2021 Rules & Guidelines

Please read and carefully consider the following details and guidelines for the ATOM Photo Comp 2021 before submitting your photos.

All entrants must adhere to the following guidelines:

Each entry must be based on this year’s theme: Turbulence. Please click here for more detail about the theme.

  • Entry is free, and is open to all Australian and New Zealand residents.
  • All photos must be taken specifically for the ATOM Photo Comp 2021 and be suitable for displaying in a public environment.
  • Entrants may use digital image manipulation (e.g. Photoshop) if they desire.
  • If you include any copyrighted or trademarked content in your photos (e.g. logo, brand-name/licenced prop), you must be able to provide written permission for its use. Entries containing any unauthorised content will be disqualified. You can contact the following organisations for more detailed information and resources:
    Australian Copyright Council for information on copyright law
    Arts Law Centre of Australia for information on laws affecting all areas of the arts
    Copyright Agency for information on literary and image copyright
  • All entries must be submitted online (including uploading of your three photographs) by close of entries: midday AEST, Friday 23 April 2021.

To enter

Entries can be submitted to one of five categories:

  • Lower Primary (Years F–3)
  • Upper Primary (Years 4–6)
  • Lower Secondary (Years 7–9)
  • Upper Secondary (Years 10–12)
  • Open

If an entry was created by more than one person, it should be entered into the appropriate category for the oldest member of the group. While some assistance from parents/teachers is expected in the student categories – particularly at the primary levels – the creative vision for the entry must be the students’ alone, and the bulk of the work must be done by the students.

Photos may only be submitted once. An entrant may submit multiple entries, as long as each entry differs significantly from any others submitted by that entrant (it should contain distinctly different photos).

Students using an iPad to prepare their photos may find the following free iBook from Apple helpful: Everyone Can Create Photo.

Online Entry System

In order for your entry to be valid, you must submit it using the online entry system on this website, including:

  1. Completing the online entry form, including a short written statement about how you have addressed the theme.
  2. Uploading your 3 photographs.

If you have any questions, or are having trouble submitting your entry online, please email [email protected] – we are here to help.

Judging

Judges may consist of teachers/educators, professional photographers and/or other professionals from the creative media industries.

The judges may disqualify an entry if they have reason to believe that it does not comply with the entry Terms and Conditions, so make sure you have read them thoroughly!

Finalists and winners

Six finalists in each of the five categories will be contacted via email and announced on this website later this year (date TBC). Please ensure you submit a valid email address with your entry.

The entrants whose submissions best capture the theme of ‘Turbulence’ through their concept, composition and technical competency, and who best communicate their intention, techniques and ideas, will be deemed the winners.

The winner of each of the five categories will be contacted via email and announced at the 2021 ATOM Awards, held on Friday 3 December.

Prizes

Prizes for winners of each of the five age-group categories include Ted’s Cameras gift vouchers valued at $500 for the two primary categories, $750 for the two secondary categories and $1000 for Open. Total prize pool: $3500.