Photo Contest

Photo Contest

Frequently Asked Questions

About the contest

1. What is this contest about?
   Purvca Foundation is inviting you to look at Guwahati's public buses, and the people around them, in a new way. Share a photograph that tells the story of an everyday bus journey.

2. What is the theme?
   Daily Life on Guwahati's Public City Buses.

3. Who can take part?
   Whether you are picking up a camera for the first time or have been shooting for years, we would love to see the city through your eyes.

4. Do I need a professional camera?
   No. What matters is what you notice and the story you tell, not your equipment or technical skill. A phone camera is perfectly fine.

5. What should I photograph?
   Anything that shows life on Guwahati's public buses. You could look at passengers and everyday journeys, bus interiors, drivers, conductors and other staff, boarding, waiting and alighting, buses moving through different parts of the city, or small details that tell a story about bus travel. Keep every photograph about public city buses.

6. When can I send my photograph?
   The contest is open from 30 September to 20 October 2026.

Photograph requirements

7. Can I send a colour or a black and white photograph?
   Both are welcome.

8. Where should the photograph be taken?
   In Guwahati.

9. What size or format should my photograph be?
   Please submit it at the highest resolution available. Portrait (vertical) is preferred, because the winning photograph will be adapted for an A4 report cover (210 × 297 mm, ideally 2480 × 3508 pixels at 300 dpi). Other high-resolution formats are accepted, but portrait works best.

10. What types of photographs will not be accepted?
    Photographs that are AI-generated or AI-created, downloaded or copied from the internet or social media, taken by someone other than the person submitting the entry, or created by combining multiple photographs will not be accepted. Photographs with added text, graphics, logos, stickers, illustrations, borders, or other inserted elements will also not be accepted. Similarly, photographs that have been substantially altered by adding, removing, or replacing people or objects will not be considered.

11. Can I edit or enhance my photograph?
    Yes, basic photographic adjustments such as cropping, exposure, brightness, contrast, colour correction, sharpening, or conversion to black and white are allowed. However, edits that add, remove, replace, or substantially alter elements of the photograph are not permitted.

12. Can I remove an unwanted person or object from my photograph?
    No. Removing, replacing, or adding significant elements to the photograph is not permitted. The submitted image should represent what was actually captured in the original photograph.

13. Can I photograph people on public buses?
    Yes. People are an important part of everyday life on Guwahati's public buses and may appear in your photograph. Please photograph people respectfully and sensitively, particularly in situations where someone may be vulnerable or uncomfortable being photographed.

How to submit

14. How do I submit my photograph?
    Upload it through the Google Form - click the Upload your Photo button above

15. Can I submit more than one photograph?
    Yes. You may submit a maximum of 5 photographs. All photographs need to be uploaded in the same entry. Each photograph will be considered as an individual entry and must meet all the contest requirements.

16. Why does the form ask for a short description?
    It helps the us understand the story behind your photograph. It is for the us only and is not used in social media captions.

17. What am I agreeing to in the declaration?
    You confirm that you took the photograph and have the right to submit it. You also confirm that the photograph is not AI-generated, downloaded or copied from the internet or another source, and does not contain prohibited additions or alterations. You give Purvca Foundation permission to use selected photographs in the report, at Samvad and in related communication.

What happens next?

18. What happens to the photographs?
    The winning photograph will become the cover image of an important upcoming report on Guwahati's public transport. The second-place photograph may be featured inside the report. Selected photographs will be showcased at Samvad on 31 October.

19. When will the results be announced?
    The results will be announced on or before Samvad on 31 October 2026. The winning and second-place photographs will also be showcased as part of the event.

20. How will the winners be informed?
    The winners will be contacted using the contact details provided in the submission form. The results will also be announced through Purvca Foundation's official communication channels.

21. Is there a cash prize?
    No. The recognition is seeing your work on the cover of the report or on display at Samvad. Winners will receive a certificate, and some gifts may be presented. 

22. What happens if my photograph does not meet the contest requirements?
    Photographs that do not meet the theme, originality, editing, location, or other contest requirements may not be accepted or considered. The organisers' decision regarding eligibility of an entry will be final.