The Watermark Amateur Photographic Competition 2025

We are looking for photographs that capture the beauty of Ivybridge and the surrounding area throughout the seasons, which are suitable for a calendar and postcard that would showcase the town to visitors.

The judges will choose 12 photos which will appear in The Ivybridge Calendar 2026 and will be available to purchase from The Watermark Information Desk, Ivybridge from October onwards.

The closing date for entries is midnight on 31/08/2025.              

Please read the rules before entering. They are available on our website and from the Information Desk at The Watermark.

Terms and Conditions

Please note when using the term photo this can also be represented in the form of a photo of original artwork depicting Ivybridge

1) Entrants can submit no more than 1 photo in colour to the following email address: ivybridgephotocomp@gmail.com

2) Digital images must be at least 1600 x 1100 pixels in resolution and landscape in orientation.  

3) Photos must be taken within a 5 mile radius of the town. 

4)  All photographs will be judged on the following criteria:

• Originality

• Public Appeal

• Suitability for inclusion in a calendar/postcard

• Recognisable local landmarks

5) Entrants must state their full name, address, email address and daytime telephone number and clearly state the location and the month that the photograph was taken.

6) Ivybridge Town Council understands that digital photography does allow for some image enhancement. Images that have had spots, scratches or other blemishes or minor features removed are acceptable. You can work on the colour, enhance or crop the image in order to improve the composition.

7) We will not accept composite images-those that stitch 2 or more separate images together to make one image, or entries which superimpose elements photographed separately onto an image.

8) Ivybridge Town Council reserves the right to exclude any image that we believe has been excessively treated so as to alter its authenticity.  Ivybridge Town Councils decisions as to the eligibility of individual photographs will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

9) The competition is open to UK residents only. Entrants under the age of 16 years need to provide written consent from their parent/guardian.

10) Entrants must not be professional photographers. For the purposes of this competition, a professional photographer is considered to be someone who makes more than half their annual income from the sale of their photographs.

11) Ivybridge Town Council will only ever use personal details for the purpose of administering this competition.

12) The competition closes at midnight on 31/08/2025. Entries received after this date will not be considered. Ivybridge Town Council cannot accept responsibility for any problem that may result in any entry becoming lost or delayed. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt. Entries will not be returned so please remember to keep a copy. Unsuccessful entrants will not be contacted and no feedback on any entry will be provided.

13) All entries must be the original work of the entrant and must not infringe the rights of any other party.  The entrants must be the sole owner of the copyright of all photographs entered and must have obtained permission of any people featured in the entries or their parents/guardians if children under 16 are featured. Where an individual or residential property, belonging to someone other than the photographer are featured, the photographer must seek permission and be prepared to provide written consent, if requested. Entrants must not have breached any laws when taking their photographs.

14) We are looking for original photographs, so entries must not have won any competition prize previously, either local or national. For the purposes of the competition, ‘national’ refers to the whole of the UK.

15) Entrants will retain the copyright of the photographs that they submit to Ivybridge Town Council. By entering this competition all entrants grant Ivybridge Town Council the right to publish and exhibit their photographs and the right to publish and exhibit their photographs in print or on their website. Ivybridge Town Council reserves the right to use any of the final 12 photographs at any time in the future to create postcards and calendars for sale. No fees will be payable for any of the above uses.

16) Entrants whose photographs reach the finals also agree to take part in post-competition publicity. Whilst we will make every effort to credit photographers, including in printed reproductions of their work, we cannot guarantee that every reproduction will include the photographer’s name. Entrants must ensure that the photograph is not used to publicise or promote companies, individuals, organisations or causes, other than those authorised by Ivybridge Town council

17) By entering, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by these rules and Ivybridge Town Council reserves the right to exclude any entry from the competition at any time and in its absolute discretion if Ivybridge Town Council has reason to believe that the entrant has breached these rules.

18) The winning photos will be chosen for their suitability by employees of Ivybridge Town Council, Councillors or other judges appointed by them. Judging will be confidential. The judges decision is final and no discussion will be entered into.

19) Ivybridge Town Council reserves the right to cancel this competition or alter any of the rules at any stage, if deemed necessary in its opinion, and if circumstances arise outside of its control. 

20) Please take your photos responsibly, please read the following guidelines: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/enjoying/countrysidecode/default.aspx