1. Timeline

• Photographs must be taken on or after 1 January 2025.

• Submission Period: Sunday 20 April to Sunday 25 May 2025.

• Winner Announcement: Winners will be announced in June 2025.

2. Prizes and Showcase

• Prizes will be awarded to winning entries.

• Winning entries will be showcased at St Clare Hall during at a gallery style exhibition on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June 2025. 

3. Challenge Categories

• Adult Category (19 years old & above)

• Junior Category (13 to 18 years old)

4. Eligibility

• Open exclusively to parishioners of the Church of St Mary of the Angels.

5. Theme and Interpretation

• The theme is “Hope”. Participants are encouraged to explore and capture moments of Hope inspired by their personal faith, community, and/or the beauty of creation. 

• Interpretation of photos are through the theme of Hope and/or through the official Jubilee 2025 words of scripture “Hope does not disappoint” - Romans 5:5 and “be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the “door” (cf. Jn 10:7.9) of our salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always, everywhere and to all as “our hope” (1 Tim 1:1)”- as shared by Pope Francis.

6. Submission Guidelines

• Format: JPEG or PNG with a minimum resolution of 3508 x 4961 pixels

• File Size: Maximum 30 MB per image

• Number of Entries: Up to 2 entries per participant

• File Naming Convention: Files should be named as FirstName_LastName_ImageTitle.jpg

• Title and Description of Each Photo: Each photo must be accompanied by a title and a brief description of how the photograph inspires or depicts “Hope” (30 words maximum) according to the Theme and Interpretation in Item 5.

• Submission Method: Via Challenge Submission Form (Link will be shared at a later date).

• Rights: By submitting your photos, you explicitly grant “St Mary of the Angels” non-exclusive rights to use your photos submitted.

7. Image Requirements

• Photos must be taken from the 1 January 2025 onwards. The metadata of your submitted image will be verified.

• Photos must be original and taken by the participant.

• Photos from mobile devices (phones, tablets) or DSLR / mirrorless / prosumer / point and shoot cameras are accepted.

• No watermarks, borders, or text overlays allowed.

• Basic editing is permitted (e.g., brightness, contrast, cropping, sharpening) but heavy manipulation will be disqualified.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated images will be disqualified. 

Note: Judges' decisions are final. No explanation will be provided.

Photography ethics is a set of moral principles that guide a photographer's actions, decisions, and interactions. It's about being respectful, gaining consent, and representing people with dignity. Ethical photography is important because it helps photographers understand the power they have over the images they create and share. 

Here are some principles of ethical photography:

• Respect: Respect the rights of the people before capturing and within your images, including their right to privacy. 

• Consent: Get consent from your subjects before capturing and whilst using their images, and inform them of the purpose and potential impact of your images. 

• Transparency: Be transparent about your actions and decisions. 

• Empathy: Consider the impact of your images on others. 

• Integrity: Be honest and don't manipulate your images. 

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Taking photographs during Mass can be distracting, both for yourself and those around you. Do respect the sanctity of the Mass and refrain from taking photos so that everyone present can participate fully in the Mass.

Who can participate? Do I need to use a camera? When can I start?

• All parishioners from St Mary’s aged 13 years and above are welcome to participate.

• No, a camera is not necessary.  We welcome photos capturing “hope” taken with any device, such as a mobile phone.

• You may start taking photos anytime from 1 January 2025 and submit your photos between 20 Apr and 25 May 2025.

Why participate?

• Be a Pilgrim of Hope this Jubilee 2025 with this unique opportunity to exercise your creativity and spiritual lens with your phone or camera.

• To renew our hope in Christ and rediscover our relationship with God, others and creation through photography, no matter the level of experience.

• To use this initiative by the parish to meet new people al or know each other better and share experiences.

• To learn and pick up tips in photography through the guided photo walks, talks and workshops.

How to participate?

1. Register your interest if you wish to be updated on the various activities. Sign up to engage, learn and be inspired!

2. Pray, start shooting and submit your photos! 

How will the photos be judged? What is the judging criteria? 

• Our panel of judges will include professionals and expert photographers, our parish friars and parish staff.  The panel will deliberate and vote based on the Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee 2025 theme and interpretation of “Hope”.

I’m interested but I’m not sure where to begin. How can I be inspired? What should I photograph?

• First of all, bear in mind this may not be an activity you are accustomed to, so you may wish to bring this to prayer and invite the Holy Spirit to be your guide. 

• There are no boundaries to find captured moments of “Hope” in this Photo Challenge. Everyone’s perception of Hope will not be the same and therefore will be captured differently.  Here are a few ideas to create some inspiration: Hope in prayer, Hope in service, Hope in community, Hope in nature and Hope in everyday life. 

Can I take photographs during Mass?

• Taking photographs during Mass can be distracting, both for yourself and those around you. Do respect the sanctity of the Mass and refrain from taking photos so that everyone present can participate fully in the Mass.

If I am a professional or amateur photographer, can I still participate?

• Absolutely!  Any parishioner whether they are new to photography or an expert may participate.