MONOCHROME REMOVES THE NOISE
Effective Date: 21 September 2026
1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We may collect the following information:
Personal Information
* Name
* Email address
* Country of residence
* Account information provided during registration
* Information submitted through contact forms or other communications
Submission Information
* Photographs
* Photograph titles
* Descriptions and statements
* Edition and theme information
* Photographer biographies
* Website, portfolio and social media links
* Other information provided as part of an entry or editorial presentation
Payment Information
Entry fees and, where applicable, refunds are processed through trusted third-party payment providers, including PayPal.
We may receive and retain limited information relating to a transaction, such as payment confirmation, transaction status, refund status and payment reference details.
We do not directly collect or store full credit card or payment card details.
Technical Information
When you use our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:
* IP address
* Browser type
* Device information
* Operating system
* Cookies and similar technologies
* Website usage and interaction data
* Registration, submission and conversion events
This information may be used for website functionality, security, analytics, performance and, where consent has been provided, measurement of advertising.
2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We may use personal information to:
* Manage and operate Mono Orbit Awards
* Create and administer user accounts
* Process submissions, entry fees and refunds
* Confirm receipt of entries and payments
* Communicate regarding entries, eligibility, deadlines, extensions, cancellations, selection and results
* Administer changes, extensions or cancellation of an edition
* Review submissions and administer the selection process
* Verify authorship, originality and compliance with the award rules
* Publish awarded, selected or editorially featured work
* Create Winners Showcase and In Focus presentations
* Produce editorial features and interviews
* Send newsletters and award updates where consent has been provided or where otherwise permitted by applicable law
* Measure website usage, registrations, submissions and conversions where appropriate consent has been provided
* Measure the effectiveness of advertising where appropriate consent has been provided
* Improve website functionality and user experience
* Maintain security and prevent fraud, misuse or unauthorised activity
* Comply with legal, financial and regulatory obligations
3. PUBLICATION OF SELECTED WORK
By entering the Mono Orbit Awards, participants acknowledge that submitted photographs and related information may be published in accordance with the licence granted under the Terms and Conditions.
This may include publication through:
* The Mono Orbit Awards website
* The Mono Orbit website
* Winners Showcase
* In Focus
* Editorial features and interviews
* Mono Orbit and Mono Orbit Awards social media channels
* Newsletters and digital communications
* Press releases and media coverage
* Promotional and archival materials relating to the award
Published information may include:
* Photographer’s name
* Country
* Photograph title
* Photograph description or statement
* Biography
* Website, portfolio or social media links
* Award or recognition received
Photographers retain copyright in their work at all times.
4. LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING
Where applicable under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other relevant data protection law, we process personal information on one or more of the following legal bases:
* Contract - where processing is necessary to administer an entry, payment, refund or participation in Mono Orbit Awards
* Consent - where you have agreed to the use of non-essential cookies, analytics, advertising technologies, marketing communications or another specific optional purpose
* Legitimate interests - where processing is reasonably necessary to operate, protect, develop and promote Mono Orbit Awards, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests
* Legal obligations - where information must be retained or processed to comply with applicable law, accounting requirements or regulatory obligations
You may withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.
Withdrawal of consent does not affect processing carried out before consent was withdrawn or processing based on another lawful basis.
5. SHARING YOUR INFORMATION
We do not sell or rent personal information.
Personal information may be shared only where reasonably necessary with:
* Payment service providers, including PayPal
* Website hosting and technical service providers
* Email and newsletter service providers
* Analytics and consent-management providers
* Advertising and measurement providers, where appropriate consent has been provided
* Judges, editors, curators or other visual professionals involved in the selection or editorial process
* Professional advisers where necessary
* Legal, regulatory or public authorities where required by law
Third-party service providers may process information according to their own privacy policies and applicable data protection obligations.
We share only the information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
6. ANALYTICS, CONSENT AND ADVERTISING TECHNOLOGIES
We use tools that help us operate the website, understand how it is used and measure the effectiveness of Mono Orbit Awards and its communications.
These may include:
Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Google Analytics 4 is used to measure website traffic, interactions and conversions where analytics consent has been provided.
This may include measurement of events such as:
* Account registration
* Starting the payment process
* Saving or uploading photographs
* Final submission to a competition
* Newsletter registration
* Contact form submission
* Confirmed purchases
Confirmed PayPal purchases may be measured through server-side communication with Google Analytics 4. Such measurement is performed only where the required analytics consent was active when the payment process was initiated.
Google Tag Manager (GTM)
Google Tag Manager is used as a technical tag-management system that allows us to manage analytics and consent-related technologies on the website. Google Tag Manager itself is not used by us as an independent analytics service.
CookieYes
CookieYes is used to manage and document cookie and consent preferences.
Non-essential analytics and advertising technologies are restricted until the appropriate consent has been provided. Users can change or withdraw their choices through the cookie preferences control available on the website. Mono Orbit Awards - Analityka GA4+GTM.pdf
Meta Pixel
Meta Pixel may be used to measure advertising activity and the effectiveness of campaigns on Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
Meta Pixel is activated only where the user has provided the required marketing consent. Mono Orbit Awards - Analityka GA4+GTM.pdf
7. COOKIES
Mono Orbit Awards uses cookies and similar technologies for purposes including:
* Essential website functionality
* Account and submission features
* Website security
* Remembering cookie and consent preferences
* Analytics and conversion measurement
* Advertising measurement where applicable
Essential cookies may operate where necessary for the website to function.
Non-essential analytics and advertising cookies are used only after the appropriate consent has been provided.
Our consent system is configured so that non-essential analytics and advertising permissions are denied by default until a user makes a choice. Mono Orbit Awards - Analityka GA4+GTM.pdf
Cookies used on the website may include Google Analytics cookies, CookieYes consent cookies and, following marketing consent, Meta cookies. The current cookies detected on the website are identified through the CookieYes cookie audit. Mono Orbit Awards - Analityka GA4+GTM.pdf
You may review, change or withdraw your cookie preferences at any time through the cookie preferences control available on the website.
You may also manage cookies through your browser settings. Some website features may not function correctly when certain cookies are disabled.
8. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
Mono Orbit Awards is based in Ireland and operates internationally.
Some of our service providers, including Google and Meta, may process or transfer personal information outside Ireland or the European Economic Area, including to the United States.
Where required by applicable data protection law, such transfers are subject to appropriate safeguards, which may include the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses and/or an applicable framework such as the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. Mono Orbit Awards - Analityka GA4+GTM.pdf
9. DATA RETENTION
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to:
* Administer Mono Orbit Awards
* Maintain submission and award records
* Process payments and refunds
* Fulfil legal, financial and accounting obligations
* Resolve disputes and protect legitimate rights
* Maintain the editorial and historical archive of each edition
The length of time information is retained depends on its nature, the purpose for which it was collected and any applicable legal or accounting requirements.
Information relating to awarded, selected or published work may be retained as part of the permanent editorial and historical record of Mono Orbit Awards.
Payment and transaction records may be retained for the period required to meet applicable accounting, tax, legal and dispute-resolution obligations.
Google Analytics 4 event data is currently configured for a retention period of up to 14 months.
CookieYes consent records and associated consent cookies may be retained in accordance with the settings configured in CookieYes. The standard consent-cookie period is currently expected to be 12 months and should be confirmed against the active CookieYes configuration. Mono Orbit Awards - Analityka GA4+GTM.pdf
Where deletion is requested, certain information may still be retained where required by law or where necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or other legitimate purposes permitted by applicable law.
10. DATA SECURITY
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:
* Unauthorised access
* Unlawful use or disclosure
* Accidental loss
* Alteration
* Misuse
* Destruction
However, no online service, website or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
11. YOUR DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS
Depending on applicable data protection law, you may have the right to:
* Access your personal information
* Request the correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
* Request the deletion of personal information
* Request the restriction of certain processing
* Object to certain uses of personal information
* Request a copy or transfer of your information where applicable
* Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent
* Unsubscribe from marketing communications
* Lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority
These rights may be subject to conditions or limitations provided by applicable law.
As Mono Orbit Awards is based in Ireland, the relevant supervisory authority is the Data Protection Commission (DPC) in Ireland. Mono Orbit Awards - Analityka GA4+GTM.pdf
To exercise your rights or ask a question regarding the use of your personal information, please contact:
mono@monoorbitawards.com
12. MARKETING AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMUNICATIONS
We may send newsletters, future edition announcements and other promotional communications where consent has been provided or where otherwise permitted by applicable law.
You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe option included in an email or by contacting:
mono@monoorbitawards.com
Administrative communications relating directly to an entry, payment, refund, eligibility, deadline, extension, cancellation, selection process or result are not marketing communications and may still be sent where necessary to administer participation in Mono Orbit Awards.
13. CHILDREN
Mono Orbit Awards is intended for adults.
Participants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submission.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18 for the purpose of entering Mono Orbit Awards.
If we become aware that personal information has been collected from an individual under the age of 18 in circumstances where it should not have been collected, appropriate steps will be taken to remove it.
14. AI AND AUTHENTICITY VERIFICATION
Mono Orbit Awards accepts photography only.
Images generated entirely by artificial intelligence are not eligible, and AI tools may not be used to create or replace substantial visual elements in a submitted photograph.
Participants may be asked to provide:
* Original RAW files
* Unedited source files
* Film scans
* Image metadata
* Additional information reasonably required to verify authorship and photographic origin
Information and files provided for verification will be used only for award administration, eligibility assessment, authenticity verification and protection of the integrity of Mono Orbit Awards.
Verification materials will not be published without separate permission unless they are already part of the submitted or selected work.
Verification materials will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the verification process and any related dispute or administrative requirement, unless longer retention is required by law.
15. THIRD-PARTY LINKS
The Mono Orbit Awards website may include links to photographers’ websites, portfolios, social media profiles, partner websites or other external services.
Mono Orbit Awards is not responsible for the privacy practices, content or security of external websites or services.
Visitors should review the privacy policies of third-party services before providing personal information.
16. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
We may update this Privacy Policy where necessary to reflect changes to Mono Orbit Awards, our services, legal requirements or data-processing practices.
Any updated version will be published on this page together with a revised effective date.
Where a change materially affects how we process personal information already collected, we will provide appropriate notice where required by applicable law.
17. CONTACT
For questions regarding this Privacy Policy, personal information or data protection rights, please contact:
mono@monoorbitawards.com
MONO ORBIT AWARDS
An independent monochrome photography award dedicated to the built environment.
Based in Ireland. Open worldwide.
