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2017 Augie Abroad Photo Contest

This contest is open to any current Augustana student who participated in an Augustana-sponsored study away program between Spring Term 2016 and Spring Break 2017.

Students may submit up to four photos (one for each contest category). All photos must be submitted via email to internationalprograms@augustana.edu by April 1, 2017.

All entries should include a photo in JPEG format and the following information:

  • Student Name
  • Name of the study away program
  • Location (city, country) where the photo was taken
  • A brief (100-word maximum) description of the photo’s subject matter.
  • A completed consent form

Prizes and presentation

All winning and honorable mention photos will be displayed at the Celebration of Learning on Wednesday, May 3 and will be entered into the Augustana Digital Commons. Only photos accompanied by the required consent form will be included. Students may print out the form and either scan and send it electronically or drop off the form at Olin 316.

Each category winner will receive a $20 gift card for iTunes. The grand-prize winner will receive a $200 gift card to American Airlines.

Dates and deadlines

Photos must be emailed to internationalprograms@augustana.edu no later than 5 p.m. on April 1 to be considered. Winners will be selected and notified by Friday, April 21.

Photo categories

Students may enter up to four images, one for each category. A winner and an honorable mention photo will be selected for each category. Additionally, a single grand prize winner will be selected.

Architecture and Design

Images of human constructs, including buildings, bridges, towers, castles, roads, windows, doors, ruins, etc.  Any design of human engineering is acceptable in this category.  In general interesting angles, play of light and darkness, composition and color are encouraged.  Standard tourist photos of a famous landmark do not tend to be winners in this category.

Nature

Images of landscapes, seascapes, animal or plant life, natural phenomena or weather formations are ideal for this category.  Images which include people or human structures may be included if there is a clear engagement with the interaction between these elements and the natural world.

Culture and Celebration

Images that capture cultural insights, festivals, public displays or everyday events that highlight unique aspects of a culture.  Always be respectful, sometimes it is not appropriate to take photos of people you don’t know, and some cultures view unsolicited photographs as an unwanted invasion of their privacy, so be sure to ask permission or ask if it is appropriate to take pictures.  The perfect shot is not worth insulting your hosts or being rude.  We are looking to capture daily life and look at rituals, celebrations, holidays and unique performances which demonstrate unique and colorful aspects of the cultures you encounter, but not at the expense of being rude, ungrateful or inappropriate guests.

Augie Students Abroad

Images of students engaging with their experience abroad, meeting people, volunteering, interning, touring as a group, etc. are perfect for this category.  This may include selfies, group shots, and posed shots.  We must stress that we cannot accept photos with children (who cannot provide consent to be photographed—see below).  A tip: stereotypical photos of groups standing in front of famous landmarks (especially the hands-on-knees group shot) tend not to do well in this contest.   Think outside the box, find that photo that shows us engagement, interaction, learning or unique experiences and you will likely do better in the contest.

Photo format and limitations

All photos must be .JPG format and no fewer than 300 DPI. It is recommended that photos be sent in their original size, even if this requires multiple emails to send multiple photos due to size limitations on our email system.

No photos will be accepted if they contain the following subject matter:

  • Alcohol consumption
  • “Extreme” or “adrenaline” sports  (skydiving, bungee jumping, etc.)
  • Dangerous or prohibited activities against the program policy of your study away experience.
  • Photos of individual pieces of art without a greater context.  For example, a photo of a painting cannot be submitted, whereas a photo of an event occurring in a gallery where artwork is part of the scene captured is acceptable.
  • Images of children. Children are unable to give consent to their photos being taken and used by Augustana College or its students. 

We strive to promote ethical photography at Augustana College, which means that there are limits to the use of photos of other people, especially when those people are either unaware that they are being photographed or unable to provide consent (children, for example). Just as you would not appreciate being photographed without your consent while going about your daily life, the same is true for people you encounter on your study away experience. For this reason our contest will not accept images when there is a question of consent.

We will accept photos of people you encounter, but we ask that you be respectful and ask permission to take photos of strangers. Remember that the act of taking someone’s photo can be seen as aggressive or an unwanted invasion of privacy in many cultures or just by individuals. We want to always respect the rights of those we encounter to not be photographed if they do not wish to be.

Photo Rights

All photos entered in the Augie Abroad Photo Contest become the property of Augustana College and may be used by the International & Off-Campus Programs Office or the Communication and Marketing office for publicity and marketing materials both in print and electronic format. Students will be credited as the photographers in all materials provided about the Augie Abroad Photo Contest.

Prize-winning and honorable-mention photos will be part of Augustana’s Digital Commons collection.