World of X presents the Zoom Photography contest
The X Games ZOOM contest is a bi-annual online fan-vote contest celebrating the best in action sports photography. Each month, XGames.com selects ten of the best photos submitted by photographers in the BMX, skateboard, freeski, snowboard, surf, moto and mountain bike worlds to display in a curated online gallery, called Zoom.
Before each U.S.-based X Games event, the XGames.com content team selects the six best season-specific images from the 12 preceding ZOOM galleries to be included in an online "best of" fan-vote contest. The photographer whose image receives the most votes receives a prize purse of $10,000 and the photographer, along with the featured athlete, both receive an X Games gold medals in action sports photography. (Runners-up receive $1,000 each.) All six finalist photos are also displayed onsite at the X Games events and featured in the event broadcast.
Check out the current contest here: X Games Aspen 2020 Zoom Contest
View previous contests here:
X Games Minneapolis 2019
X Games Aspen 2019
X Games Minneapolis 2018
X Games Aspen 2018
X Games Minneapolis 2017
X Games Aspen 2017
HOW IT WORKS
How are finalists selected?
The X Games content team, comprised of photo editors and knowledgeable sport-specific editors, select six season-specific finalist photos from the pool of previously published Zoom galleries in the 12 months prior to each contest period, which coincide with the bi-annual U.S.-based X Games competitions, currently X Games Minneapolis in July and X Games Aspen in late January.
What sports are featured in Zoom Best of Action Sports?
Submissions are limited to X Games core demographics of BMX, FMX, motocross, skateboarding, freeskiing, snowboarding and surf photography. Occasional freeride mountain bike photos, focused on freestyle, are included. Other sports are rarely-to-never considered.
What is the timing of the contest?
For contests slated to coincide with X Games Aspen, finalists will be selected and notified in early January. For contests slated to coincide with X Games Minneapolis, finalists will be selected and notified mid-June. Images will be re-published in the public voting contest web gallery approximately 10 days in advance of the voting deadline. Images will be displayed onsite at the X Games. The public fan vote period will run for a ten-day period that ends on the final Sunday of the live X Games event.
Are there other limitations for Zoom submissions?
Monthly Zoom submissions are limited to images captured in the previous 12-month period. Images should not have been previously published digitally or in print within the action sports market. Previous social media or contest publication is okay. Due to the limitations of the online gallery presentation, horizontal images are heavily preferred over vertical.
How can I contribute to Zoom?
A monthly Zoom call for entries is managed by the XGames.com photo edit team, distributed to a large group of known professional photographers approximately two weeks in advance of each galleries' scheduled publication day. If you would like to submit to Zoom, please send your name, email, phone number and a link to your work to xgameszoom@espn.com. Our photo team will review your work and respond with further submission guidelines.
Example of the monthly Zoom:
XG Aspen 2017 ZOOM In Review
Introducing ZOOM, The Competition
X Games Aspen 2017 introduced a new competition to the fold: The inaugural ZOOM Photography Contest, putting six finalist images from the monthly X Games ZOOM photo gallery to the ultimate test, featuring an online fan vote to award one talented photographer a new X Games gold medal in photography and $10,000 cash prize. Featured here are the six finalists.
Prime time placement
Village view
Night light
Selfies
Saturday shout out
Yoshida takes the win
Additional Official "World of X Games Presents Zoom" Rules and Regulations:
• The contest is invitation only, open only to images that have been published in the monthly XGames.com Zoom gallery during the twelve months prior to each contest.
• There is no entry fee.
• Professional or amateur photographers who wish to be considered for Zoom inclusion must be approved for monthly submissions by the editors of XGames.com
• Photographs should be taken within the previous 12 months of the corresponding monthly submission period.
• Photographers must be 18 years of age or older to participate.
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