Who can enter the competition?

The competition is open to photographers working for the media, as well as young aspiring photographers and students up to the age of 26.

Photographers who are permanent residents of the Slovak Republic can enter the categories News, Reportage, Sports, and The World of Art and Culture.

Photographers from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine can enter the categories Daily Life, Long-Term Document, and Environment and Nature.

The category Students and Young Photographers up to 26 Years is open to students and aspiring photographers up to 26 years of age from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine.

The newly established Short Video category is open to video creators from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine.

All categories are open to creators with photographs and videos taken between 21 August  2023 and 7 August 2024. The Long-Term Document category is the only exception. Here the photographs must have been taken during the past 3 years, with at least one of the photographs having been taken during the previous year, i.e., after 21 August 2023.

Entries will be entered into the competition upon the submission of a completed online application form and the payment of the administration fee. Full-time students are not required to pay the administration fee if they indicate the school at which they are studying on the application form.

Registration for the Competition

The registration of photographers and their photographs will take place at >> Registration for the Competition

The requirement for participation in the competition is to fill the online form on the above-mentioned website. Contestants will fill in all the required data in the electronic form. By submitting it, they agree to the rules, terms and conditions of the competition and the processing of the personal data provided. Based on the electronic registration, an entry number will be generated, which will serve as an identifier of the registered contestant.

How to enter the competition?

1. Creating a new application form.
2. Completing and submitting the application form.
3. Payment of the administration fee.

Creating a new application form

In case you haven’t created an application for the 2023 edition of the competition, proceed by clicking on the "Create a new application" button. Then fill in the required information (first name, last name, phone number, email and password).

We need your phone number and email to communicate with you, and you can use the password to be able to log in to your application later if you fill it out multiple times or want to make corrections.

After clicking the "Create a new application" button, you will be presented with an electronic form of your application in progress, which you need to fill in and submit.

Your application number will be displayed at the top of the form. You will need the application number and password you entered when you created your application to re-enter your application.

Opening an Existing Application

In case you have already created an application according to the previous point, you can go back to said application by clicking “Log in to application” at registracia.slovak-press-photo.sk with the application number and your password.

Filling in the Application - Personal Information Section

Fill in all the fields of the electronic application.

Filling in the Application - Additional Information Section

Fill in all the fields of the electronic application. In this section, upload your profile picture.

Filling in the Application - Photography Section

In this section, upload your photos. You must be uploading them into the competition categories as a single photo or a series.

Filling in the Application – Video Section

The deadlines remain the same as for the photography categories.

The short videos will be judged by a three-member international jury appointed by the organiser of the SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO competition. The jury will judge: the journalistic and documentary value of the videos (informativeness, urgency, relevance) and the aesthetic value of the videos. Short videos are submitted to the jury in an electronic form.

In the "Where can we download your video" field, please insert a link to the video and any additional information needed to access the video.

For videos that will be uploaded to online video sharing platforms (Vimeo, Youtube, etc.) and will not be set as public, the access data, or passwords to the video, if any, must be added in the note.

If using video upload platforms (Wetransfer, etc.), a link to download the video should be sent in the "Where can we download your video" field.

A maximum of four finalists will be selected from the videos submitted to determine the winner. The jury may select fewer finalists, and also has the right not to select any of the entries or not to determine a winner.

Video length: up to 15 minutes.

Photo Dimensions

Contestants upload their individual contest photos to the registration system in JPG/JPEG format with the highest possible compression quality and a resolution of at least 2,000 pixels for the shorter side and 3,000 pixels for the longer side of the image (adobe RGB, sRGB).

Photo Series Description

In case you are uploading a photo into a series of photos, you need to provide a description of the series itself. Each photo in the series must also be described separately.

Every photo series must have the following description:

• Title in Slovak language
• Title in English language
• Description in Slovak language
• Description in English language

The title of a series gives a shortened description of the events of said series. The description provides the context of the events or why the series is special and explains the circumstances under which the series was created. The description must indicate whether the photographer influenced the scene in any way or gave any instructions to the subject in the photograph.

Please, write the information provided here in general terms for the entire series of photographs, as you may write specific information and events for each photograph separately.

All the provided information should be both traceable and verifiable.

Description of the Photographs and Credits to the Author

The photographs must not show the name of the photographer, agency or publication or any other details revealing the identity of the photographer (these details may be stored in the meta data of the photographs but must not be visible on the photograph itself).

All the photographs must have truthful and precise descriptions, written in Slovak and English language.

The descriptions must be accurate and not misleading and must answer the basic questions of quality journalism.

Every photograph must have the following description:

• Title in Slovak language
• Title in English language
• Description in Slovak language
• Description in English language
• Date when the photograph was taken

The title of a photograph gives a shortened description of the events of said photograph. The description provides the context of the event or why the photograph is special and explains the circumstances under which the photograph was taken. The description must indicate whether the photographer influenced the scene in any way or gave any instructions to the subject in the photograph.

All the provided information should be both traceable and verifiable.

Photo Editing

Colour editing and grey scale conversion of photographs will only be accepted if the content of the original image is not altered. Conversion of a coloured photograph to black and white, which does not alter the content of the photograph, is permitted in the following cases:

• the changes in colour do not cause a significant change in hue to the extent resulting in a significant departure from the original colour,
• changes in density, contrast, colour and/or saturation may not significantly alter the content of the photograph.

The content of the photographs must not be altered by adding, moving, blurring, or removing people and/or objects from the frame. Only the following exceptions are allowed:

• cropping to remove unnecessary detail is permitted,
• it is permitted to remove dust on the sensor or scratches on scans or negatives.

Multiple exposures, panoramic photos composed of multiple shots, photographs where objects are added or subtracted will not be accepted. Photographs accepted into the competition must be made with a single exposure. In case of any doubts, the jury may request the original image, or an image taken before and after the shot in question. The creators who enter the competition are obliged to provide the organiser with the original files for the purpose of detailed examination if they proceed to the final selection. Failure to provide these files will result in disqualification from the competition.

Photographs must be categorised according to the defined criteria. A maximum of 9 entries, i.e., single photographs and/or series, may be submitted to the competition, up to a maximum of two entries per category. For foreign participants in the 4 selected categories, a maximum of two entries per selected category - i.e., a maximum of 8 entries. A series consists of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 9 shots. The only exception is the Long-Term Document category, where the series consists of a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 18 shots. Each photograph can only be entered once, either as a single photograph or as part of a series. Photographs are uploaded by category as: single photographs - each photograph is identified by a title and a short description; series of photographs (3 to 9 photographs, or 12 to 18 photographs in the Long-Term Document category) - each series is identified by a title and a short description, and the photographs in each series must be identified by a serial number in that series.

Finishing the Registration

When the author has finished entering data, he/she checks all the information uploaded and closes the registration if he/she does not intend to edit it anymore. By closing the registration, the ability to edit or add information or photos will be blocked. Creators whose entries have been excluded from the competition due to a violation of the rules (including the year 2023) will not be able to enter their works in the competition for the next three years. The author who enters the competition by filling in the competition form declares that the work entered in the competition is his/her exclusive copyrighted work or the work of several mentioned authors, and the author is entitled to give his/her consent to its use as a competition work according to the rules of the SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO competition. By completing the electronic application form, the author also grants the competition organiser an exclusive, time and territory unlimited licence/consent to use his/her work for the purposes of the competition and the subsequent exhibition(s) organised by the competition organiser, and to provide the work to other entities for the purposes of exhibitions related to SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO, both without alteration and for processing.

Application Form and Administration Fee

The electronic application must be submitted using the "Submit Application" button and the administration fee must be paid at the same time.

The information about the payment of the administration fee of 27 EUR will be indicated on your electronic application form. The administration fee must be paid by 9 August 2024 at the latest. Full-time students are not required to pay the administration fee if they indicate the school at which they are studying on the application form.

Competition Closing Date

You can enter the competition from 20 June 2024 to 7 August 2024 until 23.59. After this date the registration system will be closed.

How will my photographs be judged?

Each photograph entered in a particular category as a single photograph will be judged as a piece of work with its specific aesthetic and informative qualities. Each series will be judged as an aesthetic and informative piece of work in its entirety, as selected and arranged by the author. In exceptional cases and upon mutual agreement, the jury has the right to choose a photograph from a series and award it as a single, but only in case the original series has not been awarded.

The photographs will be judged anonymously. The photographs must not be labelled in a visible place with the name of the author and of the medium or agency for which they were produced.

The photographs will be judged by a 5-member international jury appointed by the SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO contest organiser. The jury will judge the journalistic qualities of photographs (informativeness, urgency, relevance) and their aesthetic value. The photographs will be presented to the jury in electronic format by contest categories.
In each category, the jury will choose a maximum of four nominees from among singles and series submitted to the competition and will appoint the winners. The jury has the right not to nominate any of the works in a category and not to appoint a winner.

Contest Results and Presentation of Winning Works

The main prize GRAND PRIX will be announced at the press conference after the jury meeting. The nominees will be announced at the latest one week before the awards ceremony. The final results with the names of the winners of SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO 2024 will be announced at the awards ceremony in Bratislava on 19 August. 2024. The awarded works will be presented at the SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO 2024 photography exhibition in a public space on Hviezdoslav square from 19 August 2024 until 31 September 2024.

Processing of Winning Entries

The author grants the organiser the right to convert the electronic format of the competition entry - the photograph - into printed form in the event of being awarded a prize. The organiser undertakes that the photographs will be printed without any modifications in a format suitable for the needs of the exhibition.

By submitting the electronic application form for the SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO 2023, the contestant grants his/her permission to have their personal data processed by the organiser - SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO, s.r.o. – to run the contest and present the winning works by the organiser.

 

Personal Data Protection

In accordance with Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (hereinafter referred to as "the Regulation").

 

Controller’s Data:

SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO, s.r.o., registered seat Björnsonova 16, 811 05 Bratislava, Business ID: 6 844 748, registered in the Commercial Register of the District Court Bratislava l., Section: Sro, Entry: 48302,43 (hereinafter referred to as the “Controller”).

Contact Details - SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO, s.r.o.:

If you have any questions about the processing of personal data, or if you wish to object and exercise the rights of the data subject, you can contact us by e-mail at slovakpressphoto@gmail.com or in writing to the Controller’s address: SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO, s.r.o., Björnsonova 16, 811 05 Bratislava.

 

Rights of Data Subjects:

By providing your data to the Controller you acquire the status of a data subject under Section III of the Regulation, especially

• the right to access your personal data,
• the right to correct your personal data - the Controller will correct (based on request submitted by the data subject (you) or upon Controller’s discretion) any incorrect personal data related to you, without undue delay
• the right to have your personal data deleted, the Controller will without undue delay delete your personal data, provided that at least one of the below occurs:
• the personal data are no longer necessary for the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed,
• the data subject revokes the consent to have his/her data processed, and there is not another legal basis to have such data processed,
• the personal data have been processed illegally,
• personal data must be deleted to comply with the legal duty under the law of the European Union or its member state, depending on the jurisdiction applicable to the event organiser.
• the right to restrict your personal data processing, if
• the data subject does not consider personal data correct and accurate during the period of time when the Controller can verify their accuracy,
• data processing is illegal, the Controller is not willing to delete personal data and requires the restriction of their use instead,
• the Controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of the processing, but the data subject needs them to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
• the right to transfer your personal data,
• the right to object to your personal data processing (data profiling included) and
• the right to be excluded from fully automated decision-making (data profiling included).

At the same time, pursuant to Article 77 of the Regulation, the data subject has the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority, which is the Office for Personal Data Protection of the Slovak Republic, Hraničná 12, 820 07 Bratislava 27.

The data subject may exercise the above rights under the conditions set out in the Regulation.

The Controller must always uphold a legitimate request when technically feasible.

 

The purposes and legal background of personal data processing:

The purpose of the processing of personal data of data subjects who are participants in the competition organised by the Controller is/are:

• the fulfilment of obligations arising from the contractual relationship (Article VI, paragraph 1, point b of the Regulation). Their personal data are processed before concluding the contract and for the duration of the contract,
• keeping records of the participants in the competition (Article VI, paragraph 1, point b of the Regulation),
• proceedings for the fulfilment of a legal obligation of the Data Controller towards institutions, authorities and other institutions or companies (Article VI., paragraph 1, point c of the Regulation), arising from the following laws:
• Act 563/2009 Coll. on Taxes (Tax Act) and on amendments and on Amendments and Additions to Certain Acts, as amended,
• Act No 595/2003 Coll. on Income Tax, as amended,
• Act 395/2002 Coll. on Archiving, Registration and on amendments and supplements to certain acts, as amended,
• Act 431/2002 Coll. on Accounting, as amended,
• sending the newsletter (Article VI, paragraph 1, point a of the Regulation),
• to promote competitions organized by the Data Controller and to publish their results – personal data of the participant will be disclosed in mass media and on Data Controller’s webpage (applicable to the meta-data of photos, too).

 

Data Retention

Your personal data will be kept depending on the purpose they are processed for:
Personal Data Processed for - Personal Data Retention Period
Contractual Rights and Duties - The personal data of the finalists and winners will be processed for the duration of the existence of the SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO Foundation and its eventual successors. The personal data of the other contestants will be disposed of immediately after the end of the competition.
Keeping records of competition participants - 10 years,
Bookkeeping - 10 years,
Newsletter - For the duration of the data subject's consent.
Data Controller’s Legal Duties - Period defined by the respective legal regulations.
Promotion of competitions and disclosure of results - Personal data will be disclosed on Data Controller’s web page according to the document registration rules and in mass media for their duration period.

 

Personal Data Disclosure:

Your personal data are neither disclosed nor provided to third parties unless required by a specific legal regulation or needed to fulfil the contractual duties.

For the fulfilment of contractual obligations, the following entities or groups of entities are authorised to process your personal data (within the meaning of Article 28 of the Regulation):

• THE SLOVAK PRESS PHOTO FOUNDATION, registered seat: Bjömsonova 16, 811 05 Bratislava, Business ID: 50057651, registered in the Register of Foundations of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic under e.203/Na-2022/1124 on 16.11.2015
• graphic designers, copywriters, programmers/web developers, PPC specialists, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) specialists, accountants, and other operators we cooperate with in our activities.

Third Countries: The Data Controller does not intend to transfer your personal data to a third country or an international organization. Automated Decision Making and Profiling: The Data Controller does not apply automated decision making (profiling included) to process clients‘ personal data. Failure to provide personal data prevents the Controller from preparing and concluding a contractual relationship with the data subject and his/her participation in the competition.

 

 

In Bratislava, on 15 May 2024