This competition is organized by the Association of Photographers. The aim of the Open is to acknowledge excellence in photography through a diversity of styles and subject matter.

QUICK FACTS

COMPETITION TERRITORY: international

ENTRY CLOSES: the deadline for online entries is midnight 17th May 2009 (6pm 15th May 2009 for CD entries).

PRIZES:  Have your images exhibited at the AOP Gallery (a top London photographic gallery in the heart of Shoreditch)! (scroll down for more prizes)

ENTRY TYPE: online upload or mail

FEES: entry fee is £12.00 per photograph/image entered online or £14 per image if entered by CD.  

JUDGING: Looking to showcase individual images that display your talent as a photographer.  Images capturing moments, emotions, objects or environments, the theme is not judged in this competition, it is simply a search for outstanding photographs. 

RESTRICTIONS (I have not found any info for 2009, this is info from 2008):

Each entrant shall be deemed to warrant that they own the entire copyright in the work or that they have permission from the licensee and/or copyright owner/s for the uses and that all necessary model releases and clearances have been obtained. The entrant undertakes to indemnify AOP in respect of any breach of the same. All relevant clearances must have been obtained for the use of the photographs by the AOP for publication and exhibition.

YOUR RIGHTS AS A PHOTOGRAPHER (I have not found any info for 2009, this is info from 2008):

• All exhibition prints will be retained by the AOP for twelve months for touring.
• Exhibition prints can be sold on your behalf at the Open Exhibition. Successful entrants will be asked to price their images. Please note the AOP will take
  30% of the sale price as commission.
• The AOP reserves the right to display, reproduce and publish in any media any successful entry, without payment, for the sole purpose of promoting and
  publicising the AOP Open competition and exhibition.
• No copyright is transferred to the AOP in respect of any works entered or accepted.
• In the event that an entrant is excluded or wishes to withdraw from the competition, no refunds will be given.
• The AOP reserves the right to reject images submitted for the Open if we feel uncomfortable with the subject matter, feel that they might cause offence to
  visitors, or infringe any laws in force in the UK.

CATEGORIES

There are no categories or themes in this competition so the choice of what you enter is entirely up to the photographer.

WINNING PHOTOGRAPHS

There are 7 awards:

• 1 x Overall Winner,
• 1 x Public Choice Award,
• 5 x Judge’s Choice Awards.

The chosen images are exhibited at the AOP Gallery (a top London photographic gallery in the heart of Shoreditch) in August every year, showcased on the Awards website and will be published in the Open Catalogue (published in August). Additional info from 2008: The judges select around 85 images to make it into the final exhibition and the Open Book.

I could now find any additional information about the prizes for 2009, however, in 2008 there were also some additional prizes (I expect it to be similar this year):

• The Best in Show award winner received an Epson Stylus Photo R2880 Printer.
• The winner of the Public Choice received an Intuos3 Pen Tablet system by Wacom.
• Everyone who voted for the Public Choice Award was entered into a draw to win another Intuos3 Pen Tablet system by Wacom.
• All successful entrants received 3 invites to the AOP Open Prize Giving and Private View.

QUICK LINKS

To get some inspiration, visit this gallery of previous winners.

Read competition rules (from 2008!) and FAQ (from 2008!) yourself!

Ready to enter? Register!

Official website of the competition: http://www.the-awards.com/AOP_Open

IMPORTANT NOTE

I cannot take any responsibility for changing of rules or mistypes in this article. This article has only an informative nature. For official rules always refer to the official website!

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