Name and ownership

The name of the competition is Arctic Biodiversity "Through the Lens" and is organized and owned by the Conservation of Arctic Fauna and Flora (CAFF) Secretariat. CAFF is a the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council and has the mandate to address the conservation of Arctic biodiversity, and to communicate its findings to the governments and residents of the Arctic, helping to promote practices which ensure the sustainability of the Arctic’s living resources.

Goal

The photography competition is intended to raise awareness of the importance of Arctic biodiversity, raise awareness of the multiple challenges facing Arctic biodiversity and to celebrate the beauty of the Arctic. Furthermore, the goal of the competition is to raise awareness about the Arctic Biodiversity Congress and the recently released Arctic Biodiversity Assessment.     

Participants

The competition is open to all photography enthusiasts from across the world, but is specifically aimed at submissions from Arctic residents with a special focus on young people and indigenous communities.

The competition will be accept submissions from two groups of people:

• an adult competition, open to photographers aged 18 and over,
• youth category which is for photographers under the age of 18 and under the age of 14

The competition is divided into four different themes (see below Compeition categories). Contestants can enter up to 7 images per theme

Competition categories

Competition categories

• A) Arctic biodiversity - Images of migratory and resident wildlife inhabiting the Arctic regions
• B) Landscape in the Arctic- Images of the natural habitat, scenery and landscapes of the Arctic
• C) People of the North – Images showing daily life, culture and ethnography of the inhabitants of the Arctic
• D) Business and science in the Arctic – Images of showing modern technology, business, research and logistics carried out in the Arctic  

• There is one winner in each category (A-E) which will receive a prize, with one overall competition winner which receives the grand prize. Youth entering this category can submit up to seven images. The judging committee will determine two "youth" winners one under the age of 14 and one under the age of 18 which will be chosen among submissions and receive a prize

Distribution of images

The major output of the competition is a traveling photo exhibition of winning and select entries. The exhibition will have its grand opening at the Arctic Biodiversity Congress, 2-4 December 2014 in Trondheim, Norway. Afterwards the exhibition will travel to various Arctic countries and communities.

Rights and ownership of images belong to entrants. However, by entering the competition, the entrant grants the Organisers (CAFF) a non-exclusive, irrevocable license and permission to reproduce, publish and communicate the winning images in relation to the competition and the Arctic Biodiversity Congress for the duration of two years in case of the competition exhibition for a duration of five years, starting from the date winners are announced. This public communication may use worldwide media including electronic and print mechanisms and tools. Entrants agree to permit CAFF to exhibit their awarded image(s) at the Arctic Biodiversity Congress and in a further Arctic tour. Authors will always be credited when their images are used. Once the Arctic Biodiversity Congress, the competition exhibition and competition is finalized all publications containing an image of the competition may be reprinted freely. If CAFF is interested in re-using some of the images after the two year period negotiations will be entered into with the individual photographer.

Photography organizing committee

Kári Fannar Lárusson and Courtney Price (CAFF International Secretariat), Courtney Price (CAFF International Secretariat) , Carsten Egevang (ARC-PIC.com), Lawrence Hislop (UNEP GRID-Arendal). 

Judging committee

There is one winner in each category (A-D), with one overall competition winner.

Winning entries will be determined by a judging committee: Carsten Egevang (head judge), Paul Nicklen, Cristina Mittermeier, Einar Guðmann, Mark Graham, Lawrence Hislop, Kári Fannar Lárusson, Courtney Price.

Sponsors

The Arctic Biodiversity Photography Competition is sponsored by the following organizations