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The Worldwide Photography Gala Awards (WPGA) is open to all photographers, professionals, amateurs and students from all countries. They will be competing in six thematic categories, for the Photographer of the Year Award and Humanitarian Documentary Grant.
CATEGORIES
Images may be submitted online to any or all of the following 6 categories in color or black and white, as either digital or traditional images, or a blend of both.
1. Portrait: People and Figure
2. Fine Art
3. Landscape and Cityscape
4. Abstract
5. Digital Enhanced
6. Documentary, including Reportage & Photojournalism
PRIZES
The following prizes will be awarded:
$ 5,000 cash prize for the WPGA 2009 Photographer of the Year*
$ 3,000 cash grant for the recipient of the Humanitarian Documentary Award*
$ 400 cash prize for each Best in Category award

•  All awardees will be invited to exhibit their art in the exhibition in Madrid
•  All awardees will receive WPGA certificates, and their selected works will be published in the book WPGA 2009.
•  All selected work by the jurors will be showcased in WonderPick Gallery, where the photographs will be offered for sale. Showcase in WonderPick is at no cost and optional –see more information at WonderPick.
•  Paid travel from the country of origin and 3 days lodging in Madrid to attend the WPGA 2009 Exhibition, for both the Photographer of the Year and the recipient of the Humanitarian Documentary Grant**.

*Cash prize and grant are provided by WonderPick Gallery.
**All winners will be invited to exhibit their selected works in the WPGA Exhibition in Madrid, Spain in 2010.
CONTRIBUTION TO SAVE THE CHILDREN
Worldwide Photography Gala Award’s mission is to recognize exception photographers through exhibitions, publications and by extensively promoting their work. Believing that everyone and every organization has a responsibility to contribute to the benefit of world humanity; WPGA donates a substantial portion of its revenues to established international organizations which advance the welfare of underprivileged societies.
Save the Children is the humanitarian organization to benefit from this event.

JURORS
The 2009 WPGA will be juried by internationally recognize leaders in the field of photography, from the United States and Europe. Images selected by jurors Susan Zadeh (Eyemazing, Netherlands), Tim Anderson ( Red Dog Journal, former publisher of CameraArts Magazine, US), Stephen Perloff (Photo Review, The Photograph Collector, US), and Brooks Jensen (Lenswork, US) will add prestige and recognition to the selected winners in each category, as well as for the artist selected as 2009 Photographer of the Year, and the recipient of the Humanitarian Documentary Grant.

DEADLINES
EARLY BIRD SUBMISSION DEADLINE: July 26th, 2009.
Contestants submitting to any one of the six categories before July 26, 2009 will receive a 30% discount.

FINAL DEADLINE: September 27th, 2009