature, and laws of the Republic of Turkey. As such any or all breaches of these codes may be grounds for removal from the competition on a permanent basis without appeal or negotiation offered.
7.2 Entrants are expected to be honest and genuine with their submissions.
7.3 The entrant retains full responsibility for obtaining any permissions needed to display the content of their picture in the national Competition, or on the Admin website. This includes abiding by national and international law, seeking permits and permissions for accessing the land on which the photograph was taken and the rights to any or all brands, faces or persons featured in their work being legally sought. Admin accepts no responsibility for those entrants that fail to do this and as such is freed of liabilities associated with such infractions.
7.4 Entrants to the Competition must ensure that their entries do not attempt to mislead the judges, Admin or, eventually, the public about the nature of reality.
7.5 All entrants must ensure their submissions have been ethically obtained. This includes respect for nature, habitat, animals, personal property and trespass laws. Any suspected serious destruction of habitat or personal property that is suspected in an attempt to capture an image will not be tolerated and will result in the submission and the entrant being removed from the competition.
7.6 All content within the mandated associated description of any entry must be truthful, complete and accurate. It must not mislead or omit details that may later be detrimental to the judging process.
 
8. Data Protection
8.1 All personal data collected by Admin will be managed and protected in accordance of the 6698 Personal Data Protection Law of the Turkish Republic.
8.2 Personal Data will be collected in a way pertinent to the facilitating of the Competition as laid out on the submissions form.
8.3 Entrants’ contact email address and name data will be stored and added to a mailing list that will solely involve the competition, the magazine and the studio itself and associated activity.
8.4 Entrants may contact the Admin at any time to delete or update their details on Admin record. Should they simply wish to unsubscribe from the mailing list then this facility will be made available to them.
 
9. Publicity
9.1 By entering into the Competition the entrant acknowledges that Admin reserve the right to use their name and likeness for the purposes of advertising and publicity for the competition and potentially in the final exhibition. Each entrant would be expected to come and receive their award(s) in person should they be successful. Some additional compensation may be offered depending on travel requirements, but Admin has no direct responsibility to provide same.