Competitions

Categories available for submission

Altered Reality

MANIPULATION: Allowed

Abstract
An exercise in composition for the sake of art. The real identity of the abstractionist's subject is not important and the result is not intended to be anything.

Altered Reality
An image created by altering reality in an obvious manner, created digitally or in camera. The intention is the creation of an image that conveys a feeling or message or tells a story.

Creative or Visual Art
Images that go beyond the straightforward pictorial rendering of a scene. The image does not have to employ derivative or manipulative techniques to be Creative or Visual Art.

Nature

MANIPULATION: NOT Allowed

Nature photography records all branches of natural history except anthropology and archaeology. This includes all aspects of the physical world, both overwater and underwater. Nature images must convey the truth of the scene. A well-informed person should be able to identify the subject of the image and be satisfied that it has been presented honestly and that no unethical practices have been used to control the subject or capture the image. Images that directly or indirectly show any human activity threatening a living organism’s life or welfare are not allowed.
The most important part of a Nature image is the nature story it tells. High technical standards are expected, and the image must look natural.

• Objects created by humans, and evidence of human activity, are allowed in Nature images only when they are a necessary part of the Nature story.
• Photographs of human-created hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral animals, domesticated animals, human-created hybrid animals, and mounted or preserved zoological specimens are not allowed.
• Photographs made where the scene is natural and the animal is unharmed in a carefully managed environment, such as Zoo, rescue centers, and ethically managed natural environment farms are permitted.
• Attracting or controlling subjects using food or sound for the purpose of photographing them is not allowed. Maintained situations such as provided supplemental food due to hardship caused by weather conditions or other conditions beyond the animals’ control, where photography is incidental to the feeding of the animal does not fall under this provision.
• Controlling live subjects by chilling, anesthetic, or any other method of restricting natural movement for a photograph is not allowed.
• Human-made elements shall be permitted under the following circumstances:
  1. When they are an integral part of the nature story, such as a songbird singing atop a fence post a man-made object used as nest material, or a weather phenomenon destroying a man-made structure.
  2. When they are a small but unavoidable part of the scene, such as an unobtrusive footprint or track in the background.
  3. Scientific tags, collars, and bands are specifically allowed.
• When photographing at a zoo, sanctuary, or rehabilitation center, it would be construed that the photographer ensured that it is properly accredited and conforms to best practices.

Nature Birds Only
Nature images of Birds - subjects may be in controlled conditions. Photographs of feral/domestic/farm birds or mounted specimens are ineligible. Human elements if present should not detract from or overpower the subject. If other animals are present the bird/s must be the main feature.

Nature No Birds
Nature includes all branches of natural history, except anthropology and archaeology. Nature images include landscapes, geologic formations & weather phenomena and include images taken with the subjects in controlled conditions. Photographs of artificially created hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral animals, domestic animals, farm animals or mounted specimens are ineligible. No birds may be entered here. Human elements if present should not detract from or overpower the subject. If birds are present the birds must be the secondary feature.

Nature Landscapes
A genre intended to show different spaces within the world, usually vast and unending, but can also be microscopic. A landscape comprises of the visible features of an area and physical elements such as landforms, water, living elements of flora and fauna and abstract elements like lightning and weather conditions. It could be pure nature and may include animals. Man-made/cultivated subjects may not be included.

Nature Macro
Macro photography is extremely close-up nature photography, where you get close to a small subject by physical or optical means. The size of the subject in the finished photograph is usually greater than life size and reveals details which cannot easily be seen with the naked eye.

Photojournalism

MANIPULATION: NOT Allowed
Photojournalism entries are images with informative content reflecting the human presence in our world and emotional impact which usually include human interest, documentary, news or sport. The journalistic value of the image shall receive priority over the pictorial quality. In the interest of credibility, PJ images that misrepresent the truth and model or staged set-ups are not permitted.

PJ & Sport

Entries in this category should have informative content and emotional impact. In the interest of credibility, images that misrepresent the truth and model or staged set-ups are not permitted.

Street Photography
Street photography records unposed scenes in public places. The primary subject is people and/or symbols of people, at rest or in motion, alone or with others, going about their everyday activities.
Photo Travel & Street Photography
The primary subject is people and/or symbols of people, at rest or in motion, alone or with others, going about their everyday activities. Close up pictures of people or objects should include features that provide information about the environment.

Sports Photography
Sports photography covers any aspect of a sporting event. Images must depict an active pastime or recreation involving physical exertion and/or skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often of a competitive nature. The level of sport can range from children playing a sport to the Olympic Games. Images in this section could include the spectators or judge or umpire in a sporting event. Dance productions like ballet and Air Shows are deemed not to be sport and hence not allowed in this category.

Photo Travel
A Photo Travel image expresses the characteristic features or culture of a land as they are found naturally. There are no geographic limitations.

Pictorial

MANIPULATION: Allowed

An open category where images emphasize visual impact, composition, and artistic merit, rather than fitting into other defined genres.

Portraiture

MANIPULATION: Allowed

Animal Portraits
A likeness, personality and mood of a living animal where the subject is dominant in the image. Portraiture is not restricted to head and shoulders and may include just a part of the face, a back view or even a full-length study.

Human Portraits
A likeness, personality and mood of a living human where the subject is dominant in the image. Portraiture is not restricted to head and shoulders and may include just a part of the face, a back view or even a full-length study.

Scapes

MANIPULATION: Allowed

Scapes photography shows the spaces within the world, sometimes vast and unending, but other times microscopic, with or without people. Scape photographs typically capture the presence of nature but can also focus on man-made features or disturbances of landscapes, including sea/water and under water scapes, desert/mountain/forest and city scapes. The most common thing is to recall a personal observation or experience while outdoors.

Theme

MANIPULATION: Allowed

Subject selected by committee every month. Image creativity is at the discretion of the author but must have relevance to the theme.