Official Rules & Eligibility

Buena Vista Studio Photo of the Month

The Buena Vista Studio Photo of the Month program celebrates the creativity of photographers who create at Buena Vista Studio. Each month, one photograph is selected to be professionally displayed, featured online, and shared with our creative community.

By submitting an entry, participants agree to these Official Rules and Eligibility Requirements.

Eligibility

To be eligible, participants must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age or have permission from a parent or legal guardian.

  • Submit an original photograph captured at Buena Vista Studio.

  • Own all rights to the submitted photograph.

  • Have permission from any recognizable individuals appearing in the image.

  • Submit a photograph captured within 60 days of the submission date.

  • Submit only photographs that have not previously won Buena Vista Studio's Photo of the Month.

  • Complete all required submission fields before the monthly deadline.

Submission Requirements

Each submission must include:

  • Photographer's full name

  • Email address

  • Instagram handle

  • Photograph title

  • Date the photograph was captured

  • Artist description

  • High-resolution image upload

  • Website or social media link (optional)

Image Requirements

Accepted file types:

  • JPG

  • JPEG

  • PNG

Images should:

  • Be unwatermarked

  • Be minimally 4,000 pixels on the shortest side

  • Accurately represent the submitted photograph

  • Be suitable for exhibition-quality printing

Important: Finalists or the winning photographer may be asked to provide the original high-resolution image suitable for printing at 24 × 36 inches. Images that cannot be reproduced at exhibition quality may be deemed ineligible.

Submission Timeline

Entries follow the monthly schedule below:

1st
Submissions Open

20th – 11:59 PM (Central Time)
Submissions Close

21st–24th
Finalist Selection & Voting

25th
Winner Announced

Submissions received after the deadline will automatically be considered for the following month.

Finalist Selection

After submissions close, Buena Vista Studio will select 10 finalist photographs based on:

  • Creativity

  • Storytelling

  • Technical quality

  • Composition

  • Overall impact

The selected finalists advance to the final voting round.

Voting Process

The winning photograph is determined through a three-part voting process.

Buena Vista Studio Owners

Owners evaluate each finalist based on creativity, storytelling, technical quality, and overall impact.

Buena Vista Studio Members

Active Buena Vista Studio members vote for the finalist they believe deserves to be featured.

Public Vote

The 10 finalists are showcased on Buena Vista Studio's Instagram, where the community can vote for their favorite photograph.

The combined results determine the monthly winner.

Winner Recognition

The selected photographer will receive:

  • A professionally printed 24 × 36 exhibition print

  • A month-long gallery display outside Buena Vista Studio

  • Artist description displayed alongside the artwork

  • Contact information and optional QR code linking to their website or social media

  • Feature on the Buena Vista Studio website

  • Dedicated photographer spotlight on the Buena Vista Studio blog

  • Recognition across Buena Vista Studio's social media platforms

  • Two complimentary studio hours

  • Their featured 24 × 36 print to take home after the display period concludes and the following month's winner has been announced

Prizes are non-transferable and may not be exchanged for cash.

Copyright & Image Usage

Photographers retain full copyright ownership of their submitted photographs.

By submitting an image, participants grant Buena Vista Studio a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to:

  • Display the submitted photograph inside and outside Buena Vista Studio as part of the Photo of the Month program

  • Produce one 24 × 36 exhibition print for display purposes

  • Feature the image on the Buena Vista Studio website

  • Include the photograph in blog articles related to the program

  • Share the photograph across Buena Vista Studio's social media platforms

  • Use the image in promotional materials related to the Photo of the Month program

Buena Vista Studio will not sell submitted photographs or produce additional prints for resale.

Whenever reasonably possible, photographers will be credited by name and, if provided, their website or social media will be displayed alongside the featured work.

Content Guidelines

Submitted photographs may not:

  • Infringe upon another person's copyright or intellectual property

  • Contain visible watermarks, logos, or branding

  • Include offensive, discriminatory, or illegal content

  • Violate another person's privacy

  • Misrepresent AI-generated artwork as original photography

Buena Vista Studio reserves the right to remove or disqualify any submission that does not meet these guidelines.

General Conditions

Buena Vista Studio reserves the right to:

  • Verify participant eligibility

  • Request original image files

  • Disqualify incomplete or inaccurate submissions

  • Modify timelines when necessary

  • Cancel or suspend the program due to unforeseen circumstances

All decisions regarding eligibility, finalist selection, voting, and winners are final.

Privacy

Personal information collected through the submission process will only be used to administer the Photo of the Month program and communicate with participants.

Only information authorized by the photographer—including their name, artist description, and optional website or social media link—will be displayed publicly if selected as the monthly winner.