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You can register for PhotoMaraton Istanbul 2024 by clicking here and completing your registration through the ticketing platform Biletino. Once you have selected the categories you wish to participate in, you can make your payment and finalize your registration.

You can buy tickets for PhotoMaraton with cash on the registry desk. Because of the materials presented to the participants, an extra fee of 30 TL is added.

Yes, participants are free to choose the category they want to participate in. As long as participants can adhere to the rules of each event, there shouldn’t be any issues. It’s important to note that if you want to participate in both the Digital Category, Mobile Category, Analog Category, and Video Category, you will need to purchase separate tickets for each. In previous years, many individuals have participated simultaneously in multiple categories and have won prizes.

On the day of PhotoMaraton, you need to visit the registration desk in the early morning hours. Prior to this, you should fill out the provided commitment form. Participants receive their badge, vest, or t-shirt from the registration desk.

Registration starts at 09:00. At 12:00, the registration desk closes, and the themes are announced. After receiving your badge and items, you can explore the stands of sponsor companies or enjoy refreshments until the themes are announced. While t-shirts are available in various sizes, some sizes may run out early, so t-shirt distribution operates on a “first come, first served” basis.

Films for analog category participants will be provided by the organization.

No, theme setters are only responsible for announcing the themes and guiding participants at the stations. In every PhotoMaraton, theme setters and jurors are separate individuals or groups. You can find information about both the jurors and theme setters on the respective PhotoMaraton pages. In the Mobile and Video categories, unless stated otherwise, the theme setters and jurors are the same individuals.

There are no geographical restrictions for taking photos at PhotoMaraton events. You can take photos anywhere within the boundaries of the city where PhotoMaraton is taking place. However, it’s a good idea to plan your photography strategy to ensure you can make it to the next station on time.

You can participate in PhotoMaraton events with any brand or model of a camera of your choice. There are no restrictions. If you take photos with a mobile phone or tablet, you can participate in the Mobile category. Regarding the use of drones, there is no specific permission required for the event.

No, you cannot use multiple devices to take photos for the Digital, Analog, and Mobile categories. While you can participate in PhotoMaraton events with any device, you are limited to using a single device for taking photos in these categories. However, you can use multiple SD cards with the same device if needed.

You need to submit your photos in JPG (JPEG) format. If your camera does not have a JPG-only feature, you can shoot in RAW/JPG format, but during submission, only JPG format will be accepted. The size of the photos can be in the standard dimensions of your camera.

At the first station, Sirkeci Train Station, at 12:00 PM, one theme from the analog category, one from the mobile category, one from the video category, and three from the digital category will be announced. Themes are unknown beforehand.

Participants will photograph the themes within their categories in 3 hours and arrive at the second station, Beyazıt Square, by 3:00 PM at the latest. At Beyazıt station, new themes from the analog, mobile, and digital categories will be announced.

Participants will then proceed to the final station, Şişhane Square, by 6:00 PM, where the last themes for the mobile and digital categories will be announced. Analog category participants will submit their films.

Digital and mobile category participants must complete the photography of the last themes and submit their photos by 11:59 AM on October 20, 2024, through photomaraton.com (24 hours from the theme announcement time). Proof photos from each station and one photo per theme (captured without any edits or modifications, not even a name change) must be uploaded to the website within the theme announcement times.

Mobile category participants can submit their photos via photomaraton.com or post them separately on Instagram as public posts with the hashtag “#photomaraton24”, theme number, and participant number by 11:59 AM on October 20, 2024. Proof photos of the stations (PM Icons) do not need to be shared on Instagram.

Video category participants will share their video, based on the theme announced at the Sirkeci station, publicly on YouTube or Vimeo by 11:59 AM on October 21, 2024 (48 hours from the theme announcement time) under the title “Name Surname / #photomaratonistanbul”.

In 2024, you will have 3 hours for the first 3 themes, 3 hours for the second set of 3 themes, and 3 hours for the last 3 themes. Therefore, for the 3 themes that will be announced at Şişhane station at 18:00, you will have only 3 hours. Photos taken after 21:00 will not be shared with the jury. The same applies to the mobile category.

Yes, in PhotoMaraton events, the number of photos accepted is equal to the number of themes announced. If there are 9 themes, you should take 9 photos and submit them along with the PM Icon photos to prove your location at the station. The same applies to the analog and mobile categories.

If you are particularly short on time and do not want to take photos for the themes announced at the last station, you should still take an empty photo that corresponds to the theme hour and upload it to the form.

Each city has different delivery times for PhotoMaraton. Delivery times are clearly stated on the relevant PhotoMaraton pages. In time-based PhotoMaratons, you must arrive at the delivery point at the specified time. The doors of the delivery point are closed 30 minutes after the announced delivery time.

For example,in 2024, digital and mobile categories will be accepted on the website. Analog category, on the other hand, must be delivered at Şişhane station starting from 18:00.

Note: In 2024, there will be no delivery station set up. Therefore, you will not have to delete your photos at any time.

At the PhotoMaraton delivery stations, there are also computers provided by the organization. With the assistance of the staff, you can create a folder on your SD card and select the photos you want to use for the event on these computers. This way, you won’t have to delete the photos you took throughout the day. To speed up the selection process during delivery, it is expected that you also take note of the numbers of the photos you wish to use before using the staff computers.

In 2024, for photo submissions, only one photo per theme will be accepted. You can upload the photo to the relevant field on the form without any alterations, even without changing its name.

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You are expected to take note of the photo’s name directly, not the sequence number, on your camera. When your SD card is plugged into the computer, the progression is based on the photo’s name, not its sequence number.

No, the participation fee is non-refundable. The participation fee is only refunded in the event of the cancellation of the event by the organizers.

Participants under the age of 18 can join PhotoMaraton on the day of the event with the written consent of their parent or guardian, to be submitted to the registration desk. PhotoMaraton is open to everyone.

PhotoMaraton will be physically organized with COVID precautions in place, along with all necessary permissions from local authorities, health and security teams. Having your ticket from Biletino will expedite the process when you show it at the registration desk.

PhotoMaraton is an event that can be held under any circumstances. Therefore, events are not postponed due to weather conditions. You can participate prepared for the weather conditions on the day of the event.

Making manipulations on photos during PhotoMarathon events is prohibited. Additionally, it goes against the spirit of PhotoMarathon. The official PhotoMarathon program can determine if photos have been manipulated.

It’s quite clear which device was used, at what time, through which program manipulations were made, and even whether the EXIF information has been altered. Relevant photos that are deemed to have violated the rules are not shared with the jury. Every year, many individuals are disqualified solely for this reason.

Only the original versions of the photos located on the SD card are accepted or uploaded to the form. When you examine the results of PhotoMarathon, you will find that no manipulated photo has won or will win.

All of a device’s effects are allowed before pressing the shutter button. If you want to use the camera’s filters (e.g., black and white), you should apply the filter before taking the photo to avoid any issues. Changes made using the camera’s features after taking the photo can alter the photo’s time. Any photo that doesn’t comply with the rules regarding time is not shared with the jury.

Photos created through the montage of multiple photos (collage) or using High Dynamic Range (HDR) techniques and photos generated by artificial intelligence are disqualified.

Adjustments can be made to the extent allowed by the camera. For example, cropping a photo or rotating it is not prohibited. These actions should only be completed within the theme announcement periods. After a new theme is announced, no changes should be made to photos related to the previous theme.

Photos taken should not be edited on a computer in any way. Editing in photos should only be done using the device’s features. In the Mobile category, if possible, all adjustments should be made before taking the photo. Third-party photo editing applications (e.g., Snapseed, PhotoSuite) or photo filters can be used.

The most important point is that these edits should only be completed within the theme explanation hours. For example, once the second theme is announced, you can no longer make changes to the photo taken for the first theme. Similarly, for the third theme announced at the final station, you only have 3 hours (until 21:00) to make adjustments.

Stations are the locations where the themes are announced. Participants learn about the themes at these stations. Therefore, all participants need to gather at the stations in order to continue with PhotoMarathon. Each station has a PM icon. After learning about the themes, participants can prove their presence by taking photos of the PM icons and then continuing with the event.

The stations are Sirkeci (12:00) – Beyazıt (15:00) – Şişhane (18:00).

The stations where the themes are announced allow participants to arrive up to 30 minutes late. The event organizers will be present at the station for an additional 30 minutes after the themes are announced. You may have missed the information or clues provided by the theme selectors, but even if you arrive at the station 30 minutes after the meeting time, you can still learn the new themes.

If you learn the themes from a friend without visiting the station, you will still be considered in violation of the rules because you did not take a photo of the PM icon.

The PM icons are icons of PhotoMaraton that must be photographed at every station. Taking photos of these icons serves as proof of your presence at the station. The icons can vary at each station and may change in different cities where PhotoMaratons are held. PM icons are typically used as walls where theme cards are displayed. In short, you are required to take a photo as evidence of your presence at the station.

No, PhotoMaraton events do not automatically acquire the rights to the submitted photos, create databases, or resell or use these databases in any way without permission. Only the rights to the award-winning photos (as per the regulations) can be used by the municipal administration, which is a partner and host of PhotoMaraton. All other photos will become part of the permanent gallery of the event and will always be accompanied by the name of the photographer who owns the rights to all effects. The photos first selected by the jury can be used for exhibitions and books.

The photos submitted for the PhotoMaraton event cannot be shared on social media, announced, or sent to jury members in any way until the results are announced. Any other behavior is considered a violation of the rules.

The photos shared on a public Instagram account with a #hashtag should not be deleted until the results are announced. After the results are announced, you can remove any photo from your account. This applies to the video category as well.

PhotoMarathon events have as many judges as there are themes. Judges cannot see any personal information of the participants (such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.). They only view the photos with the participants’ registration numbers. Each judge is provided with a separate folder containing the participants’ photos for their respective themes. Each judge first selects their theme winners individually. Then, the photos recommended by each judge for the respective themes are collected in shared folders and evaluated collectively. Finally, the winning photos for each theme are determined. If a photo is deemed worthy of exhibition, it is also selected during the meeting.

The overall winner of PhotoMarathon is chosen from among the theme winners.

The winners of PhotoMarathon are announced at an award ceremony held in December, following the order of themes. The winning photos are presented during the ceremony. Prints of the winning photos are not made. For each category, the photos are announced with the theme name and the name of the winner.

Starting from the year 2020 and onwards, a person can receive a maximum of one theme first-place award for one category.

However, if a participant has entered multiple categories at the same time, they can still be awarded as theme first-place winners separately for each of those categories and receive their respective prizes.

Participants who achieve first place in any of the themes are eligible to receive a PhotoMarathon award. Additionally, each theme first-place winner is presented with a theme first-place trophy. The awards are made possible through the contributions of sponsor companies and may vary for each PhotoMarathon event. The specific PhotoMarathon awards are detailed on the event’s respective page for clarification.

The Mobile category is a format in which participants can take part using any mobile phone or tablet with a camera function. In the Mobile category, there are fewer themes, and photos are submitted by sharing them on Instagram. Participants must have public Instagram accounts. When making posts, they must use a pre-defined hashtag (e.g., #photomaraton24), the theme name, and their participant number. In the Mobile category, photos can be edited using phone features. Participants take photos within the specified hours after the themes are announced. Then they submit their photos and additionally share them on Instagram.

In 2024, photos related to Mobile category themes will be submitted both by sharing them on Instagram and by filling out the form on photomaraton.com.

The Analog category is the format in which participants use analog film cameras. In the Analog category, films are provided by PhotoMaraton at the registration desk at no additional cost. The same model of film is provided to everyone.

Participants work on themes with their films and then submit their films at the designated submission point (in 2024, this will be Şişhane). The films are processed by the designated company, and the photos are sent to the participant’s email address. Participants should share the photos they find suitable for the themes, along with the photo name and theme name, to “info@photomaraton.com” within 1 week from the submission date. These relevant photos are then shared with the jury members.

In 2023, the scanning and developing processes will be handled by Karaköy Fotoğrafçı.

The Video category is the format in which participants submit participation through specific audio and visual videos related to the announced theme. You can participate using either a camera or a mobile phone. Multiple devices can be used for video recording. Drone footage (there is no special permission from the organization, it’s individual preference) is allowed. A gimbal can be used. Timelapse and hyperlapse techniques can be used along with video and transition effects. It’s open to all types of use. Video recording can only be done on the event day. The use of stock videos is not allowed. Care should be taken regarding music copyrights. The final edited video, with a maximum duration of 3 minutes, with audio and music, is shared on publicly accessible YouTube or Vimeo accounts with the title “Name Surname / #photomaratonistanbul.” The videos must be submitted within 48 hours from the time the theme is announced.

In the Mobile category, the original version of the photos taken is obtained during the submission. Additionally, your username shared on Instagram is also acquired through the form. Details such as whether the photos were taken with the same phone, the times of capture, and other information are checked. If everything is correct, the winning photos are officially confirmed. During the award ceremony, the winning photos are announced along with the Instagram username.

Participants can lodge a complaint related to rule violations within 15 days after the announcement of the PhotoMarathon theme winners. They should send their information, including Name, Surname, Phone Number, Email Address, and the subject of the complaint, to “info@photomaraton.com.” The prizes for those who have earned them will be shared after the appeal process.

During the appeal process, if a photograph is found to be in violation of the event’s specifications and rules, the relevant prize will be canceled. The individual’s ranking will be canceled, and the prize will not be awarded to them. In the event of a cancellation, the overall ranking remains unchanged. Only the winner of the relevant theme will not be declared. This means that anyone who has their photograph displayed in any theme continues to have it displayed.

Click here to review the 2024 event specifications. (English)