Cinque Terre Photo Award 2024

Regulation

1. Object Of The Competition
The Cinque Terre National Park Protected Marine Area (hereinafter referred to as PN5T or Parco), with the organizational support of Spazi Fotografici APS and Doc Creativity Soc. Coop., is launching the first edition of the competition "Cinque Terre Photo Award", which aims to showcase and promote contemporary photographic interpretations of the territory of the National Park and the Marine Protected Area, highlighting the harmonious balance between the environment and the human activity.

2. Eligibility
Participation in the competition is free and open to all photographers, amateurs or professionals, regardless of age, origin or gender. However, individuals who, in any capacity, are involved in the competition's organization and/or jury as well as current employees or collaborators of the Park are excluded. Minors may participate with a signed consent from a parent or person exercising parental authority, available for download at the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1otu5t1oMq3DI2jLFKs8aQhtoqZPkLf3GPs5fMN V1EYI/edit

3. Categories
The photography competition is divided into two categories:

• 1) Genius Loci
  Award for series of coherent images (minimum 5 - maximum 10 images per series) that are able to capture and enhance the landscape in its virtuous connection with human actions, care of the environment and the identity of the territory of Cinque Terre National Park.

• 2) Naturalia
  Award for the best single image of the Park's and MarineProtected Area of the Cinque Terre nature, flora and fauna, both of the marine and terrestrial environment.
  Each candidate can participate in only one of the two categories.

The competition allows exclusively images taken within the National Park and Marine Protected Area of Cinque Terre. Any image shot outside the Park boundaries will be excluded from participation.

Special Mentions

• Sergio Fregoso Award for the best series shot by an author under 30 for category 1 | Genius Loci.
• FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (the National Trust for Italy) Mention for the best picture on the topic "Water, generative element of the landscape"
• Best Marine Environment Photo for the best underwater images and marine scenes visible from the surface.

4. Image Requirements
Only pictures in jpg format are allowed, with a short side of MINIMUM size 1600 pixels, both in color and in black and white. Normal color, tone, contrast, saturation and level corrections are permitted. Photomontages or retouching are not permitted. Post-produced images or images created using AI Generative are not permitted. Frames, dates, signatures and writing superimposed on the photos are not permitted. Images taken with drones are permitted as long as they comply with the regulations in force (in the event of selection, the jury will request the submission of the relevant documentation). Photographs that do not comply with the aforementioned parameters will not be admitted to the competition. Participants undertake, upon request of the organization, to make available the original raw, jpeg, dng or tiff camera files. In the absence of what is requested, the jury will be able to decide, at its sole discretion, whether the image is eligible for the competition or not.

5. Responsibility
Each author is personally responsible for what constitutes the subject of the work presented, relieving the organizers from any responsibility. Participation in the competition implies that the images sent do not infringe any third-party rights. The author of the photograph therefore guarantees that he has obtained the necessary authorization for images depicting people and/or things for which specific consent must be obtained.

6. Submission Process

• Category 1 | Genius Loci: only one series consisting of a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 images can be submitted.
  The application for category 1-Genius Loci must be accompanied by a text of maximum one thousand characters (to be entered in the online application form - see art. 7)

• Category 2 | Naturalia: You can send a maximum of 5 single images.
  It is possible to apply for both categories by sending different photographs (each image can be presented in only one category).
  Entries must comply with data protection laws and include explicit consent for images of identifiable individuals.

7. File Upload
Submit the eligible images via the online form here: https://forms.gle/mJTiSSYroipmM9tx8 (GOOGLE account required) from 00:00 on 1 July 2024 at 11.59pm on 31 August 2024: entries sent after this limit will not be taken into consideration.

The files sent for the application must have short side size 1600 pixels (maximum weight 4 MB); in case of selection the jury will request the original RAW format file.

The images sent cannot be replaced. The organizers are not responsible for the loss of images if the upload is unsuccessful.

Each file will need to be renamed: surname_name_category_progressive number (e.g. bianchi_mario_A_1, bianchi_mario_A_2, ... ).

8. Rights
Authors retain ownership and rights to their images. The PN5T will have the right of free, non-commercial use and publication of all the submitted images, on all communication channels, including paper and web publications, published and distributed by third parties as part of promotional activities, with the obligation to always mention the name of the author. However, the PN5T will not be able to transfer, without the agreement of the authors, the rights of use to third parties or make any other use not previously agreed. In particular, solely in relation to the winning images of the cash prizes, the author grants the PN5T and, if necessary, the organizations operating on their behalf, the right to reproduce their pictures in paper, digital or other format without any other notice and without owing anything to the author other than the mention of the name as mandatory; these images may also be used by the Park for any exhibitions and/or non-commercial communication products of the organization itself.

9. Jury
The jury, which will evaluate the proposals, will be composed by Gilberto Benni, head of Leica Akademie Italia, Donatella Bianchi, journalist, presenter, writer, president of PN5T, Ottavio Di Brizzi, editorial director Touring Club Italiano, Davide Di Gennaro, graphic designer, TomoTomo, Sara Fregoso, photographer, Davide Marcesini, photographer, president of Spazi Fotografici, Stanislao de Marsanich, president of I Parchi Letterari, Alberto Luca Recchi, photographer, writer, explorer, Barbara Verduci, photo editor of Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (the National Trust for Italy).

The jury will make its selection according to criteria of quality, coherence and originality with respect to each work or image presented, valorising in particular the photographic language and, for the naturalistic section, technique, composition and subject. The jury's decision is unquestionable and unappealable for all purposes.

10. Rules of Conduct
Images that do not comply with the competition requirements will be excluded, as will those whose creation violates, as far as it can be reasonably assumed, the current regulations for the protection of nature and landscape or the regulations in force within the Park territory, causing nuisance, risk or harm.

In particular, participants in the competition must adopt and have adopted the following good behaviours:

• Avoid moving in groups, thus limiting environmental impact and disturbance.
• Don't interrupt the animals' activities (feeding, resting, hunting...) by getting too close.
• Do not deliberately cause noises or actions that affect the movements of the animals.
• Research the life cycles of the subjects you intend to photograph and avoid disturbing them in the most delicate moments (mating season, nesting...).
• Do not give animals (both on land and at sea) any type of food to bring them closer. 
• Do not approach dens, nests and offspring-rearing areas.
• Strictly avoid touching or picking up puppies, even if apparently abandoned: the parents are almost always nearby.
• Do not use decoys to attract fauna and avifauna.
• Do not take plants, insects and small animals to shoot them in places other than those of their natural presence and/or in a photographic studio.
• Do not damage crops and enter private agricultural land.
• Respect places of worship and cemeteries.

Images of animals portrayed in captivity and/or stuffed will be excluded.

Within the Marine Protected Area of the Cinque Terre it is mandatory to comply with the following code of conduct:

• a) contact with the seabed, even partial removal and damage to any material and/or organism of a geological, biological and archaeological nature is not permitted; 
• b) it is not permitted to give food and/or disturb marine organisms, introduce or abandon any material and, in general, behave in ways that disturb the organisms; 
• c) the use of auxiliary means of underwater propulsion is not permitted, with the exception of those possibly used by disabled people, subject to authorization from the managing body;
• d) it is mandatory to keep the diving equipment as close to the body as possible; e) it is mandatory to report to the managing body or the local maritime authority the presence of waste or dangerous materials and abandoned fishing gear on the seabed of the protected marine area;
• f) it is mandatory to inform yourself in advance about the environmental characteristics and regulations of the marine protected area, in particular of the specific dive site;
• g) access to submerged caves is permitted exclusively with the use of closed or semi-closed circuit breathing apparatus, with air exhaust outside the caves. 

To carry out individual scuba dives without contacting authorized diving centers it is necessary to obtain the authorizations required by the regulation (info from Monday to Friday from 9 to 12, email amp@parconazionale5terre.it - Tel 0187 762643).

11. Prizes
Prizes will be awarded to the first three series of category 1 and the first three images of category 2.

Prizes will also be awarded to the first three special mentions (see point 3).

The names of the winners will be announced during the final event on 28 September 2024 in Vernazza and announced through the Park channels. The prizes will be awarded at the same time of the final event or later in case of impossibility to attend (the secretariat reserves the right to communicate any alternative location for organizational reasons).

Genius Loci (Cat.1)

• First place: 1500 euros.
• Second place: overnight stay for 2 people for 1 night in Vernazza + dinner for 2 people + wine experience at Cantina Cooperativa Cinque Terre + 2 Cinque Terre Card Services Card.
• Third place: Leica Akademie voucher (value 300 euros) + dinner in Riomaggiore or Manarola.

Naturalia (Cat. 2)

• First place: 500 euros.
• Second place: accommodation for 2 people for 1 night in Corniglia + dinner for 2 people + wine experience Cantina Sassarini (Monterosso) + 2 Cinque Terre Card Services Card.
• Third place: Leica Akademie voucher (value 300 euros) + lunch in Riomaggiore or Manarola.

Special mentions

• Sergio Fregoso Award: Spazi Fotografici course voucher (value 250 euros) + Leica Akademie voucher (value 300 euros) + Cinque Terre Card Services Card.
• Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (the National Trust for Italy) Mention - "Water, generative element of the landscape": overnight stay for 2 people for 2 nights in Monterosso + Cinque Terre Card Services Card.
• Best Underwater Photo Marine Environment: diving with equipment included with 5 Terre Diving in Riomaggiore + Cinque Terre Card Services.

Vouchers for stays and dinners will be available in low season at a date to be agreed with structures' hosts and will expire on March 31, 2025.

Anything not specifically stated is excluded from the prizes.

Vouchers for workshops and courses can be used by browsing the Leica Akademie and Spazi Fotografie catalogue.

Prizes are provided by:
PN5T
Leica Academy
Spazi Fotografici
Cantina Cooperativa Cinque Terre
Cantina Sassarini/A Scià
Diving 5 Terre
Pro Loco Monterosso/Consorzio Cinque Terre Pro Loco Corniglia
Pro Loco Vernazza
Pro Loco Riomaggiore/Manarola

12. Results Announcement
Participants will be notified within 20 September 2024 on the outcome of the selection via email; 12 finalists (six for the A/Genius loci category and six for the B/Naturalia category) will be published on the website and social channels of the PN5T by 21 September 2024.

The winners will be announced at the awards event scheduled in Vernazza on 28 September 2024.

13. Privacy
The data controller is the Cinque Terre National Park Via Discovolo snc - c/o Stazione Manarola 19017 Riomaggiore (SP) - CF 01094790118 E-mail: segreteria@parconazionale5terre.it - PEC: pec@pec.parconazionale5terre.it (hereinafter also "Park" or "Owner").

The Data Protection Officer (RPD or DPO) is Gesta Srl Società Benefit in the person of Dr. Renato Goretta, Via Tolone 22 CAP 19124 La Spezia ITALY e-mail goretta@gestaconsulenza.it

The personal data provided for participation in the competition will be processed in compliance with Legislative Decree 196/2003 and subsequent amendments and additions and with EU Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR), with paper and IT tools, in order to guarantee its security and confidentiality.

The processing is necessary for participation in the competition, the identification of the authors of the photos, according to the methods indicated in the art. 6 of this document, for communications relating to the competition and for the instrumental and related activities carried out by the Cinque Terre Park as Data Controller and organizer of the competition.
Suppliers who process data on behalf of the Data Controller will be designated Data Processors pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR.

The interested party may exercise, at any time, the rights referred to in Chapter III of the G.D.P.R. such as, for example, requesting access, rectification, updating and deletion of data, requesting information on the data controllers and, in the presence of certain conditions, lodge a complaint with the Guarantor Authority for the Protection of Personal Data (garante@gdpr.it O protocollo@pec.gdpr.it). The interested party has the possibility to exercise their rights by means of a written request to the address of the Data Controller indicated above. The Park will process the application within 30 days.

Further information on the processing of personal data can be viewed on the Park's institutional website: www.parconazionale5terre.it

14. Final Provisions
Participation in the competition implies knowledge and acceptance of these regulations.

15. Contact
For inquiries contact: Cinque Terre Photo Award Secretariat cinqueterrephotoaward@gmail.com