Photo Contest Terms & Conditions
The Contest
Knowlita, LLC dba New York or Nowhere (“NYON”) is thrilled to announce the New York or Nowhere Photo Contest (the “Contest”). Through the Contest, NYON wants to celebrate photographers and photographs that best embody the sentiment “New York or Nowhere.”
By submitting an entry, each entrant (“you” or the “Entrant” or “Entrants”) agrees to the Contest rules stated below. Please read these rules carefully.
Semi-Finalists and Winners are required to license certain rights to NYON, which are described below. If these are not rights you can or are willing to license, please do not enter the Contest.
Entry Period
The entry period for the Contest begins at 10:00 a.m. EST on September 17, 2025 and ends at 7:00 p.m. EST on September 24, 2025 (the “Entry Period”).
Who Can Enter
You must be at least 18 years old on or before September 17, 2025. While this Contest is open to participants from all over the world, you cannot enter if you live in a territory where the Contest is prohibited or restricted by law. Individuals affiliated with NYON, including its employees, interns, volunteers, and each of their immediate families (children, parents, siblings and spouses) and others living in their households are not eligible to enter. NYON will determine winners’ eligibility in its sole discretion.
How to Enter
Entrants must submit Photographs and other requested information during the Entry Period online via the submission form on NYON’s website, linked here: https://newyorkornowhere.com/pages/photo-contest.
Submission Requirements
You can submit one (1) photograph only. Submitting more than one (1) photograph will void all entries and disqualify the Entrant.
The Entrant hereby certifies that he/she/they is/are the sole and exclusive creator and copyright owner of the submitted photograph (the “Photograph”), and that the Photograph is wholly original to the Entrant.
For a Photograph in which a person is visibly recognizable, you must be prepared to provide a model release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parent or guardian, to NYON upon request. For a Photograph that depicts other people’s work (such as sculptures, statues, paintings, and/or other copyrightable works), Entrant must be prepared to provide a release from the rights holder to NYON upon request. If the Entrant is unable to provide all required releases for the Photograph, NYON in its sole discretion reserves the right to disqualify the Photograph, seek to secure the required releases, or permit the Photograph to remain in the Contest.
Photographs must be taken in accordance with federal, state and local laws. Photographs that violate or infringe upon another person's rights, including but not limited to copyright or privacy, are not eligible.
Photographs that contain sexually explicit, nude, obscene, violent or other objectionable or inappropriate content, as determined by NYON in its sole discretion are ineligible for the Contest.
In order to be eligible, Photographs must be submitted in JPG, PNG, or TIFF format, exported in the Adobe RGB (1998) color space, and sized to 4,800 px on the short edge and 6,200 px on the long edge. High-quality scans of film or other non-digital photographs are acceptable, provided they meet the same specifications. Digital images should be captured at the highest native resolution available to ensure maximum print quality.
Entrants who are chosen as finalists must be prepared to submit an original, unedited digital file of the Photograph. NYON reserves the right to disqualify incomplete entries and/or Entrants who are unable to submit, upon request, a high-resolution photograph of at least 300 dpi at 4,800 pixels on the shortest side. NYON may collect a Photograph’s metadata upon submission.
By entering the Contest, you grant NYON the irrevocable, perpetual royalty-free right to reproduce, post, distribute, display, make copies of, use and otherwise exploit your Photograph via and all media now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world, in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, evaluating the entries, the voting period(s), internal purposes, and recaps of past events. By entering the Contest, you grant NYON the irrevocable, royalty-free right to use your name and likeness in connection with NYON’s use of your submitted Photograph. You waive the right to inspect or approve any finished product or the use to which your Photograph may be applied. NYON will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with the foregoing actions or uses. Entrant agrees that neither NYON nor any other entity will pay Entrant or any other entity any additional compensation or royalty for any use of the Photograph or for any of the rights granted herein.
If you are chosen as a Semi-Finalist, Finalist or a Winner, you agree that, in exchange for the Prize and other consideration, NYON requires that you sign a license granting NYON certain rights to exploit your Photograph (more on that below).
Judging
NYON will evaluate the Photographs and choose twelve (12) semi-finalists (the “Semi-Finalists”). NYON will review and evaluate Photographs based on creativity, quality, originality, and relevance to the Contest theme. Of the 12 Semi-Finalists, the audience will vote and select four (4) finalists (the “Finalists”). The audience will then vote to select one (1) winner (the “Winner”) from the four Finalists.
NYON will announce the Semi-Finalists for each Category on September 29, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST.
All Instagram users who can access @newyorkornowhere’s Instagram page are eligible to vote in both the Semi-Finalist and Finalist vote.
The Semi-Finalist Vote will take place on September 29, 2025 at 10:00AM EST until September 29, 2025 at 7:00PM EST.
The Finalist Vote will take place on September 30, 2025 at 10:00AM EST until September 30, 2025 at 7:00PM EST.
NYON will announce the Winner on October 1, 2025 at 10:00AM EST on NYON’s Instagram account.
There is no purchase required to enter the Contest or vote in the Contest. Instagram is not a sponsor of, nor is it involved with, the Contest. These dates may be subject to change. NYON will notify Finalists and Winners via the contact information provided at the time of entry. NYON may disqualify anyone who fails to respond to the notification within one (1) business day. Please do not contact us about the status of entries or judging.
Prizes
The eight Semi-Finalists who are not chosen as Finalists or the Winner will each receive a cash prize of $500 and one (1) Postcard Set.
The three Finalists who are not chosen as the Winner will each receive a cash prize of $1,000 and one (1) Postcard Set (defined below).
The Winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000 and five (5) copies of the Print (defined below).
Semi-Finalists, Finalists and the Winner are responsible for paying any fees or taxes associated with the prizes. All prizes are awarded “as is” and non-transferable. In case applicable law prohibits NYON from awarding an Entrant the cash prize and/or any non-cash prize, NYON may award the prize in name only.
Limited-Edition Prints and Products
For Entries that are chosen as the twelve Semi-Finalists, the Photographs will be reproduced, printed, marketed and sold as a limited-edition postcard set (the “Postcard Set”) via NYON’s website, at newyorkornowhere.com, and at the Store.
The Winner’s Photograph will be printed, marketed and sold as limited-edition prints (the “Prints”) via NYON’s website, at newyorkornowhere.com and at the Store.
Additionally, NYON may elect to use the Winner’s Photographs for other purposes as permitted by the License (defined below).
Additional Documents
Entrants chosen as Semi-Finalists must each sign a license granting the rights outlined below, which also includes a declaration of eligibility (the “License”).
Each Entrant retains the copyright in and to their Photograph. Semi-Finalists agree to grant NYON the following rights:
Each Semi-Finalist chosen, as a condition of the receipt of the prize(s) set forth above, must sign a non-exclusive license in a form provided by NYON that irrevocably grants to NYON the right to distribute, make copies, modify, add text to, make derivative works from, use, manufacture, reproduce, market, sell and otherwise exploit in any manner or media the Semi-Finalist’s Photograph as part of the Postcard Set, throughout the universe, without any ongoing royalty or payment obligations, for a period of one (1) year. The License will also require a “holdback” period where the Entrant cannot license or exploit the Photograph in connection with any brand, product or service for a period of approximately eighteen (18) months.
If you are chosen as a Semi-Finalist but do not sign the License within two (2) business days, NYON reserves the right to disqualify you from the Contest.
The License will also contain a grant of rights that only applies if you are chosen as the Winner (if you are not chosen as the Winner, only the initial grant of rights regarding the Postcard Set applies). The Winner, as a condition of receipt of the prize set forth above, must grant NYON an exclusive, irrevocable, perpetual right and license to distribute, make copies, reproduce, modify, add text to, make derivative works from, use, manufacture products, market, sell and otherwise exploit in any manner or media the Winner’s Photograph, throughout the universe, without any ongoing royalty or payment obligations, in perpetuity. This means that NYON is free to exploit the Photograph via any and all media, throughout the universe, forever (which may include, without limitation, using the Photograph as a NYON print or other product).
NYON will credit all Semi-Finalists, Finalists and the Winner in connection with NYON’s use of the Photograph.
If you would like to see a copy of the License prior to entering, please reach out to sam@newyorkornowhere.com.
Use of your personal data
Participation in the contest requires the collection of your name, email address, and social media handles. By entering this contest, you are consenting to the use of your name and email address for further communications regarding this contest. The information collected is subject to our Privacy Policy.
Additional Conditions of Entry
Entrant holds NYON and its directors, officers, employees, retail associates, agents, and assigns (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) harmless from and against all claims of any nature arising in connection with Entrant’s participation in the Contest, NYON’s use of your Photograph, and acceptance or use of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not liable for any costs, damages, injuries, or other claims incurred because of Entrants participation in the Contest or a Winner’s or finalist’s acceptance and usage of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not responsible for incomplete or misdirected entries, technical or network malfunctions or failures, or causes beyond their control. Entrants are solely responsible for their entries. Entrants may not submit materials that introduce any software viruses, worms or other programs designed to damage software, hardware or telecommunications equipment or are off-topic, partisan-political, contain advertising, nudity, personal attacks or expletives, or is otherwise abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, discriminatory, libelous, obscene, false, sexually explicit, or that infringes on the rights of any third party.
The Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. NYON reserves the right to cancel the Contest or modify these rules at its discretion. In the event of a dispute regarding the Winners, NYON reserves the right to award or not award the prizes in its sole discretion. NYON reserves the right to disqualify any Entrant whose entry or conduct appears in any way to inhibit the enjoyment of others, tamper with the competition, violate these rules or other applicable law or regulation, infringe on the rights of third parties, or act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner.
