The NZIPP Iris Professional Photography Awards (“Iris Awards”) is an awards program organised by the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography Inc (“NZIPP”, or “the Organisers”). Upon entering the Iris Awards, entrants (“entrant”, “you”, or “your”) acknowledge and accept the Global Rules, Category Rules and Terms and Conditions set out below (collectively referred to as the “Rules”). If you do not agree to these Rules, you are not authorised to participate in the Iris Awards and must not submit an entry.

TERMS & CONDITIONS
The following terms and conditions apply to all entries.

1. Eligible Photographers
Entries into any of the categories are open to any individual photographer from any country aged 18 years and over.

2. Entry Eligibility

In addition to the Global Rules and Category Rules:

Entries must be submitted without watermarks or other features that would identify the entrant.

Entrants must keep raw files of images and all elements used and provide these to NZIPP at the time of entry. Files are to be uploaded at this link: https://irisawards.com/2026_Original_Capture_Upload (e.g. RAW image files, digital files, source records for all elements used in images, property and model releases, consents, correspondence, records, negatives etc) to demonstrate the eligibility of the entry.

Entries must be:
• Submitted electronically on the Awards website https://nzipp.awardsplatform.com/ and adhere to any technical specifications notified on that website;

• Accompanied by original capture files that are supplied in accordance with the process detailed.

• Accompanied by the entrant’s full name(s), physical address, email address and phone number; and

• Submitted no later than the deadline for entries specified by the Organisers. Entries will not be accepted after this date.

3. Awards Categories

The Awards categories are at the Organisers’ discretion and may be varied without notice at any stage prior to judging.

4. Use of Entries

Entrants (or copyright owners who permit entries to the Iris Awards) retain copyright to their entries but agree unconditionally and irrevocably that entries may be used in whole or in part by the Organisers and their sponsors, free of charge, for promotion or discussion in connection with the Iris Awards, including on the ‘past competitions’ web-page of the Iris Awards website as a public record.

Entrants agree to their images being shared via social media and digital channels from the submissions gallery, by the Organisers, competition sponsors, and gallery viewers.

Entrants agree submitted material may be cropped slightly if needed for layout purposes and that such altered images may be credited to them.

Notwithstanding these Rules, entrants accept that the Organisers and sponsors have no obligation to display, promote or publish any entry in any way.

5. Entrant Warranties
By entering the Iris Awards, entrants warrant that:

• They are the sole creator and owner of their entry, and they are either the legal copyright holder or have permission from the copyright holder.

• All content in their entries is original and does not infringe the copyright, moral rights or other rights of any third party. Plagiarism, either intentionally or unintentionally, is not acceptable and any entry deemed by the Organisers or judges to be plagiarism will be disqualified.

• If the image contains any identifiable persons, then the entrant has obtained consent (from all identifiable persons) to enter the image into the Iris Awards, and for the image to be used and published as described in the Rules.

• Entrants accept that the Organisers may, in their sole opinion and at their sole discretion, disqualify any entry they deem unsuitable, inappropriate or against the values of the awards in terms of content, or otherwise does not fit the eligibility criteria.

6. Discretion of Organisers and Judges
The Organisers retain an absolute discretion to, without reason or refund:
• Disqualify an entrant/entry from the Iris Awards;
• Admit/exclude/remove entries to the Iris Awards;
• Bar any entrant from submitting further entries (including in future Iris Awards);
• Refuse to judge an entry;
• Change the competition dates, including entry, judgment and ceremony dates;
• Amend, vary, extend or discontinue the Iris Awards and/or these Rules at any stage, for any reason;
• Retrospectively disqualify an entrant/entry and/or strike off an award where an entry or entrant is later found to be in breach of these Rules, and require the entrant to return any awards or prizes previously conferred.

The Organisers decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into. No refunds will be given for disqualified entries.

7. Entry Fees
Entry fees and prizes are quoted in NZ dollars. The Organisers do not have any liability for any bank fees and charges or currency conversion rates. Entries are only valid upon receiving payment in full of the entry fee as specified. Entry fees are non-refundable except as may be provided by the Organisers at their discretion.

8. Prizes

Any non-cash Prizes are not transferable and may not be exchanged for cash. Special conditions may apply to non-cash prizes, e.g. they may be subject to availability. Should a non-cash prize be offered, It is the category sponsor’s responsibility to provide the prizes to the Awards winners. Sponsors retain the right to substitute prizes for an item or items of similar value. Any vouchers received must be redeemed within the specified time frame.

9. Privacy and Contact Information
The Organisers undertake to hold your personal information securely, in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. All contact details provided may be used from time-to-time by the Organisers for communications related to the Iris Awards or NZIPP. All other personal information will be kept confidential and used solely by NZIPP for the purposes of the Iris Awards, unless demanded and required under the laws of New Zealand. Entrants can request access to and correction of their details at any time. Entrants may unsubscribe at any time from NZIPP’s email database.

10. Intellectual Property Rights Reserved

All rights related to the name “NZIPP”, “New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography”, “Iris Awards”, and associated images, branding, trademarks and all intellectual property are exclusively owned by the Organisers, and may not be used without the express written permission of the Organiser’s Executive Director.

11. Liability and Indemnities

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Organisers (including its judges, officers, executive members, employees, contractors and advisors) and Iris Awards sponsors shall not be liable for any claim, loss, injury, liability, expense or damage suffered by the entrant(s) or any third party whatsoever, whether indirectly or directly, howsoever arising, whether from the negligence of the Organisers, by cancellations, terminations, disqualifications, modifications, variations, or through the failure or omission on the part of Organisers to comply with obligations under these Rules, or arising by operation of law, or otherwise.

In the event that the Organisers (including its judges, officers, executive members, employees, contractors and advisors) and Iris Awards sponsors are liable for any claim, loss, injury, liability, expense or damage that cannot be validly excluded by these Rules, then their aggregate liability shall not exceed the entry fee (if any) actually paid by the entrant to enter the Iris Awards. The Organisers (including its judges, officers, executive members, employees, contractors and advisors) and Iris Awards sponsors:
• Will not be responsible for the content/editorial control for entries and associated information submitted by entrants, including the legality and/or veracity of that information; and
• Do not make any claims or warranties as to the ownership of copyright or intellectual property of the entries, and will assume no liability for entries accused of plagiarism, copyright issues, intellectual property rights issues, privacy issues or contractual disputes.

By entering, entrants:
• Warrant that they have the legal standing and relevant permissions to make the commitments required by these Rules and the general nature of the Iris Awards; and
• Agree to indemnify the Organisers (including its judges, officers, executive members, employees, contractors and advisors) and Iris Awards sponsors for any claim, loss, injury, liability, expense or damage arising from or relating to their entry(ies) in the Iris Awards, any breach of these Rules or the entrant’s acts or omissions.

12. Governing Law
The laws of New Zealand exclusively apply to these Rules and your participation in the Awards. You irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand Courts.