Photo Contest Rules

Prizes
Prize details will be announced at the beginning of each contest.


Contest Rules

1. Eligibility
   • All registered and active members that meet the qualifications below are encouraged to participate.
   • Contest prize winners must sit out from the following contest. This gives everyone a chance.
   • Contest judges for a particular month may not submit photos to the contest in that same month.
   • For contest eligibility, members within the same household are treated as one member.
   • Contest sponsors may participate in the photo contest. However, in the case that they win, they must choose a prize from a sponsor they are not affiliated with.
   
   
2. General Rules
   • Members may submit no more than one photo per contest.
   • No specific chameleon may win more than two times in the same given year. This is to help provide variety to the set of contest winners.
   • Members must own the full copyright to any photo they enter into the contest. In most cases, members are the photographer of the photos they enter. This does not limit you to pictures of only your chameleons. Photos taken in the wild, in zoos, or other public areas are acceptable.
   • Photos that have previously been a part of other contests or competitions of any kind are not permitted. If you previously entered a contest on this website and did not place, you may re-enter your photo.
   • Winners may be asked to provide their original unedited photo. Failing to do so would result in disqualification.
   
   
3. Image Format
   • Width: Large photos are preferred. Entries must be at least 1000 pixels wide.
   • Ratio: [smaller side / larger side]
   • Minimum Ratio: >= .56
   • Accepted image extensions: gif, jpg, png
   
   
4. Image Content
   • Photo must be of a chameleon.
   • The chameleon must be in good health (wild chams excluded).
   • The photo must show signs of good husbandry.
   • Photo must be sharp and in focus.
   • No text or watermarks.
   • No borders.
   • Post processing should not be detectable. Natural looking photos that accurately represent the chameleon species is the goal.

Contest System:
There are currently four phases of the contest: photo submission, entry reduction, member voting, and private ranking by judges.

1. Photo Submission
   There is a photo contest category located within the gallery. Submit your contest entries into this category. A minimum of ten eligible photos are required before the photo entry phase ends.
   
   
2. Entry Reduction
   This phase includes the reduction of entries to a more manageable number. Currently, the site administrator chooses, without bias, their favorite photos according to specific criteria.
   
   
3. Member Voting
   All established members may vote on their favorite photo. One vote per person per contest.
   
   
4. Private Judge Ranking
   Ranking by a few judges appointed by the administrator. This phase helps to prevent different forms of abuse.

The Point System
The contest uses a point system for determining contest winners. Each photo entry receives a certain number of points, and the photo with the most points at the end of the contest wins. Photo entries receive points in the member voting and judge ranking phases.

• Member Voting
  First, second, and third place photos receive 5, 3, and 1 points respectively.
  
  
• Judge Ranking
  Each judge assigns points to their three favorite photos according to an objective list of criteria. Each judge gives out 3, 2, and 1 points to their top three photos. Currently there will be 2-3 judges per contest.

How To Enter The Contest
To enter a contest, upload your photo into the appropriate contest gallery.
Link to photo contest gallery
A more detailed description of how to participate will be given at the beginning of each photo contest.


How To Claim A Prize
If you win a photo contest please contact the site administrator and let them know which sponsor you have chosen for your gift certificate. Only sponsors that are currently active may be chosen. Prizes must be claimed within 60 days of the official contest results announcement.
Here is a link to our current sponsors.


Please Note

• These rules are currently in development and will change. If you have any ideas or suggestions, post them in the contest forum.
• If a tie occurs, the public vote will be the tie breaker. If the public vote does not resolve the tie, the contest judges will make a final decision.
• Anyone found to be cheating in any way will be disqualified.
• Any photo that breaks the rules above will be disqualified upon the sole discretion of the administrator.

Legal Terms

• Chameleon Forums reserves the right to use submitted contest images. This could include, but is not limited to, being posted on advertising banners, logos, pamphlets, care sheets, calendars, and any other possible future promotional materials and/or products to help maintain Chameleon Forums.
• Entrant agrees to hold harmless Chameleon Forums and its staff from any claim by any third party relating to any rights in any photograph submitted.
• Entrants agree to abide by these rules and by the decisions of Chameleon Forums, whose decisions are final. Failure to comply with these rules may result in disqualification from the contest. Chameleon Forums reserves the right to permanently disqualify from the Contest any person it believes has intentionally violated these rules.