The reputation and credibility of the Wedding Photojournalist Association rests, to a large extent, in our members' hands. It is absolutely critical that photographers be truthful and honest in each and every image they submit in WPJA photography contests. We emphasize that the truthfulness of each image submitted is paramount.
PLEASE DO NOT MANIPULATE YOUR ENTRIES.
ELIGIBILITY OF ENTRANTS:
The WPJA Photo Competitions are open to Wedding Photojournalist Association (“WPJA”) members who are active and in good standing with the organization at the time of entry and announcement of the winners, who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at time of entry, and who agree to the terms in these Official Rules. Employees, officers and directors of the WPJA or any of their affiliates, and their immediate family members, are excluded. The Contest is subject to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and is void where prohibited.
ELIGIBILITY OF IMAGES FOR SUBMISSION:
1. Members submitting images for the Contests are solely responsible for ensuring their Membership does not expire between the Contest submission deadline and the announcement of the Contest winners. All winning images from Members that have let their Membership expire during the above mentioned time will be removed from the results prior to the WPJA making the Contest live on the WPJA site.
2. There is a limit of 10 FREE entries per contest. Members may NOT purchase any additional credits.
3. Images submitted for the Contest must have been from weddings photographed between January 1 and December 31 of 2024. No images may be submitted from previous years.
4. Previously awarded WPJA contest images are not eligible. (Example: If you won a blue medallion, you can't enter the image again). Members may re-enter images submitted in previous 2024 WPJA contests if the images were not awarded.
5. Contest entries must be submitted electronically through the Contest upload section on the WPJA's website (wpja.com). Images submitted in any other manner shall not be eligible for the Contest.
6. Each entrant shall be solely responsible to ensure that all entries are uploaded to the WPJA site before each contest deadline.
7. An entrant may only enter images that were created by the entrant. Entrants may not enter images on behalf of non-WPJA members, nor may they submit images created by any person other than themselves, even if such person is a WPJA member.
8. Images submitted to the Contest must have been obtained from actual weddings and only from the wedding ceremony day itself.
9. Images must be suitable for all ages; any image deemed by the WPJA, in its sole discretion, to be obscene, suggestive or otherwise unsuitable for all ages will be disqualified.
10. No Portraits or Details. Moments will be competing against Moments in these open contests without any competition from Portrait and Details. Images created in situations controlled by the photographer, and guided by instructions such as "stand here," "look there," "do this," or "do that again," shall be considered Portraits.
11. Images submitted to the Contest must not have been altered excessively either in-camera, with filters, or with digital capture effects, developmentally or electronically.
Images manipulated through the use of toning, increased saturation or desaturation, selective sharpening and/or blurring, cloning, or blemish removal are not eligible for entry. Images in which the focus or perspective have been manipulated by lens effects (e.g., tilting, shifting, or swinging) are also not allowed. This includes, though is not limited to, bellow attachments, tilt shift lenses, photographer-provided mirrors, prisms, etc. Additionally, whenever contest entries reveal visible manipulation — such as overt saturation or desaturation, or excessive dodging or burning — or if they have muddy highlights and washed out shadows, judges will likely set these aside. Excessive selective burning (e.g., where the background or edge features get darkened beyond reasonable available light for the environment) or a heavy hand with dodging (e.g., creating glowing and unnatural facial tones) will also be red flags for our judges. However, print production or display preparations, such as cropping and color to black and white conversions, are acceptable, as are slight adjustments to levels and curves.
12. PLEASE DO NOT ENTER ANY SEPIA OR OTHER TONED/TINTED IMAGES IN THIS CONTEST.
13. Contest image submissions must not include text, a watermark or border treatments.
14. Only single images may be entered. Double exposures, sequential shots, or collages are not allowed.
15. Photographers should not enter multiple images that have nearly identical subject matter. This includes images from a sequence depicting the same subject(s) and/or action(s) with little change to the content.
16. Members should not submit images where their own likeness is included in the form of a shadow or reflection.
The WPJA reserves the right to revise these contest rules without prior notice or announcement, in the best interest of the organization.
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR (POY)
The WPJA proudly recognizes the Photographer of the Year (POY), that member holding the most contest points at the end of each year.
PUBLICITY:
By entering the Contest, each entrant grants the WPJA a worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to use the submitted images to promote the WPJA and its members through the organization’s public websites, social media and email communications. The WPJA may seek the photographer’s permission to publish the Contest-winning images in newsletters, books, magazines, newspapers, CDs, or other media. Entrants retain all other rights in the submitted images.
ENTRANT’S RELEASE:
ENTRANTS: (1) ACKNOWLEDGE ACCEPTANCE OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND AGREE TO ADHERE TO AND BE BOUND BY THEM, AND (2) RELEASE, DISCHARGE AND HOLD HARMLESS, THE WPJA AND THEIR PAST AND PRESENT DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, OWNERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND AFFILIATED ENTITIES, REPRESENTATIVES, PARTNERS, ASSIGNS, AND SUCCESSORS, FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, DEBTS, LIABILITIES, DEMANDS, OBLIGATIONS, COSTS, FEES, EXPENSES, ACTIONS AND CAUSES OF ACTION WHATSOEVER, OF EVERY NATURE, CHARACTER AND DESCRIPTION (COLLECTIVELY, "CLAIMS"), KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: (A) ANY HUMAN, TYPOGRAPHICAL, PRINTING OR OTHER ERROR RELATING TO OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ERRORS THAT MAY OCCUR IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONTEST, THE PROCESSING OF ENTRIES, THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PRIZES OR IN ANY CONTEST–RELATED MATERIALS; (B) LATE, LOST, MISDIRECTED, INCOMPLETE OR DAMAGED ENTRIES; (C) THE QUALITY OF THE PUBLISHED IMAGES; (D) THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE WPJA; OR (E) ANY CONDITION CAUSED BY EVENTS THAT MAY CAUSE THE CONTEST TO BE DISRUPTED OR TERMINATED.
ENTRANT’S INDEMNIFICATION:
BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, EACH ENTRANT EXPRESSLY AGREES TO AT ALL TIMES DEFEND, HOLD HARMLESS, AND INDEMNIFY THE WPJA FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL THIRD PARTY CLAIMS (INCLUDING REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND DISBURSEMENTS) THAT: (A) ANY SUBMITTED IMAGE INFRINGES ON SUCH THIRD PARTY’S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS; AND (B) THAT ANY SUBMITTED IMAGE WAS PUBLISHED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE SUBJECT(S) IN SUCH IMAGE.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY:
1. THE WPJA IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR AND SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:
To the extent that the Contest is offered and administered through the Internet, the WPJA website, and through e-mail, the WPJA shall not be responsible or liable if the Internet, any website, or e-mail, is not capable of properly functioning, for any reason, nor shall the WPJA be responsible or liable for, nor do the WPJA make any representations or warranties regarding: (1) infection of the entrant’s computer or other electronic device by computer virus(es) or other malicious code, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, vandalism, or any other cause beyond the control of the WPJA which corrupts or affects the security, integrity, or proper administration of the Contest; and (2) any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay, faulty transmission or communication, provider failure(s), destruction, or unauthorized access to any Contest activities conducted or information transmitted via the Internet; (3) any technical malfunction of any networks, telephone lines, cable networks, cable lines, on-line Contest upload systems, servers, equipment, or software; (4) any failure to timely receive an entry due to technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, phone, DSL, or cable lines, or any combination thereof; and (5) any injury or damage to a Contest entrant’s computer or peripheral equipment or software related to or resulting from participation in the Contest.
2. The WPJA reserves the right to, in its sole discretion, cancel, modify, or suspend the Contest at any time for fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond their reasonable control that impairs the integrity of the Contest (or a portion thereof), as determined by WPJA in its sole discretion. The WPJA also reserves the right to revoke the prize of any entrant, at any time prior to the publication of such prize-winning image, or after, if in the WPJA’s judgment, the entrant did not adhere to these Contest Rules, or acts in a manner that is offensive, harassing, threatening, repugnant, or otherwise unsuitable for the purposes of the Contest or the reputations of the WPJA. The WPJA Photo Contest is conducted in the English language only.
WPJA CONTEST CODE OF ETHICS
The Wedding Photojournalist Association upholds the highest level of ethical standards, especially in the area of our wedding photography contests. Our code of ethics is not only an essential factor for the success and credibility of our contests; it reflects our values and ideals as wedding photojournalists.
WPJA CODE OF ETHICS: The purpose of the WPJA is to celebrate photographers who creatively document and record the found moment. Therefore all wedding photography images submitted in a WPJA contest must be true representations of what actually took place the moment the shutter was released. We are absolutely uncompromising in our conviction that contest images come from situations unprompted by the photographer, except in the case of portraits.
