Welcome to BBC World Service Who Runs Your World Image Competition. The competition is part of our season of programming based on the concept of power - both in its global, geo-political form and that at an individual level - from the personal sphere of family and community.
Who holds power? Who wields power? Who wants it? How is power used?
Whether you fancy yourself as a keen photographer or budding artist - or even if you are just a beginner - this is your chance to show your talent. This could be in the form of digital or scanned photos, cartoons, caricatures or simple drawings.
The competition is open to users of the BBC's Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Spanish and Russian language websites.
The shortlist will be chosen by a popular vote, so even if you do not want to enter, you can still take part by choosing the pictures that you think best evokes our theme of Who Runs Your World.
If the image sent by you makes it to the final, you could win a copy of photography book The World's Most Photographed, which explores the power of the photograph on the lives of ten well-known figures from history: Muhammad Ali, James Dean, Mahatma Gandhi, Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Adolf Hitler, John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Queen Victoria.
All entries should reach us by 16 September 2005 and should be sent in an email to wsonline@bbc.co.uk.
Competition rules
1. We need you to send in one image - photograph, cartoon, caricature or drawing - on the theme of Who Runs Your World, along with a caption of no more than 50 words explaining your choice, who runs you world and how the image sent by you depicts that. It should be in a digital format, but you could scan your original and unpublished photo, cartoon, caricature or drawing and send it as an attachment in an email to wsonline@bbc.co.uk.
2.The image must be the original, unpublished work of the person or persons submitting it. It must not have been previously published.
3. If you are under the age of 16, you must obtain permission from your parent or guardian before you enter this competition.
4. Your image must be with us in London by 16 September 2005. No exceptions will be made.
5. The contest is open to any entrant who is not normally a resident of the United Kingdom.
6. No individual may submit more than one image.
7. We choose a selection of entries from each of the participating websites to be put to the users' vote in the first round.
8. The two most popular entries from each language website will go forward to the final round, where they will compete with the semi-finalists from all five websites. The winners will be chosen by a panel on merit of picture and explanation as to Who Runs Your World.
9. The judges' decision will be final and no correspondence can be entered into. If the readers' vote results in a tie, the judges shall have the casting vote.
10. No images will be returned by the BBC.
11. The winning images will be displayed on the BBC World Service language sites and in English by October 2005.
12. It is a condition of entry that entrants warrant that their work contains no defamatory matter and conforms to expectations of taste and decency.
13. If you submit an image, you do so in accordance with the BBC's Terms and Conditions.
Top Tips
Keep the camera level with both hands
Hold the camera steady. It's best to hold the camera with both hands to avoid "camera shake" which creates blurred or indistinct images.
When photographing people, focus on the eyes. Also, make sure you fill the frame with your subject. And don't forget to check the background to make sure there are no unwanted images to ruin your masterpiece!
Outside, try not to put the sun directly behind your subject. And don't have them squinting into the light. Get the sun to one side for a flattering effect.
Don't put everything in the centre. Use what artists call "the rule of thirds". Put the interesting things where the lines cross.
Don't try and get everything in the picture. Often close-up details tell more than a wide view.
For landscapes don't put the horizon in the middle of the picture - about two thirds of the way up or down the picture is about right. Remember, adding people to your landscape shots brings a sense of scale to the picture.
Have fun!
Terms and Conditions
In taking part in the BBC World Service photograph competition you agree to grant us a royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to publish and otherwise use the material for non-commercial purposes and in any media worldwide. Copyright will however remain with the photographer. The BBC cannot guarantee that all pictures and will be used and we reserve the right to edit your comments. (See the Terms and Conditions for the full terms of our rights.)
It is important to note, however, that you still own the copyright to everything you contribute to BBC World Service and that if your image is accepted for entry, we will endeavour to publish your name alongside it on the BBC World Service website. The BBC cannot guarantee that all pictures will be accepted and we reserve the right to edit your comments.
Who holds power? Who wields power? Who wants it? How is power used?
Whether you fancy yourself as a keen photographer or budding artist - or even if you are just a beginner - this is your chance to show your talent. This could be in the form of digital or scanned photos, cartoons, caricatures or simple drawings.
The competition is open to users of the BBC's Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Spanish and Russian language websites.
The shortlist will be chosen by a popular vote, so even if you do not want to enter, you can still take part by choosing the pictures that you think best evokes our theme of Who Runs Your World.
If the image sent by you makes it to the final, you could win a copy of photography book The World's Most Photographed, which explores the power of the photograph on the lives of ten well-known figures from history: Muhammad Ali, James Dean, Mahatma Gandhi, Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Adolf Hitler, John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Queen Victoria.
All entries should reach us by 16 September 2005 and should be sent in an email to wsonline@bbc.co.uk.
Competition rules
1. We need you to send in one image - photograph, cartoon, caricature or drawing - on the theme of Who Runs Your World, along with a caption of no more than 50 words explaining your choice, who runs you world and how the image sent by you depicts that. It should be in a digital format, but you could scan your original and unpublished photo, cartoon, caricature or drawing and send it as an attachment in an email to wsonline@bbc.co.uk.
2.The image must be the original, unpublished work of the person or persons submitting it. It must not have been previously published.
3. If you are under the age of 16, you must obtain permission from your parent or guardian before you enter this competition.
4. Your image must be with us in London by 16 September 2005. No exceptions will be made.
5. The contest is open to any entrant who is not normally a resident of the United Kingdom.
6. No individual may submit more than one image.
7. We choose a selection of entries from each of the participating websites to be put to the users' vote in the first round.
8. The two most popular entries from each language website will go forward to the final round, where they will compete with the semi-finalists from all five websites. The winners will be chosen by a panel on merit of picture and explanation as to Who Runs Your World.
9. The judges' decision will be final and no correspondence can be entered into. If the readers' vote results in a tie, the judges shall have the casting vote.
10. No images will be returned by the BBC.
11. The winning images will be displayed on the BBC World Service language sites and in English by October 2005.
12. It is a condition of entry that entrants warrant that their work contains no defamatory matter and conforms to expectations of taste and decency.
13. If you submit an image, you do so in accordance with the BBC's Terms and Conditions.
Top Tips
Keep the camera level with both hands
Hold the camera steady. It's best to hold the camera with both hands to avoid "camera shake" which creates blurred or indistinct images.
When photographing people, focus on the eyes. Also, make sure you fill the frame with your subject. And don't forget to check the background to make sure there are no unwanted images to ruin your masterpiece!
Outside, try not to put the sun directly behind your subject. And don't have them squinting into the light. Get the sun to one side for a flattering effect.
Don't put everything in the centre. Use what artists call "the rule of thirds". Put the interesting things where the lines cross.
Don't try and get everything in the picture. Often close-up details tell more than a wide view.
For landscapes don't put the horizon in the middle of the picture - about two thirds of the way up or down the picture is about right. Remember, adding people to your landscape shots brings a sense of scale to the picture.
Have fun!
Terms and Conditions
In taking part in the BBC World Service photograph competition you agree to grant us a royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to publish and otherwise use the material for non-commercial purposes and in any media worldwide. Copyright will however remain with the photographer. The BBC cannot guarantee that all pictures and will be used and we reserve the right to edit your comments. (See the Terms and Conditions for the full terms of our rights.)
It is important to note, however, that you still own the copyright to everything you contribute to BBC World Service and that if your image is accepted for entry, we will endeavour to publish your name alongside it on the BBC World Service website. The BBC cannot guarantee that all pictures will be accepted and we reserve the right to edit your comments.
