1. Entrants:
Any person 18 years of age or over may enter by submitting digiscoping images in compliance with the conditions specified on www.digiscoperoftheyear.us. Employees of Swarovski Optik and their relatives and dependants are not permitted to enter the competition.

2. Closing Date:
Upload until October 31, 2009. Date of login on the Swarovski Optik website is decisive.
The results will be announced at the end of 2009 and will be published on the www.digiscoperoftheyear.us website. Swarovski Optik will also notify the winners in writing.

3. Equipment:
Cameras:
Any digital camera format - from a compact digital camera to a bridge or digital single lens reflex camera - may be used.

Field Spotting Scopes:
Any commercially available spotting scopes and eyepieces may be used, with or without an adapter.

4. Images:
Digiscoping images are pictures of animals living in the wild that are created using a digital camera through the eyepiece of a field spotting scope.

Each image submitted must be backed up with the following information:

* Name, address, telephone number, e-mail address of the photographer/person submitting the image
* How long have you been digiscoping? - optional
* Details of the camera model used (brand, specific model)
* Details of the spotting scope used (brand, specific model)
* Details of the eyepiece used (brand, specific model)
* Details of the adapter used (brand, specific model) - optional
* Time and place where image created - optional
* Estimated distance from subject - optional
* Short description of the image
* Submission of the files is possible exclusively by means of upload to www.digiscoperoftheyear.us

The original image must be available in unedited format and in a printable resolution (at least 2 MB data volume) and may be required by the jury prior to any award. The original image may also be required if it is selected by the jury for publication. 

The number of images that may be submitted is restricted to a maximum of ten images per person. Images which were awarded prizes in the previous year will be excluded from this year’s selection process.


5. Selection Criteria:
Selection criteria are compliance with the Entry Conditions as well as image definition, relevance in terms of subject matter (animal images shot in the wild) and aesthetic aspects of the images submitted.

Images which are sent to us without the additional information specified above will be excluded from the judging.

Entrants are also asked to submit a comparison image that has not been taken through a field spotting scope to give an idea of the digiscoping subject's range and surroundings. This optional addition is of interest and expressly desired particularly with regard to publication.
If images of protected animal species are submitted, a permit from the organisation responsible for monitoring the species must also be presented.

6. Copyright:
The best 10 images will be published, along with the names of the individual photographers, on the Swarovski Optik homepage www.digiscoperoftheyear.us.

The submission of any image in conjunction with this competition implies acknowledgement on the part of the entrant of the transfer to Swarovski Optik of the right, should the said image be selected by the jury, to make use of it, stating the name of the photographer, for the homepage, for Swarovski Optik advertising material and for editorial articles in magazines.
Implicit in the above is that the person submitting the image is able and entitled to transfer this right.

Submission of the images implies acknowledgement of the full extent of the published conditions relating to the competition and the entrant shall confirm that the images submitted do not infringe any third party rights such as, for example, copyrights and that Swarovski Optik is entitled to use the information disclosed.


7. Data Protection:
By entering the picture, participants accept that the data referred to under point 4 will be stored in the Swarovski Optik KG data base and can be revocable used for occasional distribution of Swarovski Optik information material.


8. Legal Remedies:
There may only be one winning image per person. The decision of the international jury is final with no right of appeal.
Organiser is Swarovski Optik KG, 6067 Absam, Austria


9. Prizes:
The best 10 images (places 1 to 10) will be published with the photographer’s name on the Swarovski Optik homepage WWW.DIGISCOPEROFTHEYEAR.US.

The three entrants chosen as “Digiscoper of the Year North America” will receive the following prizes from Swarovski Optik:

1st PRIZE: EL 32 binocular
2nd PRIZE: Pocket Tyrol
3rd PRIZE: Swarovski Crystal Stag

In addition these pictures will take part in the international SWAROVSKI OPTIK Photography competition.