2008 photo competition

thanks for your interest - the competition has now closed and no new entries can be accepted!

third annual friends of the earth international photo competition

"dreams, hopes and possibilities for a better world"

Friends of the Earth International is excited to announce our third annual photo competition. This international photo competition will gather photos from around the world on the theme of "Dreams, Hopes and Possibilities for Another World" and feature the best shots in our 2009 wall calendar and greeting cards.

what kind of photos are we looking for?

Friends of the Earth International is campaigning for a peaceful and sustainable world, in which societies live in harmony with nature. Around the world, people are helping to bring about this change by protecting traditional wisdom and practices, and by implementing creative new approaches and solutions. People are changing their own lifestyles, and working together in solidarity to change societies. The transition towards a better world is gaining momentum each day.

We want to illustrate these dreams, hope and possibilities in this year's photo competition. We are looking for photos of people around the world who are working for change on the environmental, social, economic or political level - or protecting what is already equitable and sustainable.

We have given some ideas for subjects within the 3 photo categories, but please do use your imagination when taking and submitting photos. Also, we really appreciate photos that show people, in all of the categories!

categories for entries

1)    reclaiming tradition

Photos could include traditional agricultural practices; artisanal production; traditional building methods; community-based forest management; small-scale energy production; local water solutions; and so forth.

2)    innovation for the future

Photos could include ideas, technology and processes that contribute to a sustainable future, for example energy or water saving technologies; sustainable building and architecture; transportation alternatives; re-use, reduction and recycling; sustainable transformation; new models of production and consumption; and so forth.

3)    people and transformation

Photos could include people working collectively to bring about change; changing lifestyles; taking part in cooperatives, local economies, or community supported agriculture; educating others about another world; and so forth.

who can enter?

Our competition is open to everyone, and we particularly encourage young people, women, and people living in the developing world to enter.

when is the deadline for entries?

The deadline for entries is 1 April 2008.

who will judge the photos?

Our panel of judges will include:

• Yann Arthus-Bertrand, world renowned aerial photographer of the planet's ecosystems (www.yannarthusbertrand.org).
• Akintunde Akinleye, first-place winner World Press Photo 2007, from Nigeria (www.akintunde1.com).
• Peter Menzel, US photojournalist and author of "Hungry Planet: What The World Eats," (www.menzelphoto.com).
• Daniel Beltrá (Spain, based in Seattle), environmental and nature photography specialist and winner of the 2007 World Press Photo prize for his work on soy plantations and Amazon deforestation (www.danielbeltra.com).
• Award-winning Dutch photojournalist Kadir van Lohuizen, author of Diamond Matters (www.lohuizen.net).
• Bangladeshi photographer G.M.B. Akash, first-place winner of the 2007 Friends of the Earth International photo competition (www.gmb-akash.com).
• Indian photographer Shantanu Das, first-place winner of the 2008 Friends of the Earth International photo competition.

what happens with the winning photos?  

The judges will choose a total of 15 winning photographs (5 from each category), as well as one "popular choice" photo per category that will be selected by our member groups. The winning photos will be announced in mid-April, and the first, second and third place winners in each category will be featured in a full-sized 2009 calendar that will be released and distributed starting in August 2008.

Photos, both winning and non-winning, may also used for other FoEI productions including our greeting cards. Winning photographers will receive 3 complimentary copies by post of any publication in which their work is featured.

what are the rules for entry?

1. Entries must be received by 1 April 2008.
2. Entries should reflect the theme of "Dreams, Hope and Possibilities for Another World."
3. You may submit up to 3 photos per category.
4. Please send each entry in a separate e-mail, and list the following:

         a) your name

         b) your country

         c) the category in which you are entering the photo

         d) a short caption (up to three sentences) for the photo that describes the image (what, where, when).

         e) the place the photo was taken

         f) the date that the photo was taken

         g) your e-mail

         h) your postal address

         i) your telephone number

         j) your age

         k) your gender

5. You can e-mail your photos to photos@foei.org or send them on cd. The size should be at least 1819 x 2598 pixels [154 x 220mm horizontal] at 300 dpi resolution, supplied in jpeg format, with a maximum file size of 10 MB.
6. You can also post your images. They should print out at 300 dpi, 8.5 by 5.5 inches, and be sent to: Ann Doherty, Friends of the Earth International, PO Box 19199, 1000 GD, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Please be aware that photos sent by post will not be returned.
7. By entering the contest, you give Friends of the Earth International the right to publish your photo in our 2009 calendar. Furthermore, we will assume that future credited use of your photos in Friends of the Earth publications is possible unless you specify otherwise.
8. We reserve the right to crop the images as we see fit.
9. Entries must be your own work.
10. Entries should not have won previous competitions, and should not have been published elsewhere.
11. No responsibility is accepted for ineligible entries or entries made fraudulently.
12. By entering this competition you are accepting these rules and agree to be bound by them.

who are we?

Friends of the Earth International is the world's largest grassroots environmental network, uniting 69 diverse national member groups and some 5,000 local activist groups on every continent. With approximately 2 million members and supporters around the world, we campaign on today's most urgent environmental and social issues. We challenge the current model of economic and corporate globalization, and promote solutions that will help to create environmentally sustainable and socially just societies.