“SOBA SEYA” Environmental Photography Competition organized by the Ministry of Environment
Theme of the competition “The Nature with an Artistic eye”
To spread awareness and protect precious Environment of Sri Lanka
Environment Day Photography Competition 2025 - is to promote awareness and conservation of Environment of Sri Lanka. This includes issues of Environment found in Sri Lanka
Open Category
- An independent panel of experts comprising 03 judges (‘the Jury’) will be appointed by Ministry of Environment (“MOE”) to select and award 1st, 2nd & 3rd places and 10 Merit Awards.
- Successful entrants will be notified in strict confidence. It is a condition of entry that the entrant does not disclose the details of any shortlisted or winning entries to any third party until announced formally.
Rules and Regulations of Competition
- Closing Date - 31st July 2025 Only three (03) entries per person
- All photographs should be captured within Sri Lanka. Entrants are NOT permitted to submit images that:
- Feature farm animals, zoo animals, family pets, and/or cultivated plants;
- Portray captive or restrained animals, animal models, and/or any other animal being exploited for profits.
- Photos have been captured using live baits
- Photos which have already published
- Entries - One can enter by sending in their pictures along with their details (Name, Address, Contact Number, Date of Birth) via email இந்த மின்-அஞ்சல் முகவரி spambots இடமிருந்து பாதுகாக்கப்படுகிறது. இதைப் பார்ப்பதற்குத் தாங்கள் JavaScript-ஐ இயலுமைப்படுத்த வேண்டும்.
- Entries must be either original digital images color or black and white JPG or JPGs format.
- Minimum size of the shortest side should be at least 1000 pixels
- MOE staff and their immediate family are disqualified
If an image reaches the award-winning image category must be supplied the following:
- RAW file (e.g., CR2, CRW), or original JPEG as captured by the camera. DNG files are only permitted if DNG is the native RAW format of the camera.
- All finalists will be required to provide full picture information, such as where, when and how the picture was taken. Technical details are also required (i.e., camera, lens, exposure, speed, and other equipment used).
- MOE will contact you by email to request these on or before 31st July 2025 MOE cannot be held responsible for emails that are not delivered due to the entrant’s email security settings or restrictions placed by their Internet service provider.
Digital guidelines
- Format Images should be submitted as JPEGS with no interpolation applied. Save JPEGs at the highest possible quality setting (e.g., 12 in Photoshop).
- File size requirements for the initial submission, images must be 1000 pixels on the shortest side. Images must have been taken on a sufficiently high-resolution camera - at least six million pixels, on the highest setting. No borders, watermarks or signatures should be included.
- Adjusting your image Digital adjustments are only acceptable if limited to minor cleaning work (removing dust spots), levels, curves, color, saturation and contrast work.
- Sharpening is allowed (but use sparingly - many images are ruined by over-sharpening). Cropping is allowed, but please be mindful of the effect of cropping on file size.
- The faithful representation of what was captured at the time of the shot being taken must be maintained. Compositing and multiple exposures are not allowed. Sandwich shots, double exposures, photographs which consist in any way of more than one separate image and images that have been digitally manipulated outside of rule 5 are not eligible. Adding or removing animals, parts of animals, plants, distractions, people etc. into/from the image is not allowed.
- Labelling the file should carry your name, title and the key subject.
- Do not write names or water mark on the photo (If so, the Photo will be disqualified)
Intellectual Property
- All photos must be original work, taken by the entrants. No third party may own or control any materials the photo contains, and the photo must not infringe upon the trademark, copyright, moral rights, intellectual rights, or rights of privacy of any entity or person.
- Ownership of the copyright in any entry submitted to the Competition will remain with the copyright owner(s). The photographer will be credited (e.g., © photographer’s name). The photographer agrees that MOE will not be liable to the photographer in the event of inadvertent omission of the credit.
- By entering the Competition, the entrant grants to MOE a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, exhibit and communicate to the public, by any means and in all media throughout the world. However, MOE will NOT use any of these images for commercial purpose.
DATA PROTECTION
- Proof of electronic submission is not proof of receipt by the MOE
- MOE cannot be held responsible for emails that do not arrive due to an entrant’s email security settings or restrictions placed by their Internet Service Provider. Entrants must ensure that their settings accept emails from sobaseya2025@gmail.com
- MOE regret that they cannot accept liability for any loss of or damage to any entry submitted into the Competition howsoever caused or for any other loss or damage as a result.
- MOE regret that they cannot accept liability for the misuse of images and/or failure of any third party to comply with the Competition’s credit guidelines.
- Non-awarded digital entries submitted into the Competition will not be stored or returned by MOE after the names of awarded photographers are announced.
Prizes
- 1st Place - Rs. 20,000.00
- 2nd Place - Rs. 15,000.00 - with souvenirs and certificate
- 3rd Place - Rs. 10,000.00
- 10 Special Merit Awards - Rs. 5,000.00 with certificate
- In addition, 30 Merit Awards will be awarded.
Any entry found not to comply with the above rules at any stage of the Competition may be disqualified. The final decision rests with the Ministry of Environment.
For more details contact:
Website - www.env.gov.lk
இந்த மின்-அஞ்சல் முகவரி spambots இடமிருந்து பாதுகாக்கப்படுகிறது. இதைப் பார்ப்பதற்குத் தாங்கள் JavaScript-ஐ இயலுமைப்படுத்த வேண்டும். -இந்த மின்-அஞ்சல் முகவரி spambots இடமிருந்து பாதுகாக்கப்படுகிறது. இதைப் பார்ப்பதற்குத் தாங்கள் JavaScript-ஐ இயலுமைப்படுத்த வேண்டும்.
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