There are 3 categories to compete: 1) Wildlife & Nature; 2) Travel / Events / Street; 3) Mobile Photography. Any number of images can be submitted in each category. There are no restrictions to the number of entries submitted. You can upload unlimited images in each category, and the entry fee will be charged per image.
Photographs which were submitted before in this competition are not eligible and will be outrightly rejected. We are looking for some fresh images. However, you may submit images which you have submitted for any other competition.
Participation is paid and a non-refundable registration fee of ₹200 for Indian nationals and $5 for foreign nationals is applicable per entry.
Members of Orange City Photographer’s Club can also compete, but the Organising committee members and Team of Conveners are not eligible to compete.
Organisers will be allowed to use the winning and shortlisted photographs in the promotion of the contest and various activities of OCPC. Selected photographs from the submitted entries will also be shared across all social media channels of the organisers and its partners. All photographs shared will be credited to the photographer.
The sponsor for the contest will have the right to use the photographs or any other data shared by the participant for one year and may engage the winning photographer for promotional activities.
The winning images and Shortlisted images will be exhibited at the physical exhibition held on World Photography Day i.e., 19th August 2026 at Nagpur.
The prize money is non-transferable and will be awarded to the participant after TDS deduction, if any.
To transfer the prize money to international participants, the organisers will follow bank transfer and TDS instructions prescribed by the Indian government. The participants must provide the organisers with any identification, paperwork or invoices that may be required to complete the transaction. International transfers may take up to three months. Any bank charges incurred will have to be borne by the participant.
If there is a tie in any of the categories, the cash prize will be divided equally among the winners of said category.
Cancellation and withdrawals are not allowed once the registration process is completed.
Any disputes are subject to Nagpur jurisdiction only.
Photographs that are submitted can be taken using any form of camera in Wildlife/Nature, Travel/Event/Street categories. However, for mobile photography category only images shot using mobile phones (Android or i-phone) will be eligible. Photograph can be shot anywhere in the world.
All digital photographs must be in JPEG format, sRGB mode, with a maximum of 1920 pixels (on the longer side) at 72dpi.
The file size should not exceed 2MB.
Photographs with borders, frames, watermarks, or signatures will not be considered for judging.
Cropping is allowed (though we do not encourage it) as long as the original message/content of the photograph is not altered drastically ( For clarification on this point, please watch this you tube video: https://youtu.be/vAnZNvCmVHA.
Basic retouching (brightness, saturation, sharpening, contrast, and white balance, dodging, burning) of images is acceptable if the photograph retains its original form. Any image that appears drastically different from its RAW version will be disqualified.
Once shortlisted, participants will be contacted to provide the accompanying RAW file / Original unprocessed JPEG image. Please note that DNG file will not be accepted as proof. For mobile category submission, please retain the original file and submit that upon request. If you fail to submit the original file and if the judges are not satisfied with the EXIF information or if it is found that the EXIF information is concealed in the submitted image, your entry will be disqualified. No communication will be entertained in this regard.
Each photograph will have to be renamed before submission. Rename it as Title_Category_Your Name. For example, Sunrise_Wildlife & Nature_Rajan Gupta. Untitled or No title will not be accepted. Such images without proper title will be outright rejected. Please note that no excuses will be allowed.
Participants must be the creator of submitted images.
By entering the competition participant declares that he/she has personally shot the image and is a copyright owner of the same.
If a submitted image contains human face or any recognisable body parts, or any private or Government property then it is construed that photographer has an essential photography release obtained from that person or the organisation. Organisers will not be held responsible for breach of copyright on the part of photographer.
Images of captive animals and nesting birds will not be accepted.
Participants must not deceive the viewer or attempt to disguise and/or misrepresent the reality of the natural scene.
Participants are responsible for ensuring full compliance with any applicable national or international legislation and for securing any relevant permits that may be required in the process of photography.
Nude photography, Pornography, and any form of photographs that portray obscene scenes are not allowed to enter. Similarly, images with any religious or political message or image which may be construed as hurting a religious sentiment will also be rejected.
If the organisers suspect that an entry has been achieved through cruel or unethical practices, the entry will be disqualified.
The organising team, sponsors, and partners are not allowed to participate in the contest.
Any breach of the ethical standards listed here will be considered a breach of the rules.
Judging is divided into two rounds. For the first round, Jury members comprising a group of renowned professionals in the fields of photography will meet in Nagpur city to shortlist images using the following criteria:
Creativity
Originality
Composition
Technical and Artistic Considerations
The final round of Judging will be done by expert photographers in respective categories and “finalists” images will be decided.
Participants whose images enter “finalists” stage will be contacted only via email (NO phone call or What’s app message or SMS will be sent) and asked to submit the Original JPEG or RAW image/images with all EXIF information intact within a stipulated time frame. Failure to submit original JPEG image or RAW file within given time will automatically result in disqualification. Participant will receive a mail from ocpc.ngp@gmail.com In case RAW file is not available and Jury needs further information regarding JPEG image then participant may be contacted for procuring the same. Please note that we will send mail on the same email address which you used for registration.
All finalist images after verification of its authenticity will be then resubmitted to Judges for giving the final verdict.
Once the contest is closed for submissions, participants will only hear from the organisers if their image/s enter finalist stage.
The organisers have the right to disqualify participants who approach the jury members in a deliberate attempt to influence or lobby, by discussing judging processes, enquiring details, or requesting feedback prior to the announcement of results.
Result will be announced on World Photography Day i.e., 19th August 2026 or the first day of exhibition held in Nagpur.
The jury reserves the right to declare a tie in any of the prizes and also reserves a right to not give a prize in any category if they feel that any of the submitted images are not worth it.
Organisers reserve the right to change the number of prizes being awarded.