© Martin Harvey / WWF 

This competition is now closed.

Background

According to the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP), Myanmar is widely considered one of the most vulnerable countries in the world in terms of the impact of climate change. More intense and frequent floods, cyclones and droughts have caused immense loss of life and damage to infrastructure and the economy, putting Myanmar’s renowned biodiversity and natural resources under increasing pressure. Compared to many other countries in the region, Myanmar is currently much less prepared to respond to the challenges of global heating. 

The United Kingdom hosts the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, from 30 October to 12 November 2021. To support COP26 ambitions, the British Council is working with partners worldwide to provide a platform for global climate co-operation, dialogue, and action.

‘Myanmar’s Hope for its Natural Environment’ is a photography competition to capture visions of a thriving natural environment in Myanmar. This competition is organized by British Council Myanmar in partnership with WWF-Myanmar. The aim of this competition is share positive images of Myanmar’s natural spaces that inspire others to conserve and improve them.

Competition entry

By entering the competition, you agree to the provisions of these terms and conditions and to comply fully with them.

The competition is open to anyone currently based in Myanmar. Please note that British Council and WWF staff are not eligible to compete.

If you are under the age of 18, you must have permission to enter from a parent or legal guardian. By submitting an entry for the competition, your parent/guardian is deemed to have given such consent and to agree to the use of the entry as described in these terms and conditions.

The competition opens at 10 a.m. (UK time) on 10 November 2021 and closes on 10 December 2021. Submissions received after this time will not be eligible. 

Your entry must be submitted digitally via this form. No other forms of entry will be accepted.

By submitting images to British Council Myanmar, each entrant confirms and warrants that:

  • they are the sole creator of each entry and that it is their original work;
  • they own the copyright and any other intellectual property rights of each image;
  • they have the permission of anyone pictured in the image (or, where the image shows any persons, the consent of their parent/guardian) for the usage rights required by the British Council

Usage Rights

By entering the competition, you grant to British Council Myanmar and WWF the right to reproduce, publish or exhibit, on any media, the photograph(s) for any purpose that relates to the competition. No fees will be payable to entrants for any of the above uses. British Council Myanmar will ensure that name credits are given to any photograph published in any medium.

Entry Guidelines

There are two categories in this competition: Professional* and Amateur**. 

* A Professional photographer is an individual who has invested in professional photography equipment and is regularly renumerated for their photographic work; they see this work as a primary source of income on a freelance or full-time basis. 

** An Amateur photographer is a person who take photos purely for pleasure.

Some examples for eligible photos are a tree growing strong through the concrete cracks in an urban neighbourhood, a bee on a flower, rainwater being collected, crops being harvested, a hornbill flying high and etc. 

For both categories, entry is limited to original works that have not formerly been displayed or exhibited in any visual medium (including advertising, stock photos, and on social networking service accounts, etc.) and for which the entrant holds all applicable rights.

  1. Works that have won prizes in other contests or that have been submitted to other contests currently underway, including similar works, are not eligible. Even works that are entered in other competitions after submission to this contest will be regarded as having been submitted to other contests currently underway. 
  2. The limit for submitted work is 1 photo per each contestant.
  3. Works that are identical or similar to another submitted work as well as works including identical or similar works submitted as separate works are ineligible for submission.

Guidelines for the professional and amateur categories

Image data files created with any device capable of taking still images, including mobile phones and digital still cameras (including medium and large-format digital cameras). 

Images that have been retouched using camera apps, photo editing apps, other software, etc. will be accepted. 

Both color and monochrome images will be accepted. 

  • File size: up to 16 MB of image data per work
  • Image data file format: JPEG/150 dpi recommended 
  • The standard colour space for the judging process is sRGB.
  • Entrants must hold all applicable rights to the final image, including any retouching or other image processing

For both categories, entrants are allowed to compete with photos taken after 1 January 2019.

Part of the competition entry requirements involve completing two sentences in the application form using either Myanmar or English language.

Note: Winners from the professioanl category might be asked to provide higher resolution images for publication or display purposes related to the contest. 

Note: Professional photographers are not allowed to compete in the amateur category.

Judging for the professional and amateur categories

Both written submissions and photographs will be assessed. The winners will be selected by a panel of the British Council, WWF-Myanmar, national and international photographers, and local organisations involved with culture and the environment. All entries will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Originality + Creativity of photo (20%)
  • Photo Composition + Technical skills (20%)
  • Adherence or appropriateness to the theme of a positive vision for Myanmar’s natural environment (60%: 30% photo + 30% written submission)

1st Round of Judging based on Originality, Creativity and Adherence to the theme.
2nd Round of Judging based on Composition and Technical Skills.

Award Terms and Conditions

  1. Three winners will be selected for both the Professional and Amateur categories, and they will be announced on the British Council Myanmar Facebook page by the end of January 2022. 
  2. Winners in both the Professional and Amateur categories will receive.
  • 1st winner – £1,000 to support an environmental action of your choice and a two-hour photography masterclass with a professional photographer affiliated with WWF-UK
  • 2nd winner – £750 to support an environmental action of your choice and a two-hour photography masterclass with a professional photographer affiliated with WWF-UK
  • 3rd winner – £500 to support an environmental action of your choice and a two-hour photography masterclass with a professional photographer affiliated with WWF-UK 

3. British Council Myanmar will contact the winner directly by email or/and phone to communicate the result. Financial award will be transferred to the winners’ local bank accounts using the British Council’s monthly bookkeeping rate and the photography masterclass will be likely to take place in February 2022. 

4. Winners will be contacted again by the British Council within 3-6 months to collect their stories on how they have used their improved photography skills and the financial award to support Myanmar’s natural environment. It is not necessary for the winners to submit any receipts. By entering the competition, winners grant to British Council and WWF the right to share the details of how the financial award was spent in public facing communications.
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