PRIVACY POLICY

Effective Date: July 2026

Mono Orbit Awards (“we”, “us” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal data responsibly.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you visit our website, create an account, submit photographs, make a payment, subscribe to communications or participate in Mono Orbit Awards.

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 are processed through trusted third-party payment providers.

We may receive limited information relating to a transaction, such as payment confirmation, transaction 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

This information may be used for website functionality, security, analytics and performance.

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 and entry fees

- Confirm receipt of entries and payments

- Communicate regarding entries, eligibility, selection and results

- 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

- 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 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 or participation in Mono Orbit Awards

- Consent - where you have agreed to receive marketing communications or provided information for a specific optional purpose

- Legitimate interests - where processing is reasonably necessary to operate, protect, develop and promote Mono Orbit Awards

- 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.

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

- Website hosting and technical service providers

- Email and newsletter service providers

- Analytics and security providers

- Photographers, editors, curators or other visual professionals involved in the selection 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.

6. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

Mono Orbit Awards is based in Ireland and operates internationally.

Some service providers may process or store personal information outside Ireland or the European Economic Area.

Where required, reasonable safeguards will be used to protect personal information in accordance with applicable data protection law.

7. DATA RETENTION

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

- Administer Mono Orbit Awards

- Maintain submission and award records

- Fulfil legal, financial and accounting obligations

- Resolve disputes and protect legitimate rights

- Maintain the editorial and historical archive of each edition

Information relating to awarded, selected or published work may be retained as part of the permanent editorial and historical record of Mono Orbit Awards.

Where deletion is requested, certain information may still be retained where required by law or where necessary to protect legitimate rights and interests.

8. 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.

9. 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

Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

To exercise your rights or ask a question regarding the use of your personal information, please contact:

mono@monoorbitawards.com

10. COOKIES AND ANALYTICS

Mono Orbit Awards uses cookies and similar technologies to support:

- Essential website functionality

- Account and submission features

- Website security

- Performance and analytics

- User experience

Where required by applicable law, non-essential cookies will be used only after consent has been provided.

You may manage or disable cookies through the website cookie settings or your browser settings.

Some website features may not function correctly when certain cookies are disabled.

11. MARKETING 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 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, eligibility, selection process or result are not marketing communications and may still be sent where necessary.

12. 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.

If we become aware that personal information has been collected from an individual under the age of 18, appropriate steps may be taken to remove it.

13. AI AND AUTHENTICITY VERIFICATION

Mono Orbit Awards accepts photography only. AI-generated images are not eligible.

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 the 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.

14. 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.

Visitors should review the privacy policies of third-party services before providing personal information.

15. 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.

16. 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.