2013 Backyard Photo Contest Rules
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. PURCHASING WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING
1. Eligibility: This Contest is sponsored by Reiman Media Group Inc., the Publisher of Birds & Blooms and a subsidiary of The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. Contest is open to U.S. residents 18 or older at the time of entry. Employees of The Reader’s Digest Association or their affiliated or subsidiary companies, and their immediate family members, are not eligible to enter the Contest or to participate in the voting process. Contest is governed by the laws of the USA. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited by law.
2. Entry: Entry for the Contest begins on Aug. 1 2012 and ends on Oct. 1, 2012. All entries must be postmarked by October 1, 2012. To enter, mail an unmounted 8x10 color photograph that typifies one of the entry categories listed below to: “Backyard Photo Contest,” Birds & Blooms, 5400 S. 60th St., Greendale WI 53129. On a separate piece of paper, print your name, street address, daytime telephone number and a few details about the photo: where and when you took it, why the scene caught your eye, a humorous or unusual story behind it, and any other information that would help us write about it. Tape the paper to the back of the photo. Include the name of the category you’d like the photo entered into on this piece of paper. Please do not write on the photograph—this could ruin it. We cannot accept photos via email for this contest.
All entries become the property of Reiman Media Group, Inc. We don’t return contest entries, so be sure to keep the negative or original file for your photograph, or send a duplicate print. Please note that prints made at home should be printed on glossy, premium photo stock.
By submitting your photo, this grants Reiman Media Group, Inc., its parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners and licensees use of the submission, including your name, hometown and state. We reserve the right to modify, reproduce and distribute the material in any medium and in any manner or appropriate place. Your submission must not infringe the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other intellectual property rights of any person or entity. Entries submitted in geographic areas in which the entry is not permissible will be disqualified.
3. Categories: Entries should be submitted into one of the three categories: Best of Birds, Best of Flowers, or Best of Butterflies. Entries are limited to one per person, per category. If submitting for multiple categories, you may clearly label entries and send them in a single envelope.
4. Judging: The Birds & Blooms staff will choose four finalists in each category, and post them on www.birdsandblooms.com/contests for the public to vote on. The 12 finalists (4 each in 3 categories) will be selected by a panel of Birds & Blooms editors based on the following criteria: originality (20%), quality (60%) and personality (20%). All entries will be judged using the criteria stated above. Judges’ decisions are final. After the 12 finalists are chosen, there will be two user-voting periods The first voting period will determine one finalist in each category. The second voting period will determine a grand prize winner. The first voting period will be held beginning on or about November 1, 2012, and ending on or about November 30, 2012. Users should log onto birdsandblooms.com to vote on the 12 finalists, choosing the top one in each category. The submission that gets the most votes in each category will be the Category Winner and will then go on to the second period to determine the Grand Prize Winner. The second voting period will be held from about Dec. 1, 2012 to Dec. 10, 2012. Limit one vote per person per category in the first voting period and one vote per person in the second voting period. Winner will be announced on or around December 15, 2012. In the event of technical difficulties, voting dates are subject to change without notice. In regard to contest photos displayed on the birdsandblooms.com website: We reserve the right to crop photos for online voting.
5. Prizes: All 12 Finalists will have their submission posted on birdsandblooms.com and will each receive $50.00. The three category finalists will receive an additional $100.00 each. The Grand Prize Winner, chosen from the three category finalists, will receive an additional $1,000.00. All taxes, if any, are the Winners’ responsibility. Reader’s Digest will not be responsible for any loss, liability or damage arising out of the Winners’ acceptance or use of the prize. All prizes are guaranteed to be awarded. The Grand Prize winner may be required to execute an affidavit of eligibility, and media use release within two (2) weeks from the date of the notification letter or an alternate winner may be chosen by Sponsor.
Sponsor reserves the right to terminate or modify the Contest at any time for any reason. In such a circumstance, Finalists Category Winners and Grand Prize Winner will be selected based on entries received to date of termination. In the event that two similar entries are received, only the entry judged to best meet criteria as set by Reader’s Digest will be included in the final judging. All prizes will be awarded.
All Finalists, Category Winners and the Grand Prize Winner will be notified by email or regular mail within four weeks of the closing date. All Finalists will be required to agree to the use of their name and likeness and entry for promotional purposes (except where prohibited by law).
7. The total number of contestants anticipated nationwide is 8,000.
8. Contest sponsored by Reiman Media Group Inc., 5400 S. 60th St., Greendale WI 53129.