Terms
These regulations establish the operating framework for the 12 Awards, ensuring a high standard of integrity and clarity for every participating photographer.
Participation Eligibility
The 12 Awards welcomes global entries from photographers aged 18 and older. We accept submissions regardless of your professional status or location. Please note that staff members of the organizing body, their corporate partners, and immediate family members are barred from entering to maintain impartial judging.
General Terms
Official Entry: All submissions must be uploaded through our dedicated portal at 12awards.com, following the specific registration and payment prompts.
Data Usage: By registering, you consent to the secure storage of your personal details strictly for the logistical management of the competition.
Intellectual Property: You retain 100% ownership and copyright of your images. By entering, you grant 12 Awards a non-exclusive, limited license to display your work for promotional purposes related to the competition, always with proper credit. We will never sell or use your work for external commercial gain without a separate agreement.
Submission Freedom: There are no restrictions on when your photos were taken or if they have won previous accolades elsewhere. We encourage you to submit any work that showcases your peak artistic vision.
Compliance: While all entries are evaluated equally by our global jury, we reserve the right to withhold certain works from public display if they conflict with specific regional legal regulations.
Multi-Category Entry: You are welcome to enter the same image into various categories, provided the applicable fees are met for each.
How to Join
Create a Profile: Sign up for a free user account via our registration page.
Upload & Describe: Add your individual photos or themed series, selecting the appropriate categories and providing titles/captions.
Checkout: Your entry is finalized once payment is processed. You may pay for entries one by one or bundle them together. For those entering multiple works, we offer Credit Packs in the user dashboard to significantly reduce your per-image cost.
Finality: Please double-check your files before paying. Once a submission is funded, it cannot be edited, swapped, or refunded.
Technical Requirements
Format: Files must be saved as JPEGs using sRGB or Adobe RGB profiles (8-bit).
Resolution: Minimum of 2000 pixels on the longest side.
Size Limit: Individual files must not exceed 4 MB.
Clean Entries: Do not include watermarks, signatures, or decorative borders on your images.
Naming Convention: Use only alphanumeric characters, underscores, or hyphens for file names.
Content Note: For the current season, works containing explicit nudity will not be considered for the awards.
Judging Process
Blind Review: To ensure total objectivity, our panel of international experts and industry leaders critiques all work anonymously.
Scoring: Winners are determined by cumulative scoring. The "12 Awards Overall Champion" is selected from the top-performing category winners.
Finality of Results: All jury decisions are conclusive and are not open to external dispute or re-evaluation.
Notification: We will contact shortlisted finalists via email within 21 days of the judging conclusion.
Entry Fees & Deadlines
| Phase & Dates | Single Entry | Series (5 Images) | +Cat (Single) | +Cat (Series) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Bird March 15 – April 15, 2026 | $18 | $25 | +$10 | +$15 |
| Standard April 16 – May 20, 2026 | $20 | $30 | +$12 | +$15 |
| Late Entry May 21 – June 15, 2026 | $25 | $35 | +$15 | +$17 |