Organization : SAASTA – South African Agency for Science & Technology Advancement
Competition Name : SA Science Lens Competition
Applicable For : Open to individuals resident in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique only
Prize : R10 000
Website : http://www.saasta.ac.za/competitions/sa-science-lens/
SA Science Lens Competition :
The competition comprises two parts :
The traditional photographic competition :
** It is open to scientists, science communicators and science enthusiasts, as well as professional photographers and amateurs with an enthusiasm for science and technology.
Related : SAASTA Schools Debates Competition : www.southafricain.com/7252.html
** Researchers and scientists are encouraged to participate to open a window into the world of their science we may never otherwise see.
An Instagram competition :
** It is open to all ages and encourages all to find and appreciate science in their everyday lives.
** The competition will be running in the first quarter of 2016.
** Publish and tag your photos on Instagram and you could win.
** Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for information on and updates to the competition.
Categories :
Science in Action :
** Capture science as it happens, either in the natural world or in the workplace of scientists, doctors, researchers, etc.
** Please note that this excludes nature photography that does not depict a specific event of scientific importance.
** Images can be taken using standard film/digital camera equipment, scientific equipment, or specialist photographic techniques such as time lapse/stroboscopic/high speed photography.
Science Close-Up :
** Images should reveal aspects of science that cannot be seen with the naked eye and can be taken with macro lenses or by using techniques such as microscopy, x-ray, satellite or astronomical photography, magnetic resonance imaging, etc.
Science as Art :
** Produce images that illustrate the beauty of science or show natural subjects in abstract ways.
** Images entered should be able to stand alone as a work of art and will be judged on their aesthetic values only.
** Images can be taken with film/digital camera or scientific equipment and can be computer-enhanced or manipulated.
** The entrant must have copyright of all the elements used in the artwork.
Special Category :
** Each competition includes a special category with a relevant theme.
** The 2015 competition had a special category for the International Year of Light and Light-based technologies.
How to enter :
** Entries to the traditional photographic competition can be done by post, email or online.
Prizes :
** Great cash prizes are up for grabs!
** The winner of each of the categories of the traditional competition will win R10 000, and runners up will be awarded R5000.
** The Instagram competition will be awarding data bundles as prizes.
SA Science Lens Rules :
1) The competition is open to individuals resident in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique only.
2) Employees of NRF/SAASTA and their families are not eligible to participate.
3) Images must have been taken on or after 1 January 2013 (i.e. must not be older than this date).
4) Only digital images will be accepted as entries; prints and slides will not be accepted. We will accept high quality scans of non-digital images.
5) Limited digital manipulation of images will be acceptable, and information of digital manipulation must accompany each entry for technical assessment. Cropping, highlights and colour enhancements are acceptable, but no elements of a photograph should be digitally added or removed.
6) Images can be submitted online, by email or on CD. Digital images should be of high resolution in a .jpeg, .jpg or .gif format. Files submitted with entry may not be larger than 5MB. Finalists will be required to submit a high-resolution file of a resolution of at least 300dpi at A5 size.
7) Submission on CD: CDs should be clearly labelled and hand delivered to SAASTA.
8) SAASTA reserves the right to disqualify incomplete entries and/or contestants who are unable to submit, upon request, a high-resolution photograph of at least 300 dpi at A5 size or an original photo negative, print or slide.
9) All entries submitted by email or hand-delivered must be accompanied by a signed entry form as proof that the entrant has read and will abide by the competition rules. Persons entering online via the electronic entry form must tick the relevant box to indicate the same.
10) The Organiser does not accept any liability for lost, delayed or incomplete entries.
11) The copyright of the entire image before and after manipulation must be held by the entrant or the entrant must have the written authority of the copyright owner to submit the photograph for the competition. It is the responsibility of the entrant to seek all permissions required for the image to win under the entrant’s name, and for the display and publication of the entry. The Organiser reserves the right to request evidence of such authorities or consents.
12) Each image should be submitted with a separate entry form. Up to three images may be entered in each category.
13) No image may be entered in more than one category. The judges reserve the right to re-categorise any entry.
14) Any image that has won a prize in another major competition is not eligible. For the purpose of this rule a ‘major competition’ is defined as a photographic competition receiving more than 200 entries. If an image has won a prize in such a competition it will be disqualified. Previously published images are not eligible (except if published in an in-house journal or publication with a circulation of under 2 000).