Niseko Shootout: ProAM

Once again, this year’s ProAM contest is completely free to enter, giving you the chance to win part of a ¥200,000 cash prize pool!
The Niseko Shootout ProAM is one of three contests under the Niseko Shootout photo and film competition banner.

Entrants will team up as athlete-photographer pairs; professional and amateurs welcomed!
Each team can take as many photos as they like over a 4-day competition window in January 2024, but submit only one for judging on submission day.

Each team will submit just one shot which will be posted on Niseko Shootout ProAM Voting Page.

There are two categories to win – Judges Choice and Public Vote. The winners will share in ¥200,000 (US$1,500) – not to mention a few tequila shots at the awards ceremony at Rhythm Japan Base on January 20. This year, with Don Julio 1942 as our prize sponsor, we can’t wait to have all the teams sharing their experience and announce the winners at Rhythm Japan Base on Friday, January 20th, 2023. With a delicious tequilia brand as a sponsor, you know the party will be fun!

Contest organiser Winstead Heyward said it was great to see a 50% increase in entries in the 2022/23 competition as tourists and seasonal workers flocked back into Niseko.

“The ProAM is back with a vengeance! We’re overjoyed with the amazing enthusiasm for the comp from the local and visiting teams – Niseko is back, baby!”

Requirements:

• Must register HERE; open from now until January 4th, 2023@11:59pm

• Contest will run from January 6th, 2023 @12:00am – January 9th, 2023 @11:59pm

• Shots will be posted from January 14th, 2023(~10am) – January 17th, 2023 (11:59pm)

• Contest winners will be announced on January 20th, 2023 at the Award Ceremony.

VOTING & JUDGING

Our 2022-23 judge panel includes: Taro Tamai, Tsutomu Nakata, Yoichi Watanabe, Neil Hartmann, Torah Bright, Eric Pollard and Matt Hampton and Winse Hayward.
You can read all about the Judges on Niseko Shootout Instagram or Niseko Tourism Facebook

FAQ

What are the prizes?

ProAM Judges’ Choice Winners: ¥120,000
ProAM Public Vote Winners: ¥80,000

When is the ProAM shooting period?

From 00:00 January 06, 2024 until 23:59 January 09, 2024.

How much will it be to enter the ProAM?

It is free to enter the Niseko Shootout ProAM.

Where/How do I enter?

Entrants must fill out the Niseko Shootout ProAM registration form HERE.

When must I submit my entry by?

The deadline is 2023 January 10th, 2023 at 11:59 am (Tuesday). Submissions won’t be accepted past the deadline under any circumstances.

How are the winners decided?

There are two winners for the ProAm photo contest. The main winner will be selected by a panel of judges who are professional skiers, filmmakers, and photographers from around the world. Public vote winners are decided by the highest number of votes by members of the public.

How should my entry be submitted?

Images can be attached to an email and sent to info@nisekoshootout.com. If the file size is too big for email, other methods such as Google Drive, WeTransfer, DropBox, Zenfolio, etc. are accepted.

What file size and resolution should I use?

Image files should be a jpeg with a minimum resolution of 1920 pixels. The file can be a higher resolution, but the maximum file size should not be higher than 10MB.

Do I need to provide a caption?

Please provide a caption of up to 25 words to explain the photo. Caption text can be either English or Japanese.

Are there any restricted locations?

Riders and photographers are encouraged to be creative, however, please ensure your photo is respecting all cultural and community values.

Images must not depict scenes of action deemed illegal by Japanese law. This includes, but is not limited to trespassing and the damage of public/private property, i.e. Avalanche barriers, rails, public/private structure, etc. Any images with these actions submitted will be disqualified.

Do entries have to be made in teams?

Entrants in the ProAM contest are made up of a team of two, rider and photographer. An entrant may enter multiple teams so long as the same two members of the teams are not the same.

Can I change my team after registration?

If there are extenuating circumstances that require a change of teams, please contact us and we will do our best to keep you in the contest.

Are sequence photos accepted?

Sequences and video frame-grabs are both permitted, however, the final submission must be only a single image file.

How do people vote for entries in the ProAM?

Votes for the Public Choice prize can be made here during the voting period.

Can I use a photo from previous years?

No. Entries must be a photo taken between 06 Jan 2024 and 09 Jan 2024.

Will photos shot on film be accepted?

Yes, but the submitted image must be a digital file.

Can I change my submission after submitting?

Yes, as long as it is before the deadline.

Can the same photo win both prizes?

If the same image wins the Judge’s Choice and the Public Choice, the team will win the Judge’s Choice prize. The image with second-most amount of public votes will win the Public Choice prize.

Can I enter the same photo in the ProAM and the #NisekoShootout Instagram contest?

You can enter the same photo, however, if you win in the ProAm, the same image cannot win a prize in the #NisekoShootout Instagram contest.

When will voting for Public Choice be open?

Voting will be open on January 14th, 2023 (~10AM) until January 17th, 2023 at 23:59 JST SHARP!

Terms and Conditions

Entrants may be sponsored by a company. The sponsoring company will be given credit along with photographer and athlete names.

The titles “photographer” and “athlete” are interchangeable amongst the team of two.

Shots may be taken at any time of day in the given window in Shiribeshi area.

Paid votes are not allowed. Niseko Shootout reserves the right to disqualify and remove entries at their own discretion regarding the suspicion of paid votes.

Contest winner will be announced at the Award Ceremony. If winners are not present in the Niseko area for cash prize collection, winnings can be awarded via bank transfer. 

Submitted photos must be original, created and/or taken by the contestant. It must not contain any materials owned or controlled by a third party for which you have not obtained a license, must not infringe the copyright, trademark, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity.

Submitted photos must not depict scenes of action deemed illegal by Japanese law. This includes, but is not limited to trespassing and the damage of public/private property, i.e. Avalanche barriers, rails, public/private structure, etc.

All entrants grant the Niseko Shootout permission to reuse shots (along with a name credit) on social media, websites and blogs.

Past Entries & Winners:

2023 Entries 2023 Winners
2022 Entries 2022 Winners
2021 Entries 2021 Winners
2020 Entries 2020 Winners