Terms & Conditions

• A basic degree of digital manipulation is allowed, including cropping, sharpening, contrast and colour balance, stitch-panoramas, ‘in camera’ multi-exposure, and black and white conversion
• Nothing should be added or removed, not even small elements, and the image must be faithful to the original capture in terms of elements of the scene
• Composites of montaged images, post-processing filters and other means which manipulate an entry beyond acceptable levels will not be permitted, and the entry will be disqualified and the entry fee forfeited
• The extent of allowable digital manipulation shall be at the Judges’ sole discretion, whose decision in this regard will be final, and guided by whether the image in question accurately and honestly represents the scene – including comparison of the entry and its original, unedited format, which will be called for if deemed necessary

The Competition is open to entrants of all ages from all over the world, provided that they have travelled to the Maasai Mara themselves, except:

• Where such contests are prohibited by law; and
• For employees of the Organizer or their immediate relations.

For the sake of clarity, the Competition is open to employees of all of the Competition’s Sponsors and Conservation Partners.

By entering the Competition, the Entrant undertakes that:

• They took the photograph themselves;
• They own the copyright to the image and that it does not and will not violate or infringe upon the intellectual property or any other rights of any third party;
• They have sought and received permission from any individuals depicted in the image, where applicable;
• They did not harm any animal, nor use bait or any baiting mechanism in taking the photograph;
• They took the image within the last 12 months from the date of entry;
• They took the image within the area of the Republic of Kenya known as the Maasai Mara – which for the avoidance of doubt includes the Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Triangle and the Mara Conservancies, including but not limited to Enonkishu, Lemek, Mara North, Naboisho, Nashulai, Olare-Motorogi, Olarro North & South, Ol Churro, Ol Derkesi, Ol Kinyei, Oloisukut, Pardamat and Siana;
• They will make available both the original, unedited file and a high-resolution version of the entry, upon request, and failure to do so may result in the entry being disqualified and the entry fee forfeited.

• Entries are subject to a entry fee of US$20 per image if paid by credit card, or KSH 1,000 if paid by M-Pesa – payable online as part of the entry submission process.
• Entry fees will be donated in full to the conservation partner nominated during the entry submission process.
• It is possible for a third party to pay an entry fee on behalf of the Entrant, kindly contact the Organizer to make the necessary arrangements.
• The Organizer reserves to right to issue vouchers or coupons and accept a limited number of entries without entry fees at their sole discretion.

• Entries that have been previously entered into other competitions are allowed.
• Although the Entrant can enter as many times as they like – subject to the payment of the entry fee – repeat entries will not be considered.
• Entries are acceptable in either landscape or portrait format.
• Entries must be free of all visible watermarking.
• Entries must be in JPEG format (.jpg).
• Entries must be at least 1,200 pixels wide or tall and not greater in size than 10MB.
• Entries that are found to have fraudulent personal information, or are deemed to have violated the T&Cs in any way will be disqualified and the entry fee forfeited.
• Entries are only submissible through the online portal on the Competition’s website: thegreatestmaasaimara.com.

• The Competition, its T&Cs and the relationship between the Competition, the Organizer and the Entrant shall be governed by the law of the Republic of Kenya, regardless of the location of the Entrant while completing an entry, and regardless of the location of the Judges whilst deciding the winner of the Competition.

• The Entrant hereby irrevocably and unconditionally grants to the Organizer, without compensation, the perpetual right to use an entry in the marketing, advertising and general promotion of the Competition; worldwide exhibition displays and the publication online or by print.
• The Entrant will retain the copyright of the entry.
• The Organizer shall retain the rights granted for each entry even if the entry is disqualified for whatever reason.
• The Entrant shall always be credited by name in each use of the entry, unless explicitly requested of the Organizer not to do so.

• Entries will be judged by Art Wolfe, Federico Veronesi, Michael Poliza, Nisha Purushothaman and Adam Bannister (collectively, “the Judges”)
• The Judges will be guided by the following criteria:
• Overall impression & visual impact – does the entry invoke an emotional response?
• Technical difficulty & execution – does the entry show skill in balance, focus, lighting, exposure?
• Originality, humour & creativity – is the photographer’s message conveyed through their lens?
• Entries of all subject matter will be accepted: landscape, wildlife, portrait, behavioural, documentary, black & white etc.
• Monthly winners will be selected by the Judges from the entries of each month, and these monthly winners will be entered as finalists to the Competition.
• The winner of the Competition – The Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year – will be selected from the finalists.
• The Judges reserve the right to appoint assistants to help them in adjudicating on whether certain qualitative criteria are met, such as focus, composition and format etc, as necessary.
• If the Judges are unable to reach a unanimous consensus, a simple majority will decide the winner.
• The Judges decision will be final and binding, and is not subject to appeal.

• The Organizer assumes no responsibility or liability for any inaccurate or incomplete information that may occur in the submission of an entry, either in the form of an error or by omission.
• The Entrant hereby agrees to indemnify and hold the Organizer harmless from and against any and all claims, actions and proceedings of any kind, relating to or arising from the loss of income, in respect to royalties, fees and any other monies owing to any person as a result of entry into the competition.

• The Organizer will maintain all personal information that is supplied by an Entrant in confidence, except to the designated conservation partner of the entry or expressly required by law, and no information will be sold or made known to any other third party.

• The prize for the winner of the Competition, including the title of The Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year, is US$10,000 in cash, and an all-expenses paid 5-night safari for two people at Angama Mara, including:
• Accommodation and all food & beverage, with the exception of French Champagne;
• Daily safari activities in the Mara Triangle, in a private vehicle and led by Adam Bannister;
• Guided walks on the Oloololo escarpment with a Maasai naturalist;
• Park fees for daily entry into the Mara Triangle;
• Return flights from Nairobi Wilson to Angama Mara's private airfield.
• The safari is subject to availability at Angama Mara, and for travel through 2020. No block-out dates apply.
• The above is subject to the winner possessing all required travel documents, including visas (if necessary) and valid passports.
• If the winner does not have the appropriate documents and permission to travel, or if they are unable to take up the safari for any other reason, the safari will be forfeited but they will still be entitled to the cash prize.
• The cash prize will be paid in US Dollars, by bank transfer to a bank account nominated by the winner, less any applicable withholding taxes.
• No interest will be awarded on the cash prize.
• The winner undertakes to pay any other fees or costs or taxes associated with the prize, and shall be solely responsible for reporting the prize to their own tax authorities.
• Non-cash prizes are not transferable for cash.
• The Organizer reserves the right to add additional prizes over the term of the Competition.
• The winning photographer’s guide in the Mara will win a trip to England to watch a Premier League football match in London.
• The monthly finalists will each win a set of Remembering Wildlife books and a pair of CL Companion 10x42 binoculars courtesy of Swarovski Optik. Import duties, should they be payable, are for the account of the finalists.
• The Organizer reserve the right to verify the details of the photographer’s guide with the accommodation provider as submitted in the entry.
• The guide will remain eligible for the prize even if they are no longer employed by the accommodation provider.
• If the winning photographer guided themself in the Mara, then they shall also win the guide’s prize in addition to the other prizes, provided that they are a Kenyan resident.
• The guides of the competition’s finalists will each win KSh 10,000.

• Entries of the Great Migration will only be considered during the months of June through October (when the Migration is typically in the Mara).
• Entries of the Great Migration outside of these months will be disqualified and the entry fee forfeited.

• The Competition opens at midnight on the morning of 1 of January 2020 and closes at midnight on 31 October 2020, Maasai Mara time (UTC + 3).
• No late entries will be accepted.
• The winner will be announced in Nairobi at the end of the year.