Website Terms and Conditions

Welcome to Open Call Direct, operated by SI SMITH CO LTD T/A Open Call Direct – Formerly PhotoContests.Co (“we”, “us”, “our”). These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of our website Open Call Direct, including any content, functionality, and services offered on or through PhotoContests.Co (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing or using our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms, as well as our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our Services.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using Open Call Direct, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. These Terms may be updated by us from time to time without prior notice. Your continued use of the Services after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

2. Nature of Services

Open Call Direct serves as a platform for:

• Discovering Contests: Listing and promoting photography competitions hosted by other organisations.
• Providing Information and Advice: Offering guides and advice related to photo competition standards, intellectual property rights, licensing, and fair practices for photographers and organisers.
• Showcasing Inspiration: Featuring past winning and honourable mention photographs in a dedicated “Inspiration” section to provide examples of excellence.

Please note:

• Our Services DO NOT include running or hosting photo competitions, other than potentially our own prize draws as described below.
• Our Services DO NOT include providing legal advice. The content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. You should seek professional legal counsel for specific situations.
• Our Services DO NOT include providing financial advice.

3. Intellectual Property Rights (Our Content)

All content on Open Call Direct, including text, graphics, logos, images (excluding those in the “Inspiration” section, which are governed by Section 5), articles, guides, software, and the compilation thereof, is the property of SI SMITH CO LTD T/A Open Call Direct or its licensors and is protected by UK and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

• You may access, view, and print content from this website for your personal, non-commercial use, and for the purpose of learning about photo competition standards and discovering contests.
• You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any of our content without our prior written consent, except as follows:
  • Your computer may temporarily store copies of such materials in RAM incidental to your accessing and viewing those materials.
  • You may store files that are automatically cached by your Web browser for display enhancement purposes.
  • You may print or download one copy of a reasonable number of pages of the Website for your own personal, non-commercial use and not for further reproduction, publication, or distribution.
• If you print, copy, modify, download, or otherwise use or provide any other person with access to any part of the Website in breach of these Terms, your right to use the Website will cease immediately and you must, at our option, return or destroy any copies of the materials you have made.

4. Our Own Contests and Prize Draws

Open Call Direct may from time to time host its own prize draws or competitions. Specific rules and eligibility requirements will apply to each such contest, and it is your responsibility to review these rules before entering. We reserve the right to disqualify any entry that violates the rules. Any User Content submitted for our own contests will be subject to the specific terms outlined in those individual contest rules, which will specify the licence granted to us.

5. Inspiration Section / Winners Archive

For our “Inspiration” section, which displays winning photos and honourable mentions, the following specific terms apply:

• Only winning and honourable mention images from contests will be displayed in this section.
• These images are displayed solely for the purpose of showcasing past excellence, providing inspiration to website visitors, and to help promote and showcase the photographer and the inspiration section itself.
• Images in the “Inspiration” section will not be used to promote or market Open Call Direct in general beyond their display within this specific “Inspiration” section.
• Images in the “Inspiration” section will not be used for any commercial purposes whatsoever.
• We commit to providing proper attribution (photographer’s name/credit) alongside each image in the “Inspiration” section. We will ensure that any rights metadata present in such works when received by us is preserved. We cannot be responsible for the removal of metadata by third-party platforms or by the user prior to our receipt of the images.
• For display purposes within the “Inspiration” section, we may need to resize images to fit the existing design and layout of the website. We will endeavour to avoid cropping the image wherever possible and will ensure any necessary adjustments respect the integrity of the work.
• This section functions as an archive of past achievements, and the use of images within it is perpetual for display on the website, consistent with standards for competition winner archives.

6. Prohibited Uses / User Conduct

You agree to use our Services only for lawful purposes and in a manner that does not infringe upon or restrict the rights of, or inhibit the use and enjoyment of the Services by, any other user. You agree not to:

• Use the Services in any way that violates any applicable local, national or international law or regulation.
• Engage in any conduct that restricts or inhibits anyone’s use or enjoyment of the Services, or which, as determined by us, may harm SI SMITH CO LTD T/A Open Call Direct or users of the Services or expose them to liability.
• Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity.
• Interfere with or disrupt the operation of the website or the servers or networks connected to the website.
• Collect or store personal data about other users without their express consent.
• Use any robot, spider, scraper or other automated means to access the website for any purpose without our express written permission.
• Introduce any viruses, Trojan horses, worms, logic bombs, or other material that is malicious or technologically harmful.
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to, interfere with, damage, or disrupt any parts of the Website, the server on which the Website is stored, or any server, computer, or database connected to the Website.

7. Third-Party Contests and Information Disclaimer

Open Call Direct lists and promotes contests hosted by other organisations. While we strive to provide accurate information and endeavour to keep the details about these competitions up-to-date, we act solely as a listing and informational service.

• Open Call Direct is NOT responsible for the administration of these third-party contests, the selection of winners, the awarding or fulfilment of prizes, or the content of their terms and conditions.
• You acknowledge that your participation in any third-party contest found through our Services is at your own risk. You are solely responsible for reviewing and understanding the official rules, terms, and privacy policies of the respective competition organisers before entering.
• While we provide information and advice on fair competition standards as guidance, we cannot guarantee that every listed third-party competition adheres to these standards, nor can we guarantee the completeness, accuracy, or currency of all information provided about them.
• Any reliance you place on information about third-party contests or general advice provided on this website is therefore strictly at your own risk. We are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information.

8. Disclaimers (General)

• “As Is” Basis: Open Call Direct is provided “as is” and “as available” without any warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that the website will be uninterrupted or error-free, or that any defects will be corrected.
• Third-Party Links: Our Services may contain links to third-party websites or resources that are not owned or controlled by SI SMITH CO LTD T/A Open Call Direct. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Open Call Direct. You acknowledge and agree that we shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any such content, goods, or services available on or through any such websites or services.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, SI SMITH CO LTD T/A Open Call Direct, its affiliates, directors, employees, agents, and licensors shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including without limitation, loss of profits, data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, whether incurred directly or indirectly, arising out of your access to or use of the website, any conduct or content of any third party on the Services, any content obtained from the Services, or unauthorised access, use, or alteration of your transmissions or content, whether based on warranty, contract, tort (including negligence), or any other legal theory, whether or not we have been informed of the possibility of such damage.

10. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless SI SMITH CO LTD T/A Open Call Direct, its affiliates, licensors, and service providers, and its respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, suppliers, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable solicitors’ fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms or your use of the Services, including, but not limited to, your reliance on information obtained from the Website.

11. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales to resolve any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms or your use of the Services.

12. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court, the remaining provisions of these Terms will remain in full force and effect.

13. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and SI SMITH CO LTD T/A Open Call Direct regarding our Services and supersede any prior agreements, whether written or oral.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us.

Last updated: July 15, 2025