1.      About the Civil Service Club photography competition 2026 

• The Photography Competition 2026 (Competition) is run and managed by the Civil Service Club (the Organiser).
• The Competition is free to enter with multiple categories and aimed at members of the Civil Service Club.
• By entering the Competition, you agree to abide by these Terms and Conditions.

2.      Categories 

• Images must be entered into one of the four categories. 
• No image can be entered into more than one category.
• The categories this year are:
  • Spring — Fresh Starts & First Blooms: Celebrates the UK’s early colour and new life: bluebells, daffodils, lambs, nesting birds, morning dew, orchard blossom, and the first warm days.
  • Summer — Sunshine, Shores & Shared Moments: Invites images of British summer energy: beach life, coastal sunsets, picnics, festivals, cricket on the green, garden colour, and long golden evenings.
  • Autumn — Colour, Change & Quiet Beauty: Focuses on the UK’s rich seasonal shift: turning leaves, misty mornings, hedgerow berries, harvest scenes, migrating birds, and woodland texture.
  • Winter — Stillness, Frost & Seasonal Glow: Captures the UK’s colder character: frost‑covered fields, snow scenes, dramatic skies, festive lights, wildlife in winter coats, and quiet rural landscapes.

3.           Dates 

• Launch date 1st July 2026.
• Closing date 14th August 2026 for all entries.
• Winning photographers will be notified in the first two weeks of September 2026 Members entering must provide an email address when submitting images for this In the event that a winner is non-contactable, their entry will be forfeited and another chosen.
• The results of the Competition will be made public shortly after the photographers have been contacted and the winning photographs will be announced on the Civil Service Club website and social media.

4.           Eligibility 

• The Competition is free of charge and open to all photographers but excludes anyone associated with the Competition administration and organisation. This includes the Civil Service Club employees and Competition judges (and their partners and family), Officers and Committee Members of the Club.
• The entrant must be the creator of the image(s) submitted, and the sole owner of the copyright (see ‘Image rights and use of images’ section, below).
• Photographers will be asked to declare that the images they are submitting comply with these Terms and Conditions and that the information accompanying the image they provide is complete, true and accurate.
• Images that do not comply with all Terms and Conditions and image specifications will not be considered by the judges.

5.           Image subjects 

• Photographers must ensure that they have the permission of anyone pictured in the image (or, where the image shows any persons under 18, the consent of their parent/guardian). The Civil Service Club is not responsible for seeking this permission.
• All images must be taken in an responsible manner and in accordance with any relevant legislation.
• Subjects photographed in a studio setting or a captive environment are not permitted.

6.           Entering the Competition and photo specifications 

• All images should be entered via the website form on the Competition Up to four images may be entered per member, with no more than one entry per category.
• Please submit your photographs in landscape format, not portrait. They should be minimum 300 dpi and with a suggested file size of between 3 – 15MB. We cannot accept images sent by post.
• The Organiser cannot be held responsible for any problems uploading.
• All entries are sent at the photographer’s risk. The Organiser cannot accept liability for any loss or damage of any images entered in the Competition (howsoever caused) nor for any other resulting loss or damage.
• You must be the image creator and hold sole copyright. Images must not already be licenced or share rights with another entity (for example, stock libraries).
• Images that have won other photography competitions are not eligible.
• Images must not have been entered in a previous Civil Service Club photo competition.
• Images must have been taken within the last two years.
• Faithful representation of the subject must be maintained. Minor digital adjustments are only acceptable if limited to cleaning (removing dust spots), levels, curves, colour, saturation and contrast work. Sharpening and cropping to the required size is allowed. Images should be representative of the true scene through the viewfinder without elements added or removed.
• Images created with or altered by AI are not permitted.
• Images must not include any watermark, signature or professional logo.

7.           Judging and prizes 

• Judges will be appointed by the Organiser and will select winning images based upon technical skill, diversity, originality and creativity. Judging will be anonymous.
• There will be a pre-filter of submissions by the Civil Service Club to ensure that the photos are compliant with these Terms and Conditions and taken ethically.
• The Organiser’s decision on all matters relating to the Competition is final, and no correspondence will be entered into concerning the Competition’s judging and organisation.
• The Organiser reserves the right to substitute prizes. No alternative, or otherwise, will be given for any prizes.
• All prizes will be paid by BACS. Winners will be contacted for details to arrange prize payments.
• Prizes:
  • Category winners: £50. The overall winner will receive an additional £100.
  • Runners up in each category: £25.

8.           Image rights and use of images 

• You must be the sole author and owner of the copyright for all images You will retain copyright of your entries at all times and always be credited alongside your photograph.
• You may use the entry on social media at any time (before or after judging) using the hashtag #CSCphotocomp.
• Entrants agree to grant the Civil Service Club a nonexclusive, irrevocable licence to reproduce, publish and exhibit in any medium, including print and digital for the use of promoting the results of the Competition and the wider Civil Service Club aims. This includes but is not restricted to; photo exhibits, marketing materials, use in the Civil Service Club press and websites, including those not linked to the Competition.
• The entrants agree to give the Civil Service Club free usage sublicensing of submitted images for media and press articles or any other external communications related to the competition. The Organiser will insist that images are credited to the photographer but cannot be held responsible for errors and omissions.
• Beyond sublicensing for media and press related to the Competition and the promotion of the Civil Service Club, the photos will not be passed on for use by third parties without prior permission.

9.           Disclaimer

• The information given in these Terms and Conditions is correct, but the Civil Service Club reserve the right at any time and from time to time to amend these Terms and Conditions and to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, this Competition with or without prior notice and the Organisers’ decision(s) in all matters under our control is(are) final and binding. By entering the Competition, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. Any breach of these Terms and Conditions by an entrant will void their entry.
• The entrant is responsible for any claim made by a third party against the submission.

10.        Data protection

• The Civil Service Club is compliant with the Data Protection Act and UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• By entering, you agree to the Civil Service Club using your details for the purposes of managing your Competition entry and properly attributing your photograph if it is used by us.
• By entering, you also agree that if selected as a winner, the Civil Service Club may share relevant details with any prize Organisers for the purposes of issuing you your prize. The Civil Service Club may also share your relevant data with media and press for publicising the results of the Competition.
• Your name will be used to attribute you as the author of your submitted photograph when it is used by the Civil Service Club.
• For more information on how we manage your data, please see our privacy https://www.civilserviceclub.org.uk/privacy/

11.        Entire Agreement

• These Terms and Conditions and any other webpages or documents incorporated into them constitute the entire agreement between you and us and supersedes and extinguishes all previous agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations and understandings between them, whether written or oral, relating to its subject matter, including but not limited to any advertising or promotional materials. You agree that you shall have no remedies in respect of any statement, representation, assurance or warranty (whether made innocently or negligently) that is not set out in these Terms and Conditions.

12.        Law and Jurisdiction

• The Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts.

13.        General

• The Organiser of this Competition is the Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard. London, SW1A 2HJ, an unincorporated association.