Welcome to the IGHA family, we’re glad to have you with us!
The International Golden Heart Awards (IGHA) is the first truly independent & international organization created by professionals of the wedding industry for both photography and filmmaking.Being an IGHA member highlights your expertise with the world. It makes you stand out from the crowd and gives customers a sense of your abilities and professionalism, as well as expanding your business further away.
Discover amazing narrative quality and technical abilities. Every IGHA member has passed a tough application process and is recognized by their colleagues to be a remarkable visual artist.
We carefully select the best photographers and filmmakers that honor the most remarkable achievements in each field. Our special directory will let you find any member easily.
If you are a wedding photographer or filmmaker, we gladly invite you to join us.
Follow us on social media platforms for the latest news, exclusive content and award notifications.
Thanks for your interest in joining a beautiful project made from the heart.
General Information
This section is an easy step-by-step, condensed guide to all important aspects surrounding the IGH Awards.
Becoming a Member
The IGHA maintains high standards for membership. You must first apply for membership in order to get your photographs or films reviewed by the MAT (Membership approval team). If approved, you will be notified via email in less than 5 days. Further instructions will lead to you creating your profile with IGHA.
Pricing
We offer a FREE membership to all approved members. IGHA also offers premium memberships with exclusive benefits such as award entries, exclusive content, social media promotions, etc…
The Awards
We will hold 4 award editions this year. .
-Winter Edition Awards
-Spring Edition Awards
-Summer Edition Awards
-Autumn Edition Awards
Winners of any season awards of the current year will automatically participate to win the biggest award: THE GOLDEN HEART OF THE YEAR, which will be granted to only 5 photographers and 5 filmmakers, making this the toughest to win award in the wedding industry. This award will be held in mid December of this year.
To submit to any awards, you must become a member first.
Voting, Jury Panel & Prizes
The ACT (Award Coordination Team) organizes all valid entries and curates all as a first round. All selected work goes privately to our international jury panel, which will vote individually on each entry considering: story, creativity, originality, composition, use of color or black & white, technical abilities, editing, use of space and balance.
IGHA will announce all winners on selected dates.
Season Awards will only grant: 10 winners will be selected for photography and 10 for filmmaking.
Winners will receive a special kit with official and exclusive logos/badges/special posts on social media & website posts.
Winners of each season award in a current year will automatically compete for the ‘Golden Heart of the Year’.
Personal Profiles
Photographers and filmmakers: Please keep in mind that photos uploaded to your personal profile must be 1920px horizontal.
Images can be from the wedding day and events associated with the wedding, photo sessions the day after the wedding, bridal photo sessions, and pre-wedding engagement photo sessions. Vow renewals are also allowed.
Make sure your images have no added content, composition of 2 or more images, logos, texts, borders, are part of a workshop, show sexual intercourse, genitals, etc. Images can be from any year.
Minimum quality for filmmakers is (1920×1080) FULL HD. Only short films are allowed (6min max) Keep in mind that links to the film must be public and working properly & must have rights to the music.
Important
You need to attach out the entry form correctly to any awards. We will update our Award Calendar which will include all important dates to submit your photos or films, as well as award dates.
REQUIREMENTS FOR IGHA Membership Request
Applicants must apply for a membership.
The application process helps to ensure that IGHA members meet the requirements for experience and talent.
Applicants must have photographed or filmed a minimum of 40 weddings as the primary in-charge. Weddings shot as a tag-along, second camera, or backup photographer will not count.
Galleries must include shots from all the wedding day (from beginning to end). If the submitted galleries are a ‘selection’ of favorite shots from several weddings, application will be rejected. Filmmakers must send 6 min max ‘short films’ only. Both galleries and films must be sent by direct links through the membership application form.
Applicants agree to operate in accordance to the IGHA code of conduct.
Each membership and profile page is for 1 photographer only. If there are many members from the same studio, each one must sign up for his/her own membership account and prove that photos or films were taken by yourself.
After you are accepted, you will be notified via e-mail.
All members must have active/updated websites and social media.
Please allow us 1-5 business days to process your applications.
BENEFITS OF JOINING IGHA
Your Membership to IGHA provides a wide variety of benefits. Some of them are.
- Let Brides & Grooms from around the world see your work.
- IGHA enables visual artists, to highlight some of our best work to be viewed internationally, and hoping to expand our business further away.
- The chance to be shortlisted for or win an award in the toughest to win / International photography & filmmaking wedding awards.
- Official marketing documents for you business. Such as IGHA Member logos, Award Winner badges, special mention logos & more!
- Increases industry profile. Just by entering you will stand out from the crowd.
- Gives your clients confidence in your abilities and professionalism.
- IGHA Profile Page with headshot, business description, contact information, social media, photographs and films that can be updated at any time, and a questionnaire which will let clients, peers, and members of the community know more about your work, talent & vision.
- Promotion by our staff on Facebook, Instagram, etc…
- Be a part of a worldwide community of true professionals who truly master their craft.
How is the IGHA different from other wedding awards?
We recognize each field as a complicated and truly demanding craft, that is why we honor achievements on both photography and film in the same way since day one. Our community was created & grown from love, with the sole intention of reuniting only the best international artists in the wedding industry. We are delighted to reunite the best and celebrate the most amazing achievements in photography and filmmaking.
How can I be an IGHA member? (3 step process)
1.Click here to submit your application
2. Wait for results.
3. If accepted as a future IGHA Member, you will get notified on your email address 5 days max after submitting. Pay your PRO+ membership to be granted access to your personal profile page and submit to the awards for free!
How can I send my photos/videos to participate in the contest? (3 step process)
-Click ‘Join the Contest’ button on your profile.
-Select your photos/videos and upload following the entry rules.
-Wait for results on the date mentioned as the official awards date.
How many photos/videos can I upload on my profile?
There are 4 available memberships. Please visit “Pricing” on our Main Menu.
Can I use the same photographs / videos to participate more than 1 time in awards?
Yes. If your images were not awarded and deserve being reconsidered by our jury members, you may upload again.
How many times can I participate in the award?
Please note that all memberships run on a 12 month subscription. Please visit “Pricing” on our Main Menu to confirm your benefits.
How do I know that my photos are submitted?
After you upload them with the Award Entry Form, you will get a confirmation mail.
If not, contact our staff at info@ighawards.com
When are the season awards held?
Please visit out calendar.
How does voting work? (3 step process)
IGHA receives all photographs & films.
IGHA (ACT) curators will select the best in each category and send them out to our International Jury Panel, where they will rate each one on a 1-10 voting system.
IGHA ACT will reunite all the ballots and announce the winners.
Can I upload a profile using my studio name?
No. Only personal names allowed. But you will be able to add your studio name under your profile. Cover photos must be related to your work, no logos are allowed.
Can my images/videos include watermarks or descriptive text?
No. they will not be accepted either on profiles or contests.
How is the list of Photographers or Videographers sorted out?
Our official directory has special filters to find who you are looking for.
If no special search has been applied, profiles will sort out randomly.
What about copyrights?
All Members allow IGHA team to use photographs and films for marketing purposes.
What’s the paying method?
Please visit “Pricing” on our main menu.
Where can I send questions or feedback?
Please send an email to info@ighawards.com