Hurray! Good news to photo hobbyist and enthusiast! 
Earth Hour 2012 Photo Contest Mechanics 
  
 Tighten your hold on your camera and prepare to take your best shots as we go dark for  one hour today as the Quezon City government in collaboration with  Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department hold its Earth Hour 2012 Photo Contest. Read on to know the complete mechanics and prizes to look forward!
 
   Quezon City Government
 Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department
 (QC-EPWMD)
 EARTH HOUR 2012 PHOTO CONTEST
   A.   Contest Mechanics
 1. All amateur and professional photography enthusiasts, ages 18 and  above, and are bonafide residents of Quezon City may join the contest.
 
 2. Photos must be taken in Quezon City during the Earth Hour Event on March 31, 2012 from 5pm onwards.
 
 3. The photograph must depict the theme of the contest, “participation  of people and communities” during Earth Hour, highlighting the spirit of  environmental awareness and action. 
 
 4. There will be two (2) categories for the photo contest:
          Category 1: People – Photographs featuring the “who” or the stakeholders of Earth Hour.  These may include portraits, small groups, crowds and 
                                the like.
          Category 2: Places – Photographs focusing on  “where” Earth Hour took place.  These should give emphasis on the  location or specific areas in Quezon City where Earth Hour was observed.
 5. All entries must be in digital form and must be emailed at qcearthhour2012@gmail.com or qcearthhour2012@yahoo.com  on or before 3 o’clock in the afternoon on April 10, 2012.  Entries  submitted beyond the deadline will automatically be disqualified.  Each  photographer can only submit one entry per category.  For each entry, a  pair of “before-and-after” shots[1] must be submitted together with the following attachments:
 
 a. Scanned copy of any legal document or valid ID that can guarantee  that the participant is a bonafide resident of Quezon City (i.e.  driver’s license, SSS ID, passport, etc.)
 b. Completed contest registration form (forms are available at the EPWMD Office[2] and  QC barangay halls and may also be downloaded
 
     Photographs must bear the following filename format:
     Name (space) Category (space) Before and Name (space) Category (space) After
     e.g.  JuanDelaCruz People Before
            JuanDelaCruz People After
 6. The Quezon City Government shall have no liability for delayed, corrupted or lost entries. 
 
 7. All entries must be an original material taken by the photographer  and should not include watermarks, signatures, frames, date and/or time  stamp or any other markings on the photo.
 
 8. Digital manipulation is not allowed. Enhancements must be limited to  basic post-processing such as adjustments of contrast, minimal  color- balancing, sharpening, cropping, and dodging and burning.
 
 9. Entries must be unpublished and exclusive to this contest within the  duration of the photo contest.  It must not have been submitted and  should not be submitted as an entry in any other contest within a year  after the contest.
 
 10. The Quezon City Government respects the rights of the photographer  and recognizes that the copyright of the photograph belongs to the  photographer. Nonetheless, by participating in the contest, the  photographer shares his/her copyright to the Quezon City Local  Government within the duration of one year after the contest.  The  Quezon City Government will give appropriate credit whenever the photo  is published and used by the Department for the purpose of information,  advocacy, campaigns and promotions in all its future projects, whether  print, online, or any other medium.
 
 11. The QC Government has enjoined all QC stakeholders in the observance  of Earth Hour, e.g., barangays, schools, government agencies,  non-government organizations, malls, food chains, supermarkets and other  establishments. It is the participant’s responsibility to obtain, prior  to the actual shoot and consequently, submission of the photograph, any  and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and  use of the photograph in the manner set forth in these Contest Mechanics  without additional compensation.
 
 12. QC EPWMD employees, contest judges and their relatives (up to the third degree) are prohibited to join the contest.
 
 B. Selection of Winning Entries
 
 1. From all the submitted entries, five (5) judges composed of  photographers and Quezon City Government representatives shall select 10  entries per category or a total of 20 finalists.  The judging process  shall be audited by an authorized third party. The decision of the board  of judges is final.
 
 2. The 20 finalists shall be informed on or before 3 o’clock in the  afternoon of April 12, 2012 through email and will be announced in the  Quezon City Government website.
 
 3. The selected finalists will be asked to submit hard copies/ printouts  of their photographs in A4 size or 8.27”x11.69” on or before 3 o’clock  in the afternoon of April 13, 2012.
 
 4. The 20 finalists’ entries shall be put on display at the Quezon City  Hall Main Lobby from April 16 to 20, 2012 as part of the week-long  celebration of Earth Day.
 
 5. Awarding of winners shall be during the flag raising ceremony on April 23, 2012.
 
 6. The criteria for judging the photograph are as follows:
 
 
     (40%) Thematic Relevance - Relevance of the photograph to the theme of the contest
     (30%) Creativity and Originality - Style, technique and skill
     (30%) Technical Excellence - Clarity and quality of photograph
     _____ 
     100% 
 
 7.   The winning entries shall receive the following cash prizes:
 
 
|  ITEM |  Category | 
|  People |  Places | 
|  1st prize |  9,000 + Certificate |  9,000 + Certificate | 
|  2nd prize |  6,000 + Certificate |  6,000 + Certificate | 
|  3rd prize |  3,000 + Certificate |  3,000 + Certificate | 
|  Honorable Mention  (7 per category) |  1,000 + Certificate |  1,000 + Certificate | 
  8.   Costs of photo developing, transportation/attendance to the event  and other related expenses shall be shouldered by the participant.
 
 [1] One photo before the switch off and another photo after the lights have been switched off for a total of two photos.
[2] EPWMD Office, 3F Quezon City Hall Annex Building, Diliman, Quezon City