Getty Images and iStock challenge photographers to #RePicture the world

Unprecedented global competition explores how we can change the paradigm around stereotypical imagery currently used to describe people and communicate concepts

London – 1 October, 2014: Getty Images, the world’s leader in visual communication, alongside iStock by Getty Images, the web’s original resource for crowd sourced royalty-free stock images, media and design elements, today announces the launch of an innovative new global competition, calling for photographers to help #RePicture the world and break free from stereotypes.

Getty Images launched #RePicture this year at Cannes Lions, with the aim of challenging how we look at the world and exploring how we can change the paradigm around stereotypical imagery currently used to describe people and communicate concepts.  The #RePicture competition is also inspired by the success of Getty Images’ recently launched partnership with the women’s empowerment organization LeanIn.Org to create the Lean In Collection, with image sales from the moving collection up 66 per cent YOY since the February launch.

Speaking on the competition, Getty Images Senior Vice President for Creative, Andy Saunders says: “We feel passionately that images have the power to change the way people view the world. We’re excited to launch this competition and not just continue with our aim of breaking down existing visual stereotypes, but also to discover ground-breaking new creative talent around the world. Getty Images has always been committed to creating imagery that presents a more authentic view for our customers– everywhere from Tokyo to Toronto.”

The contest runs from 1 October through to 20 November, 2014, with winners announced the first week of December, and is open to semi-professional and amateur photographers, as well as creatives worldwide. The competition will be judged by a leading panel of ceative and photography industry experts, including:

• Severin Matusek, Vice President, Community, EyeEm
• Mike Owen, European Professional Marketing Manager,  Canon
• Toshiya Kono, Executive Creative Director, Hakuhodo
• Pam Grossman, Director, Visual Trends, Getty Images
• Jessica Bennett, Contributing Editor, LeanIn.org
• Romain Colin, Founder, Fubiz
• Astrid Prummel, Editor-in-Chief, Adformatie
• Gert-Jan van Ek, Photo Editor-in-Chief, De Volkskrant

Judging criteria is focused on consistency with the theme, composition of the photograph, technical skills and authenticity. Winners have the chance to not only receive some fantastic prizes, but join the Getty Images team as a contributing photographer, with access to and guidance from Getty Images’ global team of art directors and editors. Other prizes include a Canon EOS 5D Mark III, as well as a Canon G7X for the People’s Choice award.
Getty Images invites participants to share their imagery using #repicture, reimagining key concepts such as love, family, body, hero, women or age. Click here for more on the competition, or visit competitions.gettyimages.com/repicture  to submit your entries.

• Participants have until Thursday 20 November, 2014 to upload their images to http://competitions.gettyimages.com/en. Simply register on our competition platform and upload using #repicture.
• Judges will review all entries and select the winner. In addition, entrants also get a chance to win the people’s choice category for the picture which gets the most likes. Share with your social networks, using the hashtag #RePicture and encourage friends to vote for your entry.
• Prizes:
  • First prize will receive a Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera body
  • Runner up will receive Canon EOS 70D camera body
  • People’s Choice Award will receive a Canon G7X

About Getty Images
Getty Images is the world’s leader in visual communication, with over 170 million assets available through its premium content site www.gettyimages.com and its leading stock content site www.istock.com. With its advanced search and image recognition technology, Getty Images serves business customers in more than 100 countries and is the first place creative and media professionals turn to discover, purchase and manage images and other digital content. Its award-winning photographers and content creators help customers produce inspiring work which appears every day in the world’s most influential newspapers, magazines, advertising campaigns, films, television programs, books and online media. Visit Getty Images at www.gettyimages.com to learn more about how the company is advancing the unique role of digital media in communications and business, and enabling creative ideas to come to life.  For company news and announcements, visit press.gettyimages.com, and for the stories, innovation and inspiration behind our content, visit Stories & Trends http://stories.gettyimages.com. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gettyimages and Twitter at https://twitter.com/GettyImages.

About iStock by Getty Images
iStock by Getty Images is the web’s original resource for crowd sourced royalty-free stock images, media and design elements, offering millions of hand-picked photos, illustrations, videos and audio tracks. A site “by creatives, for creatives,” iStock started in 2000 as the pioneer micropayment photography site, freeing creatives everywhere to create beautiful communications on a budget. The site has become one of the most successful and profitable user-generated content sites in the world. iStock is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Getty Images.