Photo "ownership" for competitions

I tried sending this to intlcomp@laups.org but it bounced due to an overquota error, so I decided to post it here and see if there is a consensus.

I have a great "self" portrait that I would like to enter in the LAUPS competition, but the question I have is about the role of assistants in image creation. For the image in question, I set up the camera, settings, and composition, but since I wanted to be in the image, I had an assistant hold the camera and press the shutter release. Is this image "mine" or his? Can I enter it or not? I understand that this is a gray region.

Steve,

My understanding is that whoever trips the shutter owns the copyright. You are the "model" so would have to grant usage rights if the photographer wants to sell the images - but that's about it.

Yet another reason to get a remote release I guess.

Cheers

James