Three seasons. Three immersive themes. Hundreds of breathtaking pictures from across the world. That sums up our annual photo contest — that delightful burst of frenzied creative activity at the fag end of the calendar ¹, ², ³.

We are super excited to be back with the Nature India Photo Contest 2017. You can now submit your entries to win exciting prizes and be featured on Nature India‘s blog Indigenus.

The theme for this year’s contest is “Grand Challenges”.

Dan Ferber, Executive Editor, Grand Challenges for Springer Nature, introduces this year’s theme:

“Droughts. Typhoons. Rising seas. Refugees. In this big, crowded world of ours, the challenges we face can sometimes seem daunting. Indeed, we must address the complex global problems we face—the world’s grand challenges—to ensure humanity a healthy and sustainable future. But first we must see them clearly. That’s where photography comes in. We must see the vast sweep of the flooded landscape in the aftermath of the typhoon, as well as the man carrying his belongings on his back through the waist-deep floodwaters. We must see the woman walking two kilometres to obtain drinking water for her family, as well as the young child, wan with fever from a treatable disease like pneumonia or diarrhoea. But we must also see images of ingenuity and resilience: a scientist testing an improved form of wastewater treatment, a green skyscraper that not only cools the air, but grows food as well, a nurse vaccinating rural children. Addressing the world’s grand challenges will require scientists—and all of us—to reach beyond our comfort zone, collaborate across disciplines and across sectors, focus on solutions. It’s a big, crowded world, but ultimately it’s a small one, and we’re all in it together.”

The theme for our inaugural photo competition in 2014 was “Science & technology in India”. In 2015, it was “Patterns” and last year, we made it simple with “Nature”. We received some breathtaking entries from across the world all three years. You might want to take a look at the winning entries of the Nature India Photo Contest 2014, 2015 and 2016 for some inspiration or the entries that made it to the top to get an idea of what we look for while selecting winners.

As for the prizes — three lucky winners chosen by our editorial and design team will be featured on Nature India. The winning entries stand a chance of being on the cover of one of our forthcoming print publications. The winner and two runners-up will receive a copy of the Nature India Special Annual Volume 2016 and a bag of goodies (which includes Collector’s first issues of Nature, November 1869 and Scientific American, August 1845; and some other keepsakes) from the Nature Research Group.

The contest is open to everyone – any nationality, any occupation. The only keyword for the subject of the picture is: ‘Grand Challenges’. You could use whatever camera you wish to – even your cell phone – as long as the photograph you send us high quality, unedited, original, in digital format and of printable quality. Just make sure you are not violating any copyrights. Also, no obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or other inappropriate content please (refer to the contest terms and conditions below).

Photographs will be judged for novelty, creativity, quality and printability.

Please send your entries in jpeg format to npgindia@nature.com with your name and contact details. Please mention “Nature India Photo Contest 2017” in the subject line of your email. The photograph must be accompanied by a brief caption (please see the photo captions here for reference) explaining the subject of the picture along with the date, time and place it was taken.

We will accept a maximum of two entries per person. The last date for submissions is midnight of December 10, 2017 GMT. On social media, please use the hashtag #NatureIndphoto to talk about the contest or to check out our latest updates.

So let the creative juices flow. Get, set, click, send!

[TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please read these terms and conditions carefully. By entering into this Nature India Annual photo contest (“Promotion”), you agree that you have read these terms and that you agree to them. Failure to comply with these terms and conditions may result in your disqualification from the Promotion.

1. This Promotion is run by Nature Research, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited a company registered in England with registered number 00785998 and registered office at The Campus, 4 Crinan Street, London N1 9XW (“Promoter”).

2. To enter this Promotion you must be: (a) resident in a country where it is lawful for you to enter; and (b) aged 18 years old or over (or the applicable age of majority in your country if higher) at the time of entry. This Promotion is void in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria and where prohibited or restricted by law.

3. This Promotion is not open to directors or employees (or members of their immediate families) of Promoter or any subsidiary of Promoter. Promoter reserves the right to verify the eligibility of entrants.

4. The Promotion is open for entries between 00:00 on 14/11/2017 and 00:00 on 10/12/2017 GMT.

5. No purchase is necessary to enter this prize Promotion and will not increase your chances of winning.

6. You can enter this Promotion by emailing npgindia@nature.com

7. Only two entries per eligible person. More than two entries will be deemed to be invalid and may lead to disqualification.

8. Promoter accepts no responsibility for any entries that are incomplete, illegible, corrupted or fail to reach Promoter by the closing date for any reason. Proof of posting or sending is not proof of receipt. Entries via agents or third parties are invalid. No other form of entry is permitted. Please keep a copy of your entry as we will be unable to return entries or provide copies.

9. The prize for the Promotion consists of the following: A copy of the Nature India Special Annual Volume 2016 and a bag of goodies (which includes Collector’s first issues of Nature, November 1869 and Scientific American, August 1845; and some other keepsakes) from the Nature Research Group.

10. The prizes shall be awarded as follows: The prize will be decided in the week following the close of the Promotion. The winners will be notified via email. Winners will be selected by a four person panel of Nature staff, at least one of which will be independent from the Promotion, based on photographic merit, creativity, photo quality, and impact. Full names of the judging panel will be available on request. Any decision will be final and binding and no further communication will be entered into in relation to it.

11. Ownership of entries: for consideration into this Promotion, you must sign a license to publish form granting the intellectual property rights to Nature Research for your image. This may be used in promotional or marketing material in print and online. You confirm that your entry is your own original work, is not defamatory and does not infringe any laws, including privacy laws, whether of the UK or elsewhere, or any rights of any third party, that no other person was involved in the creation of your entry, that you have the right to give Promoter and its respective licensees permission to use it for the purposes specified herein, that you have the consent of anyone who is identifiable in your contribution or the consent of their parent, guardian or carer if they are under 18 (or the applicable age of majority), it is lawful for you to enter and that you agree not to transfer files which contain viruses or any other harmful programs.

12. The winner(s) of the Promotion shall be notified by email no more than two weeks after the Promotion closes.

13. The winner(s) will be required to confirm acceptance of the prize within ten working days and may be required to complete and return an eligibility form stating their age and residency details, among other details. Promoter will endeavour to ensure that winner(s) receive their prizes within 30 days of the date they confirm acceptance of the prize. If a winner does not accept the prize within ten days of being notified, they will forfeit their prize and Promoter reserves the right to choose another winner(s). Promoter’s decision is final and Promoter reserves the right not to correspond on any matter.

14. The name, region of residence and likeness of the winners may be used by Promoter for reasonable post-event publicity in any form including on Promoter’s website and social media pages at no cost.

15. You can find out who has won a prize by sending an e-mail to npgindia@nature.com or checking the Nature India blog website Indigenus (http://blogs.nature.com/indigenus).

16. Promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend these Terms and Conditions or change the Prize (to one of equal or greater value) as required by the circumstances. No cash equivalent to the Prize is available.

17. All personal data submitted by entrants is subject to and will be treated in a manner consistent with Promoter’s Privacy Policy accessible at http://www.nature.com/info/privacy.html. By participating in this Promotion, entrants hereby agree that Promoter may collect and use their personal information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted the Promoter Privacy Policy.

18. Promoter may at its sole discretion disqualify any entrant found to be tampering or interfering with the entry process or operation of the website, or to be acting in any manner deemed to be disruptive of or prejudicial to the operation or administration of the Promotion.

19. Other than for death or personal injury arising from negligence of the Promoter, so far as is permitted by law, the Promoter hereby excludes all liability for any loss, damage, cost and expense, whether direct or indirect, howsoever caused in connection with the Promotion or any aspect of the Prize. All activities are undertaken at the entrants own risk. Your legal rights as a consumer are not affected.]