Being aware of social inequalities and their pervasive effect on well-being and societal functioning is pivotal to the development of a solution. However, social inequalities and disadvantages are often hidden from our eye or difficult to pinpoint if we have not experienced them first hand.

In (UN)PRIVILEGED Photo Contest, we ask contestants to capture through their lens the gap between privilege and disadvantage. Contestants submit their photos, which will be judged by a panel composed by the professional photographer Mark Nixon, a representative of WIRI and a Representative of TCD.

The selected submissions will be announced on June 30th 2022 during a final in-person event which will comprise an exhibition showcasing the shortlisted photographs and a seminar by Prof. Yekaterina Chzhen, who will be presenting her research results about the effects of social inequalities on individuals and society. The winner will be announced at the end of the final event and the prize will be awarded on the same occasion.

By combining arts and science we aim to prompt a well-rounded reflection by activating both the emotional and rational path in our minds, favouring a balanced thinking process that will include both empathetic and analytic reasoning. By raising awareness in our audience, we aim to prompt people to strive to reduce social inequality in their everyday life by taking actions, even small ones.

Terms & Conditions

(UN)PRIVILEGED Photo Contest begins April 8th, 2022, and ends May 18th, 2022, at 5:00 PM Irish Standard Time. By submitting an entry, each contestant agrees to the rules of the contest and states that he or she is 18 years old or older.

Who may enter:

(UN)PRIVILEGED Photo Contest is open to photographers who are 18 years old or older. The organisers will determine winners’ eligibility in its sole discretion.

What to enter:

Your photo should capture the contrast between privilege and disadvantage, highlighting the consequences of this gap.

Your photo should be:

Either in black or white, or in colour – it’s up to you

Have a minimum size of 3600 x 2400 pixels (300dpi), as photos will be printed in large format

Submitted as a JPEG file

Accompanied by the photographer’s name, surname, country, and email; the title, date and location of the photograph

Accompanied by a brief caption that explains the context of the photo, and details how it represents the contrast between privilege and disadvantage (must be 100 words or fewer). For the shortlisted photos, the caption will be printed showcased at the exhibition alongside each printed photo.

To be eligible, a photograph must have been shot by the entrant since January 1, 2019. This date applies to all images in a composite. By submitting one or more entries, the contestant certifies that s/he is the sole creator and copyright owner of the submitted photograph/s.

Cropped photos are eligible in all categories. We do not accept digitally or otherwise enhanced or altered photos. Minor adjustments, including the removal of sensor dust or scratches on scans of negatives, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast, toning, slight colour adjustment and conversion to grayscale are acceptable for all categories. However, the addition and subtraction of objects is not permitted. If the judges determine that a photographer has altered his or her photo, they reserve the right to disqualify it. 

For a photo in which a person is recognizable, you must be prepared to provide a model release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parent or guardian, to the organisers upon request. A sample model release is available here.

Similarly, entrants whose photos depict other people’s work (such as sculptures, statues, paintings, and other copyrightable works) must be prepared to provide a release from the rights holder to the organisers upon request. When photographing the work of others, it must be as an object in its environment and not a full-frame close-up of another person's creation. A sample art release is available here.

Entries must not contain names, likenesses, or other characteristics identifying celebrities or other public figures, living or dead.

If the entrant is unable to provide all required releases, the organisers in their sole discretion reserves the right to disqualify the submission, seek to secure the required releases, or permit the submission to remain in the contest.

Photos that violate or infringe upon another person's rights, including but not limited to copyright, are not eligible.

Photos that contain sexually explicit, nude, obscene, violent or other objectionable or inappropriate content, as determined by the organisers in their sole discretion, are ineligible for the contest.

Photos that promote stereotypical views of race, ethic groups, gender, disability, socioeconomic status or other vulnerable categories, as determined by the organisers in their sole discretion, are ineligible for the contest.

The organisers reserve the right to disqualify any entry that does not comply with these terms and conditions.

Ethics

Entrants must be ready to disclose the circumstances under which an image was captured as well as any instructions given to a subject.

The welfare of a subject and its environment must be placed ahead of the desire to capture a photograph. Upon entering the contest, entrants certify that subjects were treated with respect and dignity, and that no people, wildlife or the environment were harmed in creating a photograph.

If baiting was used to attract wildlife, or special equipment such as camera traps and drones used to capture the photograph, this must be disclosed. Live baiting of wildlife is not permitted. 

How to Enter:

Please submit photographs and requested information online via email or WeTransfer at womeninresearchireland@gmail.com with the object “(UN)PRIVILEGED_PhotoSubmission-YourName”. You may submit up to 2 photographs. The filename should match the object of the email followed by a number (1 or 2) in case of multiple submissions.

By emailing your entry to womeninresearchireland@gmail.com you acknowledge and accept the Terms and Conditions of the contest.

We do not accept photographs submitted through the mail and do not accept more than one contestant per e-mail address. High-quality scans of non-digital photographs are acceptable. Digital photographs should be taken at the highest resolution possible.

Finalists must be prepared to submit an original, unedited digital file or an original negative, print or slide alongside the photograph’s metadata, if requested. The organisers reserves the right to disqualify incomplete entries and/or contestants who are unable to fulfil this request.

You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant Women in Research Ireland and Trinity College Dublin permission to use the images for advertising purposes on websites and social media as well as make physical copies for the purpose of showcasing the submitted photographs. Any reproduction will credit the photographer. 

Entry deadline:

The contest begins on April 8th, 2022. All entries must be received through the email womeninresearchireland@gmail.com by 5:00 PM Irish Standard Time on May 18th, 2022.

Judging and selection process:

Photo entries will be judged based on creativity, quality, originality, responsiveness to the prompt and overall impact.

The judges panel will select the finalists and the overall winner. The finalists will be notified of their status via email. The winner will be announced at the final event which will take place on June 30th.

The organisers will notify participants of the shortlist decisions via the contact information provided at the time of entry; the organisers may disqualify anyone who fails to respond to the notification within five business days. The organisers will announce the winner at the in-person event and on their website and social media but this decision will not be notified by email. The judges decision is final and they do not enter into communication relating to entries. Please do not contact us about the status of entries or judging.

Prizes:

The winner will receive a professional waterproof camera bag and a 50 euro voucher to be spent in a camera shop. The prize is awarded “as is” and non-transferable. 

Online Features:

The organisers may select photos for highlight on their website or display in a publicly accessible contest archive. Such selections will be made at the Organisers’ sole discretion.

Conditions of Entry:

All entrants hold the organisers and their respective regents, directors, officers, employees, emeriti, fellows, interns, research associates, and volunteers (the “Indemnified Parties”) harmless from and against all claims of any nature arising in connection with entrant’s participation in the contest and acceptance or use of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not liable for any costs, damages, injuries, or other claims incurred as a result of entrants’ participation in the contest or winner’s acceptance and usage of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not responsible for incomplete or misdirected entries, technical or network malfunctions or failures, or causes beyond their control. Entrants are solely responsible for their entries. Entrants may not submit materials that introduce any software viruses, worms or other programs designed to damage software, hardware or telecommunications equipment or are off-topic, partisan-political, contain advertising, nudity, personal attacks or expletives, or is otherwise abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, discriminatory, libelous, obscene, false, sexually explicit, or that infringes on the rights of any third party.

The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. The organisers reserve the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at their discretion. In the event of a dispute regarding the winner, the organisers reserve the right to award or not award the prizes in their sole discretion. The organisers reserve the right to disqualify any entrant whose entry or conduct appears in any way to: inhibit the enjoyment of others; tamper with the competition; violate these rules or other applicable law or regulation; infringe on the rights of third parties; or act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Decisions of the organisers are final and binding.

If you have any questions concerning these terms and conditions please contact us at womeninresearchireland@gmail.com

Documents: 

- Sample Model Release.pdf

- Sample Art Release.pdf