Good luck everyone!!

In case it's not clear - by borrowing, I mean 'took' my design and cut out the image for use in their design. If you look closely you'll see it's cropped exactly like mine :-( If that was done, then the entries should be removed.

@newface - be original make your own concept & read the brief not others concept.

@bamboo - did you purchase the picture you're using or borrow it from my concept (in addition to the exact same elements in the right column I might add) - seems rather strange that it's cropped exactly like mine only stretched out a bit more to fit your page dimensions ?

@Webspinner thank you...goodluck to all contestants ^_^

Thanks webspinner :)

nadia and bizdaks very nice designs you two

That's usage for template designs that you are going to resell numerous times to the general public (one of my other sidelines where I *don't* use istock for that very reason :-)

However, as long as you use a composite photo in your design (with the watermark), you are allowed to use it to show your clients (whether it's a private client of your own or contest holders here), The image has to be purchased by the contest holder who then has rights to use that image for his own or client site.

If you use an image from istock (or similar) that you may have purchased at any time, you can pass the license onto them by using that image in the design, as long as you, yourself don't use that image again without paying for another copy.

If you check out a variety of contests throughout 99designs, you will see many such watermarked images being used :-)

Istockphoto? I don't think so.
Their licence:
"Prohibited Uses. You may not do anything with the Content that is not expressly permitted in the preceding section or permitted by an Extended License. For greater certainty, the following are “Prohibited Uses” and you may not:

1. use the Content in design template applications intended for resale, whether on-line or not, including, without limitation, website templates, Flash templates, business card templates, electronic greeting card templates, and brochure design templates;"

You should find something suitable over at istockphoto.com or dreamstime.com at fairly reasonable prices that most contest holders can afford (or pass onto their clients :-)

You are right. It's hard to find suitable pictures to this contest but I have an idea how to solve a problem.

@colorsofinternet - You may want to include in your submission where the pictures you used are from (I see that you have a watermark on them), and their costing.. from what I can see they are quite expensive for commercial use - correct me if I'm wrong though :-)

Is there a preference for page width here ? I guess it depends on the demographic you are targetting and whether it should fit into a 800 or 1024 width browser window??