LATEST NEWS - The IVRPA Annual Panoramic Photography Contest 2010 - RESULTS

The International VR Photography Association (IVRPA) is pleased to announce a photographic competition and exhibit in conjunction with Photokina 2010. The contest will recognize and exhibit outstanding examples of the art and science of panoramic photography.

Photokina is the largest photography-related conference and exhibition in the world, held in Cologne, Germany, September 21st to 26th. The IVRPA has been honored with the grant of a free booth at this year’s fair to showcase VR panoramic photography.

A selection of entries from the contest will be displayed in the IVRPA booth to a broad international audience of professional photographers and other people with a professional background and a strong interest in the imaging industry. In addition to the recognition given to leading VR professionals this exhibit will educate the public about the field of VR panoramic photography and its potential.

There will be four categories of panoramic imagery solicited for the contest. Panoramic Prints, Gigapixel Panoramas, VR Panoramas, Interactive Computer Graphics Featuring VR Panoramas.

Judging of entries will be by a panel of leading professionals from the panoramic and general photographic community. Entries will be judged on both their artistic and technical merits, as well as their suitability to represent the work of members of the IVRPA and the field of VR photography.

Prize winners will be awarded in each category, plus an overall grand prize winner, and special prizes and honorable mentions at the discretion of the judges. A handsome printed book of selected panoramas from Photokina 2010, including contest winners, will be complied and available for online purchase.

Category One: Panoramic Prints

Entries in this category must be panoramic in nature (at least 120° horizontal field of view) but may be of any projection and final shape (traditional panoramic, equirectangular, square, circular, or others). A jpeg image of limited size will be submitted for judging. The winners must provide a high resolution file for final printing. Mounted prints will be displayed in the IVRPA booth at Photokina and possibly other locations in the future, and on the association website.

Category Two: Gigapixel Panoramas

Entries in this category must also be panoramic in nature, and consist of at least a billion pixels (more information about this on the website). A limited number of gigapixel images will be printed and hung in turn at or near the IVRPA booth, and displayed interactively on large LCD monitors and digital projectors. For judging both a low resolution version of the entire panorama, and two or more full-resolution samples of small interesting sections of the panorama should be submitted. Winners must provide both a gigapixel size file for printing and a zoomable interactive version.

Category Three: VR Panoramas

Entries in this category will typically be 360° by 180° spherical panoramas intended for computer-screen display (cylindrical panoramas also accepted). They should be single node without elaborate skins or multi-media features (note the category below). Winners will be displayed at the IVRPA booth with large LCD displays and/or digital projectors.

Category Four: Interactive Computer Graphics Featuring VR Panoramas

Entries in this category will be intended for computer-screen display. They may consist of multiple nodes, navigation technologies, supporting graphics such as maps and floorplans, and sound. They can be in any player technology that works cross-platform on current computers (Mac OS-X, Windows 7) or handheld devices (iOS or Android). Entries can be submitted for judging either as a standalone application/directory, or as a link to a working copy on a website. Winners will be displayed at the IVRPA booth using digital projectors, as well (potentially) as phones and tablets.

To Enter the Contest

You must be a current member of the IVRPA to enter – http://ivrpa.org/membership/join

Each member is allowed up to two entries in each of the panoramic and interactive categories, and one in the gigapixel category.
Photography entered in this contest should be new work, shot in 2009 or 2010, and not previously entered in a contest or widely exhibited.

To ensure full anonymity during judging no logos, copyrights, names, dates, or text shall appear on the image or tripod cap or in the file’s metadata. (There may be exceptions to this rule for commercial work in the interactive category).
You must certify that you (as an individual or company) are the creator and copyright holder of the work submitted. Copyright of all entries will be retained by the original creators, with rights granted to the IVRPA for display at Photokina and similar events and on the IVRPA website. Final works will be displayed only with full attribution of authorship and notice of copyright.