General Modules for All Guests
These modules contain essential guidelines and instructions for all invited guests. Please review them carefully to ensure you have all the necessary details regarding your participation, logistics, and event procedures.
Additional Modules for Guests with Exhibitions
These modules provide specific instructions and requirements for invited guests who are also exhibiting. If you are showcasing work at Xposure, please refer to these modules for exhibition setup, presentation guidelines, and related logistics.
Full Biography
- Provide a detailed biography for your online profile, written in the third person.
- Write an introduction /short biography (max 70 words) summarising your background and achievements.
- Include a black and white headshot (1200×1200 pixels, 300 dpi).
- Upload two sample images (1350px long side, 300 dpi, landscape format).
- Please be aware of the cultural sensitivities in Sharjah when choosing your images and text.
My Talk/Presentation
If you are giving a talk on StageX, FilmStage or in the Auditorium completing this section is essential. You’ll need to provide a title and description for your talk in one, two, or three paragraphs. You should also include a sample image in a horizontal format that can be used to promote the session and attract potential attendees. Please note that all final presentations must be submitted by the specified deadline.
When giving more than one talk, you will need to complete this module for each talk separately.
Provide a Title and Description for your talk.
Upload a sample image (Horizontal format) for promotions.
Presentation Format:
Mac Keynote (Preferred) – Set 16:9 widescreen, black background.
PowerPoint – Choose 16:9 widescreen format.
Stage Instructions:
Arrive 15 minutes early at the Green Room for microphone fitting.
You will be issued a wireless clicker to control your slides.
A screen with a timer will be visible to help track your time.
PDF presentations are not accepted.
My Workshop
To submit a workshop proposal:
- Complete the self-explanatory form with workshop details.
- Upload sample images and a list of required materials/software.
- Request any necessary equipment for the session.
- Complete a separate form for each workshop type you plan to conduct.
My Focus Group
If you are leading one or more Focus Groups, please complete the relevant form for each session. While optional, we encourage guest photographers to participate, as these 40-minute roundtable discussions provide a great opportunity to engage with students in an interactive setting.
As the Mentor, you will introduce the topic using images, slides, film, or another visual presentation on your own laptop, then guide an open discussion where students can share perspectives, ask questions, and explore different viewpoints.
Focus Groups can cover any topic related to photography or filmmaking, such as creative processes, industry trends, ethics, storytelling techniques, post-production, or personal career insights. The aim is to stimulate curiosity, challenge ideas, and provide valuable learning experiences in an engaging and thought-provoking environment.
This is an online form-based submission
Global Focus Project Nominations
The Global Focus Project is a prestigious initiative celebrating exceptional photographers whose work has a profound impact. Each year, we recognise one male and one female photographer from each of the six continents—Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, and Oceania—who have demonstrated outstanding storytelling through photography.
As a Guest Photographer, you are invited to nominate photographers whose work deserves global recognition. We encourage you to put forward individuals whose projects convey powerful narratives, cultural significance, or important social and environmental themes.
Your nominations will help us discover and showcase compelling visual stories that deserve a wider audience. If you know a photographer whose work aligns with the vision of the Global Focus Project, we invite you to submit their name for consideration through your dashboard nomination module.
My judging
Judging in Round One of the Xposure International Photography Awards is a quick visual assessment based on aesthetic appeal and impact. While participation is not mandatory, we greatly appreciate your expertise in this elimination round. The process is simple and flexible, allowing judges to review entries at their convenience, starting as soon as the first submissions are received. Judges can pause and resume at any time until all assigned entries are reviewed. Decisions on whether an entry moves forward to the scoring rounds are averaged across a minimum of 20 jury members, and an entry must achieve a 66% pass rate to proceed. The system is optimised for desktop and mobile use, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience for all judges.
A complete judging guide is available
Travel & Accommodation
Xposure provides flights and accommodation for international guests and hotel accommodation for UAE-based guests who reside more than 50km from the festival venue. These arrangements ensure a comfortable and hassle-free experience, allowing you to focus on your festival commitments without logistical concerns.
Accommodation & Meals
International Guests: Provided with return flights, hotel accommodation, breakfast, and dinner at the festival venue.
UAE-Based Guests (residing more than 50km from the venue): Provided with hotel accommodation, including breakfast. Dinner is also provided at the festival venue.
Travel Arrangements for International Guests
To facilitate flight bookings, we ask that you submit your travel form well in advance, preferably 6-8 weeks before departure.
When completing your travel form, please consider the following:
Your confirmed departure and return locations – Your return destination must be the same as your outbound origin. Once your ticket is issued, it cannot be changed without incurring additional costs, and any modifications will be at your own expense.
Time zones – Ensure your arrival date aligns with your departure schedule, taking into account time zone differences. This is especially important to avoid missing key events such as the meet and greet on the evening before the festival opens or the appreciation awards on the final day.
Flight availability – We recommend researching Emirates Airlines schedules before completing your travel form to select the best routing options.
Self-Upgrades – If you wish to upgrade your ticket from Economy (or Premium Economy for flights over 10 hours), please indicate this on your travel form. Any upgrades must be arranged and paid for directly with the ticketing agency after issuing your booking.
Xposure will arrange airport transfers according to your flight arrival time and your departure time when you leave the UAE.
Important Notes
Please only submit your travel form once you know your travel dates and departure location. Changes cannot be made after the ticket is issued without additional costs.
If UAE-based guests do not require accommodation, please indicate this when confirming your participation.
These arrangements provide convenience, comfort, and flexibility, ensuring that all invited guests can fully engage in the festival experience.
If you are self-upgrading your tickets and flying Emirates, you may be able to take advantage of the Emirates Chauffeur-drive service in your home city. In this case you will need to access the airline website and make the Chauffeur-drive booking directly.
Admin Forms
In the weeks before the festival, we will issue you a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This document outlines the purpose of the festival and the collaboration between parties. Also, a declaration of VAT is required. Finally, for exhibiting photographers offering prints for sale, we require you to complete and submit a print sales appendix.
Epigraph / Deep Quote
The Limited Edition Coffee Table Book feature requires:
- A meaningful quote that reflects your artistic vision.
- A high-quality headshot (4:3 vertical format).
- Your signature for a personal touch.
My Exhibition
There are instructions for each field available in the upload area. You may want to prepare your image titles and captions in advance before commencing the uploads, but you can return to complete any remaining fields at a later time.
- Exhibition Descriptions should be a minimum of 500 characters and a maximum of 1600 characters.
- Steps for Submitting Exhibits:
- The standard number of exhibits is twenty-five that include 3 or 4 150cm x 100cm prints and the balance of 90x60cm prints. Variations on quantity and size need to be discussed and approved by your exhibition Curator.
- Prepare a first edit (1350px, 300dpi, sRGB, JPG format).
- Sequence your images to match your preferred display order. Please note that typically, the first image will be located on the outside wall next to your gallery entrance and will be printed in a size of 150cm on long edge.
- Rename files with a Prefix “POS” plus a two-digit number (e.g., POS 01, POS 02).
- Upload images with captions (90 words max).
- Complete the “My Exhibition Details” section:
- Settings Tab: Exhibition title, description, and print details.
- Exhibits Tab: Upload each image with a title and caption (max 300 characters).
🚨 DO NOT UPLOAD HIGH-RES PRINT FILES HERE! 🚨
- The Small JPG files are for online use, and exhibition guides only.
- High-res print files must be uploaded separately via “High Res Image File Upload”.
- Steps for Submitting Exhibits:
Limited Edition Prints
If your exhibit contains Limited Editions or Artist Proofs that are offered for sale, it is important that you can provide Certificates of Authenticity. Additional steps are required at the time of adding the exhibit information through the portal. These include identifying the type of editions and indicating how many prints are in the edition based on the size. In case you need to register your works, in order to provide digital certificates, there are a few significant registration authorities.
High-Resolution Print Production Files
Xposure utilises AWS S3 storage solutions to provide secure, scalable, and highly durable storage for large print files, ensuring high-value assets are protected against unauthorised access, loss, or corruption. When S3 buckets are assigned to individuals for uploading sensitive print files, multiple security layers are implemented to maintain data integrity and confidentiality while preventing unauthorized access, modification, or downloads.
Each user is assigned a unique IAM policy with specific read/write permissions, ensuring they can only access their own files. To further enhance security, files are retrieved and processed exclusively by the RIP (Raster Image Processing) system, which operates under a secure IAM role with controlled access. Additionally, audit logs track all activities, providing full security, transparency, and compliance with industry standards.
- Upload 16-bit TIFF files in ProPhoto or Adobe RGB (1998), 300 or 360 dpi.
- Files in sRGB colour space are NOT accepted for fine art prints.
- Ensure the high-resolution images and filenames match your JPG files submitted through My Exhibition module.
Gallery Screen
If you requested a gallery screen when completing the Settings section of your Exhibition Details, you must upload the content for display through the Digital Assets module on your dashboard. It’s essential to provide these files as soon as possible so the screens can be pre-loaded with the content before the festival begins.
If you fail to submit correctly formatted files by the deadline, the screen will be removed from your exhibition. In such cases, the gallery layout will be reconfigured without space allocated for a screen, and a display will no longer be available for your digital content.
File Format & Resolution
Images: Use JPG format, with a resolution of 3840 × 2160 pixels (4K Ultra HD) for the best quality on a 55” display.
Videos: Use MP4 format to ensure smooth playback and compatibility.
File Order & Naming
Name your files in the order they should appear (e.g., 01, 02, 03), so they play in sequence.
If you are using both images and videos, mix them in the correct order (e.g., 01.jpg, 02.mp4, 03.jpg).
How to Upload
Open the Digital Assets module on your dashboard.
Upload your files one by one in the correct order.
Do not create subfolders—all files must be uploaded directly.
By following these steps and submitting your files on time and in the correct format, we can ensure your digital content is seamlessly integrated into your exhibition. If you need assistance, please contact your curator.
