Rules

CAPTURE CARIBBEAN FIRST WAVE CHALLENGE - OFFICIAL RULES

 IMPORTANT NOTICE: THIS IS A SKILL-BASED CONTEST. THIS IS NOT A GAME OF CHANCE, LOTTERY, OR SWEEPSTAKES. WINNERS ARE DETERMINED SOLELY BY THE JUDGING CRITERIA.ENTRY INTO THIS CHALLENGE 

REQUIRES THE PURCHASE OF A FIRST WAVE ACCESS PASS FOR A MINIMUM OF $25.00 USD. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. 

1. SPONSOR & ADMINISTRATOR

The Capture Caribbean First Wave Challenge (the “Challenge”) is owned, sponsored, and administered by Capture Caribbean, LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey (the “Sponsor”). Travel experiences included in the prize packages are facilitated by third-party hospitality partners. All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only.

2. CHALLENGE PERIOD

The Challenge begins at 12:00:01 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on February 4, 2026, and ends at 11:59:59 PM EST on March 5, 2026 (the “Challenge Period”). The Sponsor’s computer is the official time-keeping device for the Challenge.

3. FIRST WAVE ENVIRONMENT & ENTRY FEE

3.A. Nature of the Platform: By entering, the Entrant acknowledges that “First Wave” is a live stress-test environment. Features, user interface, and upload speeds may be refined or altered during the Challenge Period.

3.B. Purchase Requirement: Entry requires the purchase of a “First Wave Access Pass.” The minimum entry fee is Twenty-Five US Dollars ($25.00). This fee grants the Entrant one (1) user account and the ability to submit entries subject to the limits defined in Section 6.

3.C. Consideration: The entry fee constitutes consideration for access to the platform and administration of the Challenge. A portion of the proceeds covers the cost of judging and prize distribution.

4. ELIGIBILITY

The Challenge is open only to individuals who meet the following criteria:

• Have validly purchased a First Wave Access Pass;
• Age: Are at least 18 years of age (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence) at the time of entry; OR are 13–17 years of age and enter the Next Gen Division with verified parental or legal guardian consent. The purchasing account for a Next Gen entrant must be registered in the name of the parent or legal guardian to satisfy COPPA compliance.
• Exclusions: Employees, officers, directors, agents, and representatives of the Sponsor, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and legal advisors, as well as the immediate family members (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of such individuals, are not eligible to enter or win.
• Geographic & Sanctions Restrictions: The Challenge is void in Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, Belarus, and any other jurisdiction subject to comprehensive U.S. sanctions or where the purchase of an entry to a skill contest is prohibited by local law. Entrants are solely responsible for determining if participation is legal in their jurisdiction.

5. DIVISIONS

Entrants must self-select one of the following divisions at the time of entry:

• Vanguard Division: Professional & advanced creators (18+).
• Open Division: Enthusiast & emerging creators (18+).
• Collegiate Division: Currently enrolled students (18+). Valid student ID or .edu email verification required upon finalist selection.
• Next Gen Division: Youth creators (13–17). Requires a completed Parental Consent Form prior to prize fulfillment.

Sponsor reserves the right to re-categorize entries if an Entrant is deemed to have self-selected a division that does not reflect their verifiable experience level.

6. ENTRY, SUBMISSION & PURCHASE TERMS

6.A. How to Enter: Visit the Challenge landing page at www.caribbeanphotocontests.com, purchase a First Wave Access Pass ($25.00 USD minimum), create an account, and follow the on-screen instructions to upload your submission(s).

6.B. Submission Requirements: Each entry must:

• Be the original work of the Entrant.
• Be created after the Challenge start date (February 4, 2026). EXIF data may be checked for verification.
• Strict No-AI Policy: Entries must not be created, generated, or materially altered using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. Basic editing (e.g., color correction, cropping, exposure adjustment) is permitted. Sponsor reserves the right to request RAW files or original source files to verify authenticity. Failure to provide source files upon request will result in immediate disqualification.
• Comply with technical specifications (e.g., JPEG/PNG format, maximum 8MB file size).
• Include a unique title and description.
• Anonymity: Not contain watermarks, logos, signatures, or identifying marks on the image itself (to ensure blind judging).

6.C. Entry Limits: The specific number of submissions permitted per Access Pass is defined on the platform purchase page at the time of entry.

6.D. Refund Policy: All Access Pass sales are final. Refunds will only be issued at the Sponsor's sole discretion in the event of a catastrophic platform failure that prevents entry submission for more than 72 consecutive hours during the final week of the Challenge Period.

7. JUDGING & WINNER SELECTION

7.A. Review Panel: Eligible entries will be judged by the "Capture Caribbean Review Panel," consisting of qualified judges selected by the Sponsor.

7.B. Criteria: Entries will be evaluated based on the following weighted criteria:

1. Creativity & Originality (35%)
2. Technical Execution (30%)
3. Visual Storytelling (25%)
4. Adherence to Theme/Artistic Merit (10%)

7.C. Winner Determination: The entries with the highest cumulative scores will be deemed the potential winners.

7.D. Tie-Breaker: In the event of a tie for any prize level, the entry with the higher score in the "Creativity & Originality" category will be declared the winner. If a tie persists, a completely new judge selected by the Sponsor will re-judge the tied entries to break the tie.

7.E. Decisions Final: Decisions of the judges and Sponsor are final and binding in all matters relating to this Challenge. This is a skill contest; chance plays no part in the determination of winners.

8. PRIZES & APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUES (ARV)

Grand Prize (1): A curated travel experience to Saint Lucia for the winner and one (1) guest.

• Includes: Five (5) nights hotel accommodation (double occupancy), select meals as specified in the itinerary, and one (1) guided photo excursion.
• Excludes: Round-trip airfare, ground transportation to/from the winner's home airport, beverages, gratuities, travel insurance, visas, and incidentals.
• ARV: $4,500 USD.

Second Place Prize (1): $1,500 USD cash (payable via check or wire transfer).

Third Place Prize (1): $500 USD cash (payable via check or wire transfer). Division Honorees (4): One per division. Includes recognition and a $250 USD platform credit for future contests.

Total ARV of all prizes: $6,700 USD.

PRIZE CONDITIONS & RESTRICTIONS:

• Travel Validity: Travel is subject to availability and blackout dates (including holidays). Travel must be booked and completed within one (1) year of the winner notification date.
• Winner Responsibility: The winner is solely responsible for obtaining all necessary travel documents (e.g., valid Passport) and travel insurance.
• Taxes: All federal, state, and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Winners of prizes valued at $600 or more will be issued an IRS Form 1099 (or equivalent) and must provide a valid Social Security Number or Tax ID.
• Substitution: Prizes are non-transferable. No cash alternative is offered for the travel prize. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if the designated prize becomes unavailable for any reason.

9. FOUNDING CLASS RECOGNITION

Select entrants may be designated as "Founding Class Members." This is an honorary non-monetary designation. It does not constitute a prize but may include non-transferable perks such as badges on the platform or early access to future features.

10. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & LICENSE

10.A. Entrant Ownership: Entrants retain full copyright ownership of their submitted work. 10.B. License to Sponsor: By entering, each Entrant grants Sponsor, its affiliates, and related entities a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, sublicensable license to use, reproduce, modify, display, and distribute the submitted work solely for the purposes of: i. Administering, judging, and promoting this Challenge; ii. Advertising and promoting the Sponsor's brand and platform (including "Winners' Gallery" showcases); iii. Featuring the work on Sponsor's website and social media channels. 10.C. Third-Party Rights: Entrant warrants that their submission is their original work and does not infringe on the intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights of any third party. Entrant is responsible for obtaining valid Model Releases for any recognizable persons and Property Releases for private property depicted.

11. GENERAL CONDITIONS, RELEASE, & LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

By participating, Entrant agrees to these Official Rules. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any Entrant violating these rules, tampering with the entry process, or engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct. RELEASE: BY PARTICIPATING, ENTRANTS AGREE TO RELEASE, INDEMNIFY, AND HOLD HARMLESS SPONSOR, ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND PRIZE PARTNERS FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY FOR INJURIES, LOSSES, DAMAGES, CLAIMS, OR ACTIONS OF ANY KIND ARISING FROM PARTICIPATION IN THE CHALLENGE OR ACCEPTANCE, USE, MISUSE, OR POSSESSION OF ANY PRIZE (INCLUDING TRAVEL-RELATED INJURIES).

12. PRIVACY & DATA

Information collected from Entrants is subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy. By entering, Entrants consent to the collection, use, and processing of their personal data in the United States. Entrants agree that their name and likeness may be used for promotional purposes without further compensation, except where prohibited by law. For privacy-related inquiries, contact: Privacy@capturecaribbean.com

13. GOVERNING LAW & DISPUTE RESOLUTION

These Official Rules are governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey, USA, without regard to conflicts of law principles. BINDING ARBITRATION: ANY DISPUTE, CLAIM, OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS CHALLENGE SHALL BE RESOLVED BY BINDING, INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION ADMINISTERED BY THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION (AAA) IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. ENTRANT WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL OR TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

14. SOCIAL MEDIA DISCLAIMER

This Challenge is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, or any other social media platform. You understand that you are providing your information to the Sponsor and not to these platforms.

15. WINNER'S LIST

To obtain a list of winners (available after April 15, 2026), please send an email request to: winners@capturecaribbean.com Requests must be received by May 15, 2026. The subject line of the email should read "Winner List Request - First Wave Challenge."