N3TC PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION 2025 RULES

1. The N3 Toll Route is a section of 415km of the N3 highway between Cedara near Hilton (KwaZulu-Natal) and Heidelberg (Gauteng).
2. Photographs may be taken anywhere in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Mpumalanga and Gauteng, preferably within the close vicinity of the N3 Toll Route.
3. ENTRIES
   • Entries and Photographs must be uploaded via the Online Entry Form on www.n3tc.co.za.
   • All images must be hi-res. The size of the file must be a MINIMUM SIZE of 2 megs and a MAXIMUM SIZE of 5 megs.
   • Entrants must have personally photographed the photograph that they enter into the competition.

4. The competition closes at midnight on Saturday, 31 January 2026 - entries received after this date will not be accepted.
5. Entrants may enter a maximum of 4 (four) photographs per category (each photo must be accompanied by its own online entry form). Any photos entered after the 4th entry has been received, will be automatically deleted.

6. COMPETITION CATEGORIES

• Nature

Nature images of Birds, Wildife, wild animals, and nature/flowers should be entered here - subjects may be in controlled conditions. Photographs of domestic birds or mounted specimens are ineligible. Human elements, such as fences, bricks or poles, if present should not detract from or overpower the subject. This is NOT a people portrait category. Colour only.

• Landscapes

Photography that covers landscapes, panoramas, mountains, weather phenomena and/or farmlands. Human or manmade elements (e.g. windmills, farm buildings, power lines etc) may be present. This category includes Drone Landscapes. This is NOT a people portrait category. Colour only. 

• Sports and Recreation

Involving unpredictable movement, this could include movement or action at a sporting event or festival, vehicles and/or recreational activities. Colour only.

• Monochrome

Any photograph that falls into the Nature, Wildlife, Landscape, Sports or Recreation categories, that is of a single colour – i.e. monochrome e.g. black and white, sepia, etc.

7. EDITING

• Photographs must accurately and realistically represent the natural world.
• Minimal editing will be allowed within the following guidelines:
  • Normal processing of RAW and JPEG images (minor adjustments to colour, contrast, gradients, sharpening, dodging, burning, noise reduction and HDR) are acceptable.
  • HDR composites and panoramic stitching will be allowed, as long as the final photograph bears a realistic resemblance to the original scene.
• If the judges determine that an entrant has altered his or her photograph beyond the allowed minor adjustments, they reserve the right to disqualify the entry at the sole discretion of the judges.
  

8. JUDGING

• The competition will be judged by a panel of independent judges.
• The panel of judges reserve the right to move a photograph to another category, should they feel the photograph has been entered into the incorrect category, or to disqualify the entry.
• Harassment of people and/or animals or destruction of the environment in pursuit of a photograph will not be tolerated.

9. COPYRIGHT

• Entered photographs may be used in print and/or digital publications at N3TC's sole discretion. All photographers will be credited.

10. PRIZE MONEY

• Prize winners will be notified via e-mail.
• Prize winners will be awarded a certificate and limited-edition medal which will be shipped to the delivery address specified on the Online Entry Form.
• Prize monies will be donated to beneficiaries on behalf of the winning entrants, as nominated by the prize winners from the list of N3TC supported beneficiaries, who are all registered NGOs/NPOs.
• The following prizes will be donated per Competition Category:
  • Winner : R2500
  • Runner-up : R2000
  • Merit : R1000