Apple launches competition to find the best Night mode photos

Apple is launching a worldwide search for the best Night mode photos on iPhone. Starting today and ending January 29, users are encouraged to submit their shots from an iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max. Apple says "a panel of select judges" (more details on them in Apple's press release) will pick the five best photos and announce on March 4. When the sun goes down, it’s your time to shine.

Let’s talk incentives — Apple will display the winning shots on its website and Instagram, as well as Apple Newsroom. The photos may also appear in marketing (digital campaigns, billboards, social platforms, in Apple Stores, and in external third-party and internal exhibitions. Winners will also be paid a licensee fee and retain the rights to the photo in return for granting Apple a royalty-free license for one-year. Any reproduction of the photo will include photographer credit.

Per Apple:

"Apple believes strongly that artists should be compensated for their work and will pay a licensing fee to the five winning photographers for use of such photos on Apple marketing channels. You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by submitting your photo, you grant Apple a royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive license for one year to use, modify, publish, display, distribute, create derivative works from and reproduce the photo..."

How to enter — If you’re over the age of 18, you can submit your photos on Twitter or Instagram or Weibo by using the hashtags #ShotoniPhone and #NightmodeChallenge and naming the iPhone model used in the caption. Submissions can also be sent via email to shotoniphone@apple.com, using the file format “firstname_lastname_nightmode_iPhonemodel.”

"Photos can be straight from the camera, edited through Apple’s editing tools in the Photos app or with third-party software," according to Apple.

There's also another potentially major caveat: "Apple employees or their immediate families."