Calendar Contest

Interested? Scroll down further for photo contest details, submission requirements, and deadlines. Or just click on any of these quick links to get started:

SUBMIT YOUR PLAY-IT-SAFE PHOTO

Photo Tips Guide

While technology has simplified the act of taking a pet photo ( just point and click, right?), taking a winning photo of your pet requires something more: planning. We’ve provided some tips to help you plan your pet masterpiece.

Contest Rules and Terms and Conditions

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

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ENTRY DEADLINE

All photo submissions must be completed by June 14, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time. 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: 
• Entrant must be 18 years of age (or complete the included parent/legal guardian consent). 
• Photos must be taken by the entrant via camera (including smartphones and tablet cameras). 
• Entrant must hold the copyright to every photo entered.
• Each entrant may submit up to two (2) photos.

ALL ENTRIES MUST:

• Feature only your pet. 
• NOT feature any recognizable humans. 
• Be the original work of the entrant, who owns the rights to those photos. 
• Meet all eligibility and deadline requirements.
• Conform to all file and submission requirements.
• Conform to all U.S. copyright laws. 
• Be correctly labeled and identified.
• Be accompanied by the Official Entry Form.
• NOT have been digitally altered beyond standard optimization (removal of dust, cropping, reasonable adjustments to exposure, color and contrast, etc.).    
• NOT be constructed from pieces of other photographs. 

FILE REQUIREMENTS:

• All photos must be submitted electronically. (Hardcopy photos are not accepted.) 
• Minimum image size: 12” x 9” 
• Horizontal format REQUIRED. 
• File Format: JPEG, JPG, or PNG (highest quality setting, no compression).
• Resolution: 350 dpi at 100% (do not increase resolution in photo editing software).
• Images downloaded from social media or similar online sources may not be accepted. The resolution is typically only 72 dpi and will not print.

ENTRY IDENTIFICATION: 

• File should be named with pet’s name and entrant’s last name. (ex. “Play-It-SAFE_Fluffy_Smith.jpg”).
• For multiple entries, number each filename. 

HOW TO ENTER: 

1. Visit www.SAFEFed.org/PlayItSAFE.
2. You will be directed to the competition site to register as an entrant.
3. Complete the Official Entry Form. Please ensure all information is accurate. Captions in the calendar are personalized based on the information submitted at time of entry.
4. Complete the Artist Release Form (or Artist Release Form for Minors if entrant is under 18 years of age).
5. Upload your photo(s).

JUDGING:

• From eligible photos submitted by the deadline, winners will be selected by based on: 
        —    Interpretation of or fidelity to the Play-It-SAFE theme to depict a ‘pet at play’.
        —    Uniqueness of concept.
        —    Image quality. (resolution, focus, lighting, etc.).
• Winners will be posted on SAFE’s Instagram page (@safefcu) in early July. 

WINNERS:

Winners will be notified by September 15, 2024, via the email address provided with entries. Prizes will be sent by U.S. mail to the address provided by December 31, 2024.

PRIZES: 

From all the photo submissions received, 14 photos will be selected, and featured in our 2025 Play-It-SAFE Calendar. Entrant’s and pet’s names will be printed adjacent to their photo. 

FINALIST PRIZE: 

13 selected finalists will be awarded a monetary prize of $250. 

GRAND PRIZE: 

The top finalist will be awarded a monetary prize of $1000.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS: 

contest@SAFEFed.org.

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TERMS & CONDITIONS

By entering this contest, you (“YOU” or “ENTRANT” refers to any contestant) agree to all of the terms and conditions relating to this contest, and are responsible for understanding your rights. 

Entrants certify that they are the original creator of the photos submitted, that they have the right to submit the photos to the contest, per these rules. 

SAFE Federal Credit Union is not responsible for any and all claims ensuing from or in connection with the use of any and all photos submitted into this contest.

Employees, Officers, and Directors of SAFE Federal Credit Union and members of their immediate families (spouse and biological, adoptive or step-parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and siblings, and each of their respective spouses regardless of where they reside, or households, related or not, of any of the above individuals are not eligible to participate in the contest or win the prizes. 

Entrants agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless SAFE Federal Credit Union, its respective shareholders, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, attorneys, agents and representatives, from any and all third-party liability for any injuries, loss, claim, action, demand or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the competition (collectively, “Losses”), including without limitation any third-party claim for copyright infringement or violation of an individual’s right to privacy and/or publicity right. Contest is void where prohibited by law.  

Entrants agree that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved with SAFE Federal Credit Union, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this contest, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, before a court of competent jurisdiction located in Sumter, South Carolina, which court shall apply the laws of the state of South Carolina without regard for rules of conflicts of law.  

IN ANY SUCH DISPUTE, ENTRANT SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ATTORNEYS’ FEES, OR ANY DAMAGES OTHER THAN PARTICIPANT’S ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES (IF ANY) ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST. YOU HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHTS TO HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR INCREASED. The contest and SAFE Federal Credit Union’s website are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. 

By submitting any photos to SAFE Federal Credit Union, you are giving SAFE Federal Credit Union the right to use that photo in any way they see fit. You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant SAFE Federal Credit Union a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to display, distribute, reproduce, and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or subsequently developed, for any purpose of SAFE Federal Credit Union including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion, website, social media and commercial products, including but not limited to publications by SAFE Federal Credit Union.

SAFE Federal Credit Union will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses. Your photo may be used in web or other print marketing materials without compensation (please see “Artist Release Forms” for more details). 

SAFE Federal Credit Union shall determine entry and winner eligibility in its sole and absolute discretion. All judges’ decisions are final. 

Entrants who win the contest will be monetarily compensated $1000 for the top finalist and $250 for the 13 finalists. If we are unable to locate the winner by December 31, 2024 using the submitted information, the compensation will not be awarded.

SAFE Federal Credit Union is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users, by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the photo competition, or by any technical or human error that may occur in the processing of submissions to the photo competition, including but not limited to any misprints or typographical errors. SAFE Federal Credit Union assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. SAFE Federal Credit Union is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer equipment, servers, providers, computer on-line systems, software, or failure of email on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the internet or at any website, including injury or damage to participant’s or to any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating or uploading images or information in the photo contest.

If, for any reason, the photo competition is not capable of completion as planned, including but not  limited to, any reason of infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of SAFE Federal Credit Union that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the photo competition, SAFE Federal Credit Union reserves the right at its sole discretion  to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the photo competition.