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FAQs

The most frequently asked questions about the process and conditions of the Competition, technical issues, copyright and details regarding the Competition.

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1. COMPETITION OVERVIEW

The Tloupas PATH Awards are part of Tloupas PATH, an institution inspired by the work and identity of Larissa-based photographer Takis Tloupas, who lived and worked in the city of Larissa for more than 40 years, capturing his birthplace and life across the Thessalian plain. Takis Tloupas has created an extensive photographic ethnographic archive, which serves as a point of reference for a significant transitional period in the Greek countryside and society. The photography competition and the Tloupas PATH Awards are at the heart of the annual Tloupas PATH Festival, which includes exhibitions, events, talks and educational programs for children and adults.

The open competition will take the form of an open call for applications. At the beginning of each year, the institution will determine the Thematic Cycle within which all annual events will take place. This specific Thematic Cycle will also be the theme of the photography competition for the same year. In the spring of each year, the competition will be announced, which will accept nominations for 60 days. Interested parties will be able to submit their proposals exclusively and only on the institution’s platform. The submission details are described in detail in sections 3, 4 and 5 below.

The Tloupas PATH institution is inspired by man and his unique relationship with the world in which he lives. This is also the legacy of Takis Tloupas’ work. Consequently, all Thematic Cycles will have man and human activity at their core, whether it contains the human element or only his imprint on the world. The annual Thematic Cycles are more guiding axes and a trigger for multiple and different interpretations and approaches, than a restrictive condition.

The Tloupas PATH Awards competition is open to amateur or professional photographers, established or emerging, from Greece and the rest of the world, regardless of age, with as many photos as they wish, but always in accordance with the terms and conditions of each category. There are no restrictions on the photographic medium or style of the images to be submitted. Participants are not allowed to be employees, representatives or associates of the Tloupas PATH Awards.

For 2025, the competition is held in the form of an open call for interest (Open Call) and includes two categories:

(a) Established Photographers Category (TLOUPAS PATH INTERNATIONAL AWARD): This category is open to photographers who are mid-career and have a recognized body of work, with publications and exhibitions. This category is open to photographers regardless of age, nationality or place of permanent residence.

(b) Emerging Photographers Category (TLOUPAS PATH UNDER 30 AWARD): It is aimed at photographers under 30 years of age (for this year’s competition, year of birth up to 31/12/1995), who are in their first steps in presenting their work through exhibitions and publications. It concerns exclusively photographers who are permanent residents of Greece, regardless of nationality.

In both cases, submission can only be made through the institution’s website at the link here, with a portfolio of a series of photographs, as specified in detail in each category separately. (see 4. Submission of candidacy)

2. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE COMPETITION

Please read the contest terms carefully to be informed about how we use your photos. The contest rules aim to protect your copyright, as well as the copyright of the Tloupas PATH Awards contest. By participating in the contest, you declare that you have read and accepted the rules governing the Tloupas PATH Awards contest.

The Tloupas PATH Awards competition reserves the right to unilaterally modify the rules or part of the competition rules. If this happens, all participants will be informed by sending a relevant email.

The creator is solely responsible for any third-party claims related to his/her participation in the competition and assumes full responsibility to indemnify Tloupas PATH Awards and its sponsors for any rights or any other amounts owed to third parties due to a violation of the above terms. Tloupas PATH Awards disclaims all responsibility for any problems that participants may encounter during their participation in the competition.

The Tloupas PATH Awards competition reserves the right to disqualify any entry that it deems does not comply with the above, even if it has already been submitted to the competition website.

We declare that we will do everything possible to resolve any potential disputes between us in good faith. We are an artistic competition that wishes to promote and highlight the work of creators. However, any disputes between us will be resolved by the competent courts of Larissa.

Submission of entries is done exclusively through the institution’s website in the SUBMIT section, by submitting a photographic series, in accordance with the specifications specified in detail for each category separately (see 4. Submission of candidacy).

Each photographer is allowed to submit only one series of images to each annual competition. In the event that the series is not selected, the photographer may resubmit it to the following year’s competition, provided that it meets the necessary specifications and falls within the new Thematic Circle that will be defined.

The announcement of each year’s Thematic Cycle will be made in the Spring of the same year and at the same time the platform for submitting portfolios will open. The deadline for submissions will be 60 days from the date the call for interest opens.
Tloupas PATH Awards has the right to extend the deadline for submissions, as well as cancel the competition.

After the submission process is complete, the Jury will announce the shortlists for both categories. The names of the shortlisted photographers will be announced personally via email, as well as on the platform and social networks of the institution, along with photos from the series they have submitted. No later than 30 days from this announcement, the Jury will decide on the final ranking and the winner of each category. The result will be announced via email to the winner, but the final public announcement and award will take place at a later date.

The judges’ decisions are final and irrevocable. In some cases, certification may be requested, either of age, that is, if the contestant belongs to a specific age group, or to prove that the photo is not a product of artificial intelligence. In case submissions do not align with the terms and conditions of the competition, they will be automatically cancelled.

The Tloupas PATH Awards institution reserves the right to unilaterally change the rules or part of the rules and conditions of the competition. If this happens, all affected participants will be notified via email.
The photographer is solely responsible for any third party claims related to his/her participation and undertakes to fully indemnify Tloupas PATH Awards and its sponsors for any royalties, fees or other amounts owed to third parties due to a breach of the above terms. Tloupas PATH Awards disclaims all liability for the consequences of any entry submitted to the competition, as well as for any problems that participants may encounter during their participation process.
Tloupas PATH Awards reserves the right to disqualify any entry deemed not to comply with the above, even if submitted on the competition website.

3. NEW ACCOUNT & PROFILE

To participate in the Tloupas PATH Awards competition, interested parties must create an account on the relevant platform and on the register page User registration (register) is carried out using the following procedure:
In the form on the page, the user fills in the following information:

  • Username
  • E-mail
  • Password
  • Password confirmation

He selects the type of competition he wants (Category of recognized photographers, Category of emerging photographers), accepts the terms of use and then SUBMITS his registration.

After registering (REGISTER) and logging in (LOG IN) to his account for the first time, the user creates his Profile.
In the Profile field, the following fields must be completed:

  • Name
  • Surname
  • Birthdate
  • Country
  • Address
  • Short CV (on the platform) and/or detailed CV with dates (upload pdf)
  • Optional Links for Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn

Finally, to verify their profile, the user receives an e-mail to confirm registration. On each new visit to the website, they will need to log in again in order to access and edit their personal account.

The user has the ability at any time to change their profile information or request its deletion.

No. In order for a photographer to participate in the competitions, they are first required to create an account and then create a profile.

The first thing that the account ensures is the ability to participate in the competition. Without an account/profile, the candidate cannot participate.

At the same time, it constitutes a personalized environment that can be configured as desired, with texts and photos, a biography, links to social networks and various information that, as a whole, validates one’s identity.

As the Tloupas PATH Awards have high online traffic as an active institution, the identity, participation in the competition and the overall work of the candidate gain increasing visibility in the digital space.

YES. At any time you can add new items, change, or complete information. You can also delete your account at any time.
ATTENTION: After the final submission of your proposal and photos to the competition, you can change all information related to your identity, but you cannot modify the material you have submitted to the competition – namely the photos and related accompanying
materials

If you have forgotten your username or password, you can visit the relevant link below the name and password window using either the username or the email address you have registered. If the problem persists, please contact us via email at info@tloupas-path.gr

YES. Μπορεί να γίνει ανάκτηση του λογαριασμού εφόσον ανάμεσα στην ημερομηνία δημιουργίας του και την ημερομηνία διαγραφής του έχει ληφθεί αντίγραφο ασφαλέιας – backup.

4. SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES

The fields for submitting nominations are as follows:

Series title (up to 500 characters)

Series description (accompanying text up to 2,000 characters)

Number of photos:

Recognized Photographers Category: 3 to 5 photos

Under 30 category: 3 to 5 photos

The photos are uploaded one by one, following a numerical order (e.g. Surname_Name_ProjectTitle_PhotoNo.jpg
(in Latin characters, e.g. Papadopoulos_Maria_UrbanSilence_01.jpg)
Each photo has an optional field for Title and Caption.
After uploading all the photos, click the SAVE button and then the FINAL SUBMISSION button.
ATTENTION
After the final submission, the user cannot undo or modify their submission. They can only make changes to their profile.

Participation in the Tloupas PATH Awards 2026 competitions is free.

5. PHOTO SPECIFICATIONS

The Tloupas PATH Awards competition accepts all types of photographs, digital, analogue and mobile phone photographs. Image editing, post-processing, alternative or other visual techniques, such as blueprints or collage, are permitted, provided that the main work contains a photograph. The photograph or work may be contemporary or older or as indicated in the individual categories.

A series of photographs (“Series”) is defined as a set of photographs that come from the same photographic work/project, are connected by semantic coherence, have a narrative sequence, and are clearly and adequately linked to the accompanying text. Also, the accompanying texts of the Series Description must highlight the relevance and connection to the respective topic of the open call for interest.

In the emerging photographer category, the total number of photos submitted must not exceed 5, and the total size must not exceed 25 MB (maximum 5 MB per photo).

In the recognized photographer category, the total number of photos submitted must not exceed 5, and the total size must not exceed 25 MB (maximum 5 MB per photo).

Resolution & Size: The largest side of the photo must be at least 1920 pixels. The size of each file must not exceed 5 MB.

If the photographer is selected for the exhibitions, they will be asked to send the files in high resolution, suitable for printing.

Any editing of the files (e.g. dimension adjustment, scanning or other technical processing required for the exhibition) is carried out under the responsibility of the artist.

The accompanying texts submitted must belong to the photographers and not constitute the intellectual property of a third party, unless it is a limited bibliographical reference. The texts must meet the specifications set by the competition in terms of content (project description) and length.
If the editors or the competition managers consider that the submitted texts offend third parties or public sentiment, or may create problems for the institution, they reserve the right to ask the photographer to modify them. In case of disagreement, the submission may be canceled.
The institution and the competition reserve the right to use the submitted texts posted on the website only for the purposes of publications, exhibitions or for the promotion of the images and the competition.

Check if you are within the competition time frame or if the Open Call has expired. Check if all size specifications are met for the images you are submitting. ATTENTION: In many cases, the dimensional specifications (e.g. pixels) may be met, but not the file size (MB) or total series size specifications. In this case, you will need to reduce the file size either by compressing it or by submitting a smaller image. If you have checked the above and are still experiencing a problem, close the application and restart it. If the problem persists, contact support at: info@tloupas-path.com

The name of each file must include the full surname and first name of the photographer, as well as the title of the work, using Latin characters, in the format Surname_Name_ProjectTitle.jpg (e.g. Papadopoulos_Maria_UrbanSilence.jpg). It is recommended that the order of the files corresponds to the order in which the photos appear in the submission. For this reason, the photos are uploaded one by one following numerical order.

Yes, it is allowed. Also allowed are collage, image editing, traditional photographic methods, montage, colorization or any other visual interventions on the images, blue prints, etc.

Photos created using artificial intelligence (AI) are NOT eligible for entry into the competition. If a photo is selected that is proven to be the product of artificial intelligence, it will be automatically disqualified from the competition. If there is any doubt about the authenticity of a photo and whether it is a product of artificial intelligence, the creator of the photo is required to prove through the image data (digital trace) that the photo was not produced by AI.
The final decision of the judges is final and cannot be disputed.

Sometimes the description may be mandatory and sometimes optional. In each case it is defined by the terms of the Open Call. The description is mandatory only where it is requested and there is a relevant field. Even in this case, you can use ‘untitled’ as the title.

No. In general, nothing should be added that could alter the quality of the image or file.

YES until final submission is made, NO after submission is finalized.

Yes However, please read the terms of the competition below carefully for the use of your images for promotional purposes and in the event that they participate as runners-up in the exhibitions.

By entering the competition, you warrant that you are the creator of the image and that you have the copyright and approval of the participants. You also warrant that there are no other copyrights owned by third parties and that the use of your images by the Tloupas PATH Award will not infringe the copyright or legal rights of third parties. Submission of material/images that have been the subject of legal proceedings or related complaints is not permitted.
You are solely responsible for any third party claim in connection with your entry and will fully indemnify Tloupas PATH Awards and its sponsors for any royalties, fees or other amounts owed to third parties due to a breach of the above. Tloupas PATH Awards reserves the right to disqualify any entry it deems to not comply with all of the above, even after it has been submitted to the competition website.

6. JUDGING PROCESS

The judging process takes place in two stages. In the first stage, a short list is created. From the short list, the winners and the photographers whose works will be exhibited emerge.

Regardless of the annual Thematic Cycle, among the main selection criteria are relevance to the topic, consistency in the narrative, technical excellence, originality of the topic, and above all, the emotional impact of the images and the entire photographic series.

The Jury for 2026 is composed of renowned judges from the field of photography. Their names and relevant information will be announced on the institution’s website.

If there is any dispute regarding your submission, you may be asked for proof of your age, the authenticity of your texts and/or photographs, or whether the work or part of the work you submit is the product of artificial intelligence.

The final decision of the judges is final and cannot be disputed.

7. AWARDS / EXHIBITIONS

For the year 2026, prizes in the form of a gift certificate will be awarded for each competition category.

By participating in the exhibitions, you automatically consent to the curatorial choices that aim, on the one hand, to better showcase the individual works and, on the other hand, to the overall narrative and setting of the exhibitions. You also consent to the possible transfer of the exhibitions to other cities with different or the same curatorship.

Accordingly, if your candidacy in the competition is awarded, you automatically consent to your participation in exhibitions and to your works being included in promotional processes of the Tloupas PATH Awards.

The production cost is covered entirely by the institution, whether it concerns the production of new works or the transfer of an existing collection of photographs. The use of an existing collection can only be made if its technical specifications coincide with the curators’ choices, such as the sizes of the images, the printing method and the presentation method – e.g. frames, adhesive surfaces, etc.

The Tloupas PATH institution and the Region of Thessaly, as the main organizer and supporter of the institution, undertake the widest and most extensive promotion of the exhibitions and the publicity of the awards and winners, at a local and national level.

After the end of the exhibitions and in consultation with the artists, the works are either kept by the institution for any planned transfer of the exhibition to another city, or, after consultation with the artist, they are destroyed.

The curators appointed by the institution are responsible for the curation of the exhibitions. The exhibitions are always organized with the aim of achieving the best and most complete overall result, and based on the artistic approach of the curators. The selection of the final works to be exhibited and the accompanying texts is the responsibility of the curators. The responsibility for the captions and descriptive texts of the photographs belongs to the creators.

The final selection of works to be exhibited may include fewer works than those submitted. In subsequent curation of other exhibitions, the use of photographs from the original or previous exhibition is not binding. The curators’ choices regarding the setting of the exhibitions are final and cannot be contested by the participating artists.
Any replacement of curators may be made without notice and is the responsibility of Tloupas PATH Awards.

8. USE OF PHOTOS & COPYRIGHTS

For the use of your photos, please read the preliminary agreement for their use carefully in case you are selected as a winner or distinguished or short listed.

Tloupas PATH Awards does not claim copyright for the works submitted to the competition. In any case, you fully retain the copyright of your works, you simply grant Tloupas PATH Awards the right to use your images for specific purposes, such as publication on social media, in exhibition catalogues and printed promotional materials.
By participating in the competition, if your work is selected as either short listed or winner, you automatically consent to some or all of your photographs being used in the Tloupas PATH Awards exhibitions.
You also consent to the use of your photographs for the creation of a catalog or other printed material for the exhibition, for the promotion of the exhibitions through brochures, banners and posters in public spaces, as well as the use of your images on social media and the media.
Whenever your photos are published on the Tloupas PATH Awards website or in other uses mentioned in the above paragraph, your name will be mentioned. Failure or omission to publish your name due to an error is not considered a violation of this condition. Once we are informed of this error, we will seek to rectify it immediately if possible.
Tloupas PATH Awards bears no responsibility and has no obligation to intervene if your name as the creator is omitted in the republishing of your images on a third-party website. Also, in any case, Tloupas PATH is not obliged to compensate creators whose name, due to the mistake of its collaborators or due to third parties, has not been mentioned in the published photos.
Especially in the case of commercial uses of your photos, such as postcards, bags, bookmarks or other items, this will only be done after a written agreement with the creators.
As an art festival aiming to promote and highlight the work of participating artists, Tloupas PATH will make every effort to resolve potential disputes in good faith, however, if this is unsuccessful, disputes will be resolved by the local courts of Larissa.
Acceptance of terms
By participating in the competition, it is assumed that you have read and accepted the rules described above.

9. CONTACT

e-mail επικοινωνίας: info@tloupas-path.com