HOT 100 Image Contest For 2016 Is Open

This is THE list..the “ it” list of senior photographers.It is time for our fourth annual HOT 100 image contest!  Last year was a record breaking year for entries!  I can't wait to see your images this year!Our contest is the ultimate image contest.  We will be selecting the best senior photographers across the globe from the submissions we receive.  We are calling ALL photographers to submit.  Do not over think this because this contest only happens once a year at SSG.We will be compiling the winning photographer’s images into the ultimate print Look Book for senior photographers.  This magazine will be your guide to what is HOT and trending in our industry.  So once you have the inspiration, you will have the tools to go and achieve your perfect image.  The issue will be released November 15th. which will make this the ultimate Senior Magazine just in time for Christmas.  This is a prestigious listing and you want your business to be listed in this special edition of our magazine.  If you won last year, you are most definitely going to want to enter to try to reclaim your title!  And if you won Icon Status you definitely want to win again this year!Do not miss out on this.  I received this email after the contest was over the first year we had it…“I didn’t enter the contest, now I am kicking myself!  I cannot escape the HOT 100 buttons!  They are everywhere in my newsfeed!”Do not let this be you!Meet our Leading Legends Judges…Teri FodeDan BrouilletteTara RochelleOur judges have helped grow this industry and have shared their time and talents with our readers repeatedly.  Their names are continually listed as photographers to watch.  Their imagery is stunning and very much respected in this industry and amongst their peers.All images submitted will be judged by these incredible photographers.* The founder of Senior Style Guide, Vickie Black, will be picking the cover winner from one of our Leading Legends Judges.This issue will also contain interviews of all three judges and an image showcase of their favorite work!Style Divisions…10 photographers will be chosen in each of the 10 categories belowBacklitUrbanOCF (Off Camera Flash)StudioEditorialBWSOOC (straight out of camera-no tweaking or retouching)Organic (Think fields, flowers, beach, Bohemia, nature, country and barns)Styled Concept Shoots (location, wardrobe, makeup, hair, props-a full blown concept-please note we are looking for amazing concepts)Photographer's Choice (Do you have an image that does not fit in any of the above categories?  Then this is your category! Please be certain that your image does not fit one of the other categories listed above.)Look for visual inspiration throughout the next two months of past winning images by category to help aid you in your selection process.The Details…The contest will run from May 25th.-September  12, 2016 .  This gives you plenty of time to pick the perfect image(s) to submit.  Winners will be announced by name only on October 15th.   All winners will be announced on our blog and Facebook page.  The winning images will be unveiled in the magazine due out November 15th!  This magazine will be available for purchase in print.  To purchase last year’s HOT 100 magazine click HERESubmission Fee…$4…1 image$8…3 images$15…5 imagesTo submit more than 5 images, for example 10 images you would need to purchase the $15 option twice.Icon Status…We are welcoming all photographers to submit to this (with the exception of our 3 judges of course!)  All categories will be up for grabs to all photographers who enter them.  If a photographer takes more than one category, their spots in the HOT 100 immediately go silent and they are elevated to ICON STATUS.  This allows for them to receive special recognition and for another photographer to have a chance at their original HOT 100 spots!  So let’s play hypothetical here…lets say there are 105 photographers on the list, does that mean there are a 105 HOT 100 photographers?  NO.  It means there are 100 HOT 100 photographers and 5 photographers who obtained Icon Status…does that make sense?  Additionally, any photographer obtaining Icon Status will have their headshot, bio and urls listed on our website under HOT 100 Distinguished Photographers.  We will also be including our Leading Legends Judges in this special section. This year the HOT 100 will be the best yet!  So not only do you want to win this year…you want to win more than one category!  *Please note anyone attaining Icon Status will have their images appear in the magazine under a special section titled “2016 Icon Status”Submission Guidelines…1. All images must be high resolution and saved as your business name and the category you are submitting each image for.  For example vickiesblackcountrychic.jpg for more than one image to the same category you can add a number.  For example:  vickiesblackcountrychic2.jpg2. All images must be dropboxed to me at vickie@wallenvy.comIf you are not familiar with dropbox, it is free and you can sign up HERE3. Your dropbox folder will need to be your business name Hot 100.  For example Vickie Black Photography Hot 1004. We will not accept watermarked or low res images.  If you send them, you will automatically be disqualified.5. You will need to upload a word document with your contact info, website, your name and your business name to your dropbox folder.6. You must have a signed release for your images and it must be included in the dropbox folder for each image (if from different sessions).  This is only to prove you have the rights to submit this to a magazine for publication.  We ask everyone to do this as we do not want to go back and ask 100 people for this later.  If your release is electronic, screenshot it and send it.7.  All images must be dropboxed at the same time with the signed model releases and the info document.8.  You may submit either portrait or landscape oriented images all images must be in color EXCEPT for the ones being entered in the BW category.9.  You can enter as many images as would like to as many categories.  Just be sure to select the appropriate number of images from the paypal payment button or multiple quantities.10.  If your Paypal name is different than your business name please note that in the paypal message area before submitting payment.All images that do not meet the submission criteria will be disqualified.No refunds will be given for disqualified images.Decisions made by the judges are final.How will the images be judged?All images will be judged on the following criteria…CreativityExposureCompositionPosingUse of lightStyleEditingFine Print…Image must be of a 2015, 2016 or 2017 senior.All images must be added to your shared dropbox folder no later than 11:59 pm September 12 eastern standard time.All images must be high resolution with a word document containing your contact information, paypal name and business name.Do not submit images taken from a workshop, shootout or one on one mentorship.  They will be disqualified.Only the business name will be listed with the photo in the magazine.Images will be narrowed by the judges per category.By submitting you are stating you are the owner of this image and are granting Senior Style Guide permission to print your image in the magazine.There will be no refunds given.Each winning photographer will receive a HOT 100 button and their image will appear in the magazine with image credit.  We do not supply free print or digital copies of the magazine to winning entries.  To read more about why this is our policy,  you can visit HERERead everything and ready to enter…?I cannot wait to see the winning images this year!xoxo,Vickie