Cameras at the ready – the Ubuntu 13.10 wallpaper contest has opened for entries.

The bi-annual competition is open to everyone. So if you think that your photographic prowess or illustrative ideas are good enough to grace millions of users’ desktops this contest offers you the perfect opportunity to prove it.

Between 10 – 15 wallpapers will be selected from entries submitted and shipped on the default image for Ubuntu 13.10.

Guidelines

As in the past, submissions are to be collected via a special Ubuntu Wallpaper pool on photo-sharing site Flickr, and only one entry is permitted per-user.

With this limit in mind here are a few things to consider when taking or selecting an image for your submission:

Don’t create busy images, or fill them with too many shapes and colors

Use a single point of focus; a single area that draws the eye in

Avoid having anything on the left and top edges as this will clash with Unity interface elements

Test your image at different aspect ratios to make sure it ‘works’

Minimum resolution needs to be 2560 x 1600

Further composition guidelines can be found on the Ubuntu Wiki.

Summary

One entry per user

Entries should follow design guide

Enter via Flickr

Image must be your own

Images license needs to CC-BY-SA

Deadline: 16th August 2013

Final selection revealed on 23rd August

In need of inspiration? Take a look at previous years winning entries.