OFFICIAL 2008
"NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPEDITIONS
PHOTO CONTEST" RULES

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY AND A PURCHASE
WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

SPONSOR

Sponsor is National Geographic Society, 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-4688 ("Sponsor" or "NGS").

TERM

The 2008 National Geographic Expeditions Photo Contest ("Contest") begins January 9, 2008 at 9:00am Eastern Standard Time (EST) and ends May 1, 2008 at 11:59pm EST. All entries must be received by May 1, 2008 at 11:59pm EST.

WHO MAY ENTER

Contest is open only to legal residents of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico) who are age eighteen (18) or older at the time of entry, who as of January 1, 2008 have registered for, or traveled on, a National Geographic Expedition ("NG Expedition"). Employees of National Geographic Society, its subsidiaries, tour operators and their immediate families or members of the same household are not eligible. CONTEST IS VOID IN PUERTO RICO AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

HOW TO ENTER

You must submit your entry digitally online.

• To enter, click here and follow the step-by-step directions on that page.

Submit an original photograph, taken by you while on a National Geographic Expedition that you believe captures a National Geographic Expedition moment. Include a title for the photograph, a brief written description of the "moment" captured, the location where the photo was taken, the names of any persons in the photo (if known) and on which National Geographic Expedition the entrant was traveling.

• Your photograph must comply with the following requirements (the "Photograph Requirements"):
• Photograph submissions must be in JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg) digital format, and no greater than 5 megabytes in file size. Please provide only the original, unmodified digital camera image.
• Photographs that include sculptures, statues, paintings, and other works of art will be accepted as long as they do not constitute copyright infringement or fraud. When photographing the work of others, it must be as an object in its environment and not a full-frame close up of another person's art.
• Photographs that include other persons will be accepted, provided that entrants, upon Sponsor's request, submit a release form as described below in "Releases."
• The photograph, in its entirety, must be a single work of original material taken by the contest entrant. By entering the Contest, entrant represents, acknowledges and warrants that the submitted photograph is an original work created solely by the entrant and that no other party has any right, title, claim or interest in the photograph.
• Entries become property of Sponsor and will not be returned or acknowledged.
• Obscene, provocative, or otherwise objectionable content will not be considered, and such determination is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
• Each entrant may submit up to five photographs.
• The photographs will be judged in accordance with the Judging Criteria, as defined below.

RELEASE

Upon Sponsor's request, each entrant must provide a signed written personal release and/or license from all persons who appear in the photograph submitted, authorizing use of the photograph in Sponsor's promotional catalog (in all media in which the catalog is published) to feature the winning entry, without compensation, permission or notification, unless prohibited by law. All releases must be in the form provided by Sponsor. Failure to provide such releases upon request may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Click here to download a blank release form.

CONTEST PRIZES

THE POTENTIAL WINNERS ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN THE FOLLOWING: (1) AN AFFIDAVIT OF ELIGIBILITY AND LIABILITY RELEASE; (2) WARRANTY OF OWNERSHIP AND LICENSE; AND (3) PUBLICITY RELEASE, UNLESS PROHIBITED BY LAW, WITHIN 15 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF NOTICE IN ORDER FOR SPONSOR TO AWARD THE PRIZE. NONCOMPLIANCE OR RETURN OF PRIZE NOTIFICATION AS UNDELIVERABLE MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND SELECTION OF AN ALTERNATE WINNER.

• One (1) Grand Prize Winner will be selected. The Grand Prize consists of a 10-day, 9-night National Geographic Expedition to the Galapagos Islands for the winner and one (1) guest sharing the winner's room/category 2 cabin. The Grand Prize will include roundtrip coach air transportation for two (2) from the major US airport closest winner's home to the Galapagos Islands; and meals and other items as described in the catalog description of the Expedition, at www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/531.html. Approximate Retail Value ("ARV") of Grand Prize is $13,000, based on a sample originating city. Winner must coordinate with Sponsor to select a mutually agreed upon departure date in 2009; all travel must be completed in 2009. If winner has already been on a National Geographic Expedition or a Lindblad Expedition to the Galapagos, an alternative National Geographic Expedition of comparable value will be selected by NGS, in consultation with the winner. Tips, taxes and all other items not stated herein are the sole responsibility of the winner and travel companion. No prize transfer, assignment or substitution by winner permitted. No cash equivalent will be provided. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prize in the event of unavailability, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded.
• Retail value of Grand Prize may vary depending on location of Grand Prize Winner's residence. Any difference between actual retail value of prize and the ARV will not be awarded.
• Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

JUDGING

• Contest consists of two (2) rounds of evaluation. The judges will use the same Judging Criteria in each round. The top candidates in Round One will proceed to Round Two.
• A panel of National Geographic photographers, photo editors and travel professionals ("Judges") will evaluate the entries based on the following criteria ("Judging Criteria"):
1. Extent to which the photo captures the essence of the travel experience, place or event (40%)
2. Relationship between the photo and the description submitted by the entrant (10%)
3. Photographic Quality (50%).
• Winners will be chosen on or about June 1, 2008 and notified by mail by June 15, 2008.
• Decisions of the Judges are final.

LICENSE

Selected entries may be published by Sponsor or its designee in one of Sponsor's or designee's magazines, marketing materials, or on their websites, or in any other medium, at Sponsor's or designee's discretion. By participating, all entrants grant an irrevocable license in the Entries to Sponsor, its licensees and affiliates and their designees (collectively, the "Authorized Parties") and acknowledge that any Authorized Party may edit, modify, reproduce, publish, distribute or otherwise use the Entries and all elements of such Entries, including, without limitation, the names and likenesses of any persons or locations embodied therein, in any media now or hereafter known, without restriction, including commercially using the Entries to fullest extent possible in perpetuity, without additional consideration, notification, permission to entrant or any third party, unless prohibited by law. Additionally, by participating, each entrant grants to Authorized Parties the unrestricted right to use all statements made in connection with the Contest, or choose not to do so, at its sole discretion, for no additional consideration, notification or approval except where prohibited by law.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

By participating, participants agree to release, discharge and hold harmless National Geographic Society and its partners, affiliates, subsidiaries, tour operators, agents and their employees, officers, directors, and representatives from any claims, losses, and damages arising out of their participation in this Contest or any Contest-related activities and the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of any prize awarded hereunder.

CONDITIONS

THIS CONTEST IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. This Contest is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Certain restrictions may apply. Entries are void if the Sponsor determines the photograph to not be an original, or if the entries are illegible, incomplete, damaged, irregular, altered, counterfeit, produced in error, obtained through fraud or theft or do not meet the eligibility criteria outlined above.

Participants also agree (a) to be bound by these Official Rules; and (b) that the decisions of the Judges are final on all matters relating to the Contest. All federal, state and local taxes, fees and surcharges on prizes are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. In the event that the selected winner(s) of any prize are/is ineligible or refuses the prize, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may choose whether to award the prize to another winner.

Grand Prize winner and his/her travel companion must travel together on the same departure and itinerary. The trip may not be combined with any other offer. Regulations and conditions may apply. Grand Prize winner and Grand Prize winner's travel companion will be responsible for all necessary immunizations and other preventative measures, travel authorizations and for any travel insurance. By accepting the Grand Prize, Grand Prize winner and his/her travel companion represent that they understand and accept the Responsibility statement, and the applicable Terms and Conditions associated with the Grand Prize.

WINNERS LIST

For names of winners after June 15, 2008, visit the photo contest website at http://photocontest.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com.