1. Information on how to enter and prizes form part of these Terms & Conditions (“Terms”). By entering or participating in the “Photo Mode Awards” competition (“Competition”), you accept and agree to be legally bound by these Terms. Entries must comply with these Terms to be valid.
2. The “Promoter” is The Photo Mode Awards. “Entrants” include Eligible Entrants, Winners as well as any other individuals who enter and participate in this Competition.
3. All references to times and dates are to times and dates in AEST, which may be AUSTRALIAN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
ENTRANT ELIGIBILITY
4. The competition is open worldwide to individuals aged 18 and above. All categories welcome photographers of all levels, from beginners to professionals, except:
a. members of The Photo Mode Awards team;
b. members of the judging panel.
5. To claim a prize, winners must follow The Photo Mode Awards’ social accounts and provide a valid mailing address.
ENTRY ELIGIBILITY
6. The competition opens for entries on Monday, 1st June 2026 at 07:01 am (“Opening Date”) and closes on Friday, 27th June 2026 at 11:59 pm (“Closing Date”). The period between the Opening Date and Closing Date is referred to as the “Competition Period.” Entries must be received by the Promoter before the Closing Date. Entries are considered received when they reach the Promoter, not when they are submitted by the entrant.
7. Entry to the competition is free.
8. To participate in the competition, eligible entrants must complete the following steps during the Competition Period (“Entry Requirements”):
a. Entries must consist of photos created using a game’s Photo Mode or free camera mod. Cinematic photos are not allowed unless captured through an official Photo Mode. An official Photo Mode is a feature within the game that allows players to capture and edit in-game screenshots.
b. Each entry must be submitted via the Photo Mode Awards website, unless the Promoter specifies an alternate submission method.
c. Each eligible entrant may submit one entry per category. An entrant may have multiple entries selected as finalists across different categories; however, each entrant can only win one prize.
d. The entrant must be the original creator and hold all rights to the submitted photo. By entering the competition, the entrant confirms that the photo is their own work and does not infringe on any third-party rights, including copyright, trademark, or privacy rights. Any entry found to violate this rule will be disqualified.
e. Images containing watermarks or branding will be disqualified from judging.
9. Entries must NOT contain any of the following content:
a. pornography, nudity, or sexually explicit imagery;
b. abusive, offensive, indecent, immoral, or hateful content;
c. harassing or defamatory content;
d. content that compromises the privacy or safety of yourself or others;
e. content that demeans any gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, ethnicity, or nationality;
f. spam, advertising, or other commercial activities; and/or
10. There will be twelve (12) winners in total: 6 Winners and 6 Runners-up.
11. Each winner will first be verified as an eligible entrant and must have successfully completed the entry requirements.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & Digital MANIPULATION
12. Images created by artificial intelligence using image-creation programs (for example: MidJourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, etc) may not be entered.
13. Images edited using Generative AI or manipulated in programs such as Photoshop, etc, where pixels are added that did not exist in the original photo, may not be entered. Examples would include (but not limited to): inclusion of elements not present in the original composition: rain drops, clouds, sun, etc.
14. Basic image editing is permitted. This includes adjustments such as exposure, contrast, colour correction, sharpening, cropping, depth of field, motion blur, and similar post-processing adjustments.
The use of photo editing software such as Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, and similar tools is permitted. The use of ReShade and in-game filters is also permitted. AI upscaling tools used solely to increase image resolution or clarity are permitted.
Minor removal of small objects or imperfections may be permitted at the discretion of the organisers.
The following are not permitted:
Adding elements that were not originally present in the game scene (e.g. skies, clouds, rain, characters, objects, backgrounds)
Heavy photomanipulation or compositing
AI image generation or AI image creation tools
Any alteration that fundamentally changes the original in-game capture
The Photo Mode Awards reserves the right to request original files or screenshots for verification purposes. Entries that cannot be verified may be disqualified.
CONTEST CATEGORIES
15. There will be a total of six (6) categories. We are looking at each participant to interpret the themes to their own way:
a. People: This style of photography is all about trying to capture the personality, expressions, and emotions/connections of an individual (person or fantasy) or group individuals by utilizing the background atmosphere, poses, and lighting.
b. Architecture: Architecture photography generally means photography that focuses on buildings, structures, and urban/fantasy environments, showcasing creativity in composition and design. It can include shooting building exteriors and interiors, as well as bridges, other structures, and cityscapes.
c. Action: Captures will contain a high intensity scene with dynamic moments, showcasing movement, energy, and vitality in various contexts, from sports to a fight scene.
d. Close Up: The Close Up category focuses on capturing detailed and intimate shots of a subject. This type of photography allows for a deeper exploration of texture, and fine details.
e. Indie: This category focuses on the unique and visually stunning worlds crafted by independent game developers.
f. Nature: Nature photography is focused on elements of the outdoors. Specific subjects may include landscapes, wildlife, flora, and other elements of the environment.
COPYRIGHT
16. Entrants retain copyright of their images. The entrant provides The Photo Mode Awards a limited-use authorization to publish and distribute their photographs for the sole purpose of promoting The Photo Mode Awards, without any further reference or payment to the entrant. Images will be credited with the name of the photographer if used by The Photo Mode Awards or in any promotion. The Promoter may also publish each Winner’s name on the Promoter’s website(s) and social channels.
Public Voting Awards
17.The Photo Mode Awards may include public voting awards such as the People’s Choice Award and People’s Curator competitions.
Public voting may take place via platforms including but not limited to the Photo Mode Awards website, Instagram, or other official platforms.
By entering the competition, entrants agree that their images may be displayed publicly for voting purposes.
Any attempt to manipulate or unfairly influence voting, including but not limited to the use of bots, fake accounts, automated voting, or coordinated vote manipulation, may result in disqualification.
The Photo Mode Awards reserves the right to remove votes, disqualify entries, or cancel voting results where unfair voting activity is suspected.
The organisers’ decision regarding public voting results is final.
JUDGING
18. Entries will be shortlisted by The Photo Mode Awards team based on their alignment with the competition’s categories and rules. Each entry will be reviewed to ensure it meets the specified criteria.
19. A panel of leading gaming industry experts will judge the shortlisted entries (finalists) and vote on their selections in each category.
20. The decisions of the judges are final. No further correspondence or appeals will be considered.
WINNER'S ANNOUNCEMENT
21. Winners and Runners-Up for each category will be announced at www.photomodewards.com on July/August 2025.
PRIZES
22. Each Category Winner, a total of six (6), will receive:
TBA
23.Each Category Runner-Up, a total of six(6), will receive:
TBA
24. Product prizes are subject to availability, not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash. If a prize is unavailable, the Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize (if options are available).
25.Finalists and winners will be announced as part of the official Photo Mode Awards annual show or awards presentation. Prize winners will be contacted after the awards announcement via the contact details or social media accounts provided during entry. If the identified winner does not respond within a reasonable timeframe, the Promoter reserves the right to offer the prize to the next entrant whose entry meets the judging criteria or to reoffer the prize in any future promotion. The Promoter may retweet or re-share winning entrants the following day to promote the Competition.
26. Where physical products are sent to the winners, the Promoter takes no responsibility for prizes damaged, lost in transit or applicable tax.
27. Due to logistic issues, shipping prizes to Winners residents of (not limited to) Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Brazil or Argentina may be challenging. The Promoter will individually assess alternatives (if they exist) with those respective Winners. Additionally, due to regional restrictions and platform limitations, some digital game prizes may only be available in specific regions or on certain platforms (e.g., PC). If a winner is in an unsupported region or requires a different platform, the Promoter will assess possible alternatives on a case-by-case basis (if they exist).
28. The Creator of the Year Winner will take:
a. Featured in the 2026 Photo Mode Awards Magazine b. 1x Assassin’s Creed Shadows Collector’s Edition c. 1x Assetto Corsa Evo PC key d. 1x Blades of Fire PC key e. 1x Death Stranding Director’s Cut PC key f. 1x Crime Boss PC key g. 1x The Elder Scrolls Online PC key h. 1x Undisputed PC key i. 1x Starfield PC key
29. Entries will be shortlisted by The Photo Mode Awards team based on their alignment with the competition’s categories and rules. Each entry will be reviewed to ensure it meets the specified criteria.
30. A panel of leading gaming industry experts will judge the shortlisted entries (finalists) and vote on their selections in each category.
31. The decisions of the judges are final. No further correspondence or appeals will be considered. Any entrant who engages in harassment, abusive behaviour, or inappropriate conduct towards the organisers, judges, sponsors, partners, or other participants may be disqualified and may be prohibited from entering future Photo Mode Awards competitions.
GENERAL
32. The entrant indemnifies The Photo Mode Awards, the brands supporting the Competition, the Judges and the team behind the competition against any claim, legal or otherwise, that may arise out of conducting the competition or publication of images.
33. The Photo Mode Awards reserves the right to disqualify any entry deemed to be in breach of these Terms and Conditions.
34. The information in these terms and conditions supersedes information in other parts of this website.
35. Any entry found to breach the above Terms and Conditions will be disqualified. All prize money and product prizes must be returned to The Photo Mode Awards.
