1. GENERAL CONDITIONS

• 1.1 The F/262 Photography Awards celebrate outstanding imagery and visual storytelling from photographers worldwide.
• 1.2 The competition is organised by F/SOS – Associação Fotografia, Solidariedade e Obras Sociais (Non-Profit Organisation). All proceeds from entry fees directly support the association’s cultural and social missions.
• 1.3 By submitting an entry, the participant (“Entrant”) confirms they have read and accepted these Rules and the full Terms & Conditions.

2. ENTRY FEES & SUBMISSION

• 2.1 Participation requires an entry fee, payable via the official platform:
  • Photography Awards: €15.00 per image.
  • NextGen Award (Aged 17–25): €5 per image.
  • NextGen Award (Aged 16 & Under): Free.
  • Photo Book Award: €35.00 per submission.
  • Open Call Exhibition Award: €35.00 per submission.
• 2.2 Fees are non-refundable and must be paid during the submission process.
• 2.3 Entries are only considered valid after confirmation of payment and, where applicable, the upload of mandatory age verification (PDF).

3. AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS

The jury will grant excellence across the following categories:

• F/262 Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards: Overall top three photographs.
• ZÉ Award: Creative distinction for originality, authorship, and symbolic strength.
• Shaping Shores Award: Thematic prize for work engaging with the festival’s 2026 theme of water.
• NextGen Award: Recognising the photographers of tomorrow (aged 25 and under).

4. ELIGIBILITY & AUTHENTICITY

• 4.1 Open to all photographers worldwide. Entrants must be the sole author and copyright holder of the submitted work.
• 4.2 AI Policy: All images must originate from a photograph captured with a camera (analogue or digital). Images entirely generated by AI are strictly prohibited. The jury reserves the right to request RAW or original source files for verification.
• 4.3 Members of the jury, the festival organisation, employees, contractors, and the governing bodies of F/SOS – Associação Fotografia, Solidariedade e Obras Sociais, as well as their immediate family members, are not eligible to participate in the competition.
• 4.4 The organisation reserves the right to disqualify any entry that does not comply with these rules or that is deemed to contain misleading, inappropriate, or fraudulent information.
• 4.5 The entrant confirms that the submitted images do not infringe the rights of any third party. The entrant is responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions or model releases for identifiable persons or private property when required.

5. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• 5.1 Format: JPEG | Colour Profile: sRGB & PDF file for the Book & Exhibition Awards.
• 5.2 File Size: Minimum 1MB / Maximum 15MB.
• 5.3 Shortlisted entrants will be required to provide high-resolution files (300dpi) suitable for large-format exhibition printing.

6. EXHIBITION & PRINTING

• 6.1 Selected finalist works will be printed by the Festival using professional archival materials at no cost to the photographer.
• 6.2 Works will be featured in outdoor installations and public spaces in Caldas da Rainha during the F/262 Festival.

7. PRINT COLLECTION

• 7.1 Photographers may collect their physical exhibition prints in person during the designated period in October 2026 at Caldas da Rainha.
• 7.2 No Shipping: For logistical and environmental reasons, the festival cannot ship prints. Uncollected prints will remain part of the F/SOS non-commercial artistic archive.

8. COPYRIGHT & USAGE RIGHTS

• 8.1 Photographers retain 100% copyright ownership of their images.
• 8.2 By entering, the participant grants the F/262 Festival a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the images for exhibition, promotion, social media, press communication, and festival-related publications (including catalogues) for a period of up to three (3) years.

9. FINAL PROVISIONS

• 9.1 Participation implies full acceptance of these rules. The Jury’s decision and F/262 decisions are final. Any disputes will be governed by Portuguese law.
• 9.2 The organisers reserve the right to cancel, modify, or suspend the competition if circumstances beyond their control make this necessary.
• 9.3 The organisers shall not be held responsible for any loss, damage, or technical failure that may occur during the submission process or exhibition production.