2023
Contact s4cex@pcms-photo.org for more information
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: RULES
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: PARTS B, C, D
Index
C. Subject Matter & Definitions
PSA/FIAP Statement on Subject Matter
B. EXHIBITION REQUIREMENTS
C. SUBJECT MATTER & DEFINITIONS
Entrant and Entry Requirements
This exhibition is open to anyone; however, an entry may be rejected when the Sponsor or the Exhibition Organizers, in their reasonable discretion, believes the entry does not conform to exhibition rules and these Conditions of Entry. Membership in any photographic organization is not required.
Penalties
Entries will not be accepted from any entrant who has been put on the PSA Penalties List for Ethics Violation. Entry fees are not refundable in these circumstances
PSA Star Ratings
To receive proper Star ratings credit from PSA, entrants must provide their names and country exactly the same way in each exhibition. Aliases are not permitted. Please contact PSA in the event of name changes or relocating to another country. Using one’s name differently in different exhibition exposes the entrant to the risk that many of their acceptances may not be recognized by PSA Star Ratings.
Image Creation
Entries must originate as photographs (image captures of objects via light sensitivity) made by the entrant on photographic emulsion or acquired digitally.
Certification
By virtue of submitting an image, the entrant certifies the work as his or her own. Images may not incorporate elements produced by anyone else (for example: clip art, images or art by others downloaded from the Internet). Aliases are not allowed.
Reproduction
The entrant permits the sponsors to reproduce all or part of the entered material free of charge for publication and/or display in media related to the exhibition. This may include low resolution posting on a website. The Photographic Society of America (PSA) may request specific permission from entrants to reproduce entered images in its educational materials. The terms of that permission will be mutually agreed between the entrant and PSA except in the circumstances where the entered image is found to breach the PSA Ethics Policy. In those circumstances the image may be reproduced by PSA, without the entrant’s further permission, for educational purposes to illustrate serious exhibition rule violations. For those reproductions, the entrant’s name will be withheld. Entries will not be accepted from entrants who indicate that their images may not be reproduced in materials related to the exhibition.” The exhibition, the Sponsor, and PSA assume no liability for any misuse of copyright.
Alteration & Computer Generation
Subject to Divisional restrictions (particularly Nature, Photo Travel, and Photojournalism) images may be altered, either electronically or otherwise, by the entrant; adjustments to enhance images or creatively modify images are allowed providing the underlying photograph is retained in a way that is obvious to the viewer. Images may not be constructed entirely with a computer, and must be the sole work of the entrant
Re-Use of Accepted Images
Any image that has been accepted in this exhibition, past or present, may not be entered again in the same Division Star Ratings Class in any future instances of this exhibition. It may, of course, be entered in any other PSA recognised exhibition but must always have the same title. Re-titling in another language is not allowed.
Entry
An entry consists of up to and including four (4) images entered by a single Entrant into the same section. An entrant may only enter a single Section once. Entrants may not enter identical or similar images into the same section or different sections of the same exhibition
Titles
Each image must have a unique title that is a description of the image. That unique title must be used for entry of that image or of an identical Image into any and all PSA-Recognized exhibitions.
Titles must be 35 characters or fewer. No titles may be visible to the judges, and nothing in the image may identify the maker. Titles may not include file extensions such as .jpg or .jpeg
(or any other camera capture filenames such as IMG 471). Titles may not consist of personal identifiers possibly augmented by a number; or include words such as “untitled” or “no title”. Titles
may not consist solely of numbers unless those numbers are prominently contained within the image, such as a contestant number in a race.
Color & Monochrome
Color and Monochrome images from the same capture that share substantial pictorial content in common will be considered the same image and must be given the same title.
Submitting Entries
Images should be entered by using the Enter button above, or click here. Emailed entries or entries sent in other ways - such as mailed DVDs - are not accepted.
Image Format
Digital images must be in JPEG format and not exceed 1,920 pixels in width and 1,080 pixels in height. Images larger than the permitted size will automatically be rejected along, if time permits, with a request to resubmit a correctly sized image. Filesize must be less than 2mb. Images are displayed using the sRGB Color Space: it is recommended that entrants also use this Color Space for more faithful reproduction.
The Exhibition will NOT resize images for entrants. Oversized images will be rejected by the Exhibition. Seriously undersized images will also be rejected as being inadequate for judging.
Judging Process
- Exhibition Process: This Exhibition will be conducted in accordance with the rules of PSA.: An entrant's images will not be presented to the judges consecutively. An entrant's four images will be distributed through four rounds of judging in that section. Distribution of images will be in the same round order as submitted by the entrant. At no stage will a judge be able to view all the entrant's images together.
- Remote Judging: This exhibition is judged remotely over the Internet. First, judges independently score each image from wherever they are located; judges have the time to consider and re-consider their scores over several days. Second, judges collaborate via videoconference to select Medals and HMs. Images are always presented full size to each judge.
- Target Range: No more than 35% of all images entered into a given Section will be accepted. This Exhibition also sets as a target that no fewer than 29% of all images entered into a given Section will be accepted.
- Judge Viewing: Images are viewed by the judges on computer monitors with resolution at least 1900W x 1080 pixels that can display the images in their native resolution without re-sizing. That is, monitors must be capable of displaying the images at 100% of the image's resolution, and the images must be displayed at exactly of their resolution (that is, the images will not be enlarged beyond 100% of their resolution).
- Monitors: Judges are required to use color-calibrated monitors.
- Exhibition Catalog/Gallery: The official catalog of the Exhibition will be in the form of a PDF downloadable from the Exhibition website. Other catalogs containing images or with links to images will also be made available. These catalogs will also constitute on-line galleries. For examples of catalogs and on-line galleries from prior year S4c exhibitions, click here.
- Target Range: No more than 35% of all images entered into a given Section will be accepted. This Exhibition also sets as a target that no fewer than 29% of all images entered into a given Section will be accepted.
Data Protection
- By entering this exhibition, you are explicitly consenting to the personal details you have supplied, including physical addresses, email addresses, being held, processed and used by the exhibition organizers for purposes associated with this exhibition. You also explicitly consent to such information being sent to organizations that have accorded official recognition, patronage or accreditation to this exhibition. You acknowledge, agree and accept that by entering this exhibition, your participation status which includes your first and last name, name of the country used during registration at the exhibition, number of sections entered and number of photos entered in those sections will be made public in a published status list and that the results of your entry shall be made public in exhibition gallery, exhibition catalog. You also agree and accept the policy regarding Breaches of Rules of the PSA.
Additionally in this Exhibition
- Reconsideration: In this exhibition, once having scored the images, judges may then jump around the order and re-consider their scores.
- Judge Recusal: Image scores by judges who are close relatives or partners of the entrant will not be counted in the total score of that image. An average of the other judges’ scores will be used. Such images are also not eligible for medals or honorable mentions, although they may be accepted into the Exhibition. Judges may not enter any Division/Section that they are judging.
- Compliance & Disqualification: The content of images must comply with these Conditions of Entry. Images that - in the sole opinion of the judges or the Exhibition Organizers - do not comply are likely to be disqualified (DQed) - that is, rejected. A reason is given for such Disqualification so the entrant may be aware of the problem when considering entry into other PSA-recognized exhibitions. See the S4C Exhibition Policy on Disqualifications for more detail, and in particular that an original image capture may need to be provided if requested by the judges or if the entrant wishes to counter the exhibition organizers' or judges' decision regarding image disqualification.
- Similar Images: Images are considered to be "Similar Images" if they are the same image; or a like "in camera image" (such as from the same burst capture); or a "reproduction" duplicate of that image; or a monochrome version of a color image (or vice-versa) - regardless of media, format, or title.
- Double Entry in Same Exhibition: An image - or a similar, Identical or a near Identical Image - or a monochrome version of an image -can only be entered once in the same S4C Exhibition.
- ALL MEDAL-WINNING IMAGES AND RANDOMLY SELECTED OTHER IMAGES WILL BE CHECKED FOR ORIGINALITY OR COPYRIGHT VIOLATION.
- Go To Index
D. PSA RULES
Breaches of Rules
Entrants are strongly advised to look at the PSA Ethics Policy which can be found here. If, at any time, it is determined in the reasonable discretion of the exhibition organizer or the judges before, during, or after the judging of an exhibition that an entrant has submitted entries where one or more images may fail to comply with these Conditions of Entry, including the stated definitions, exhibitions, on behalf of the judges, are allowed to request unedited or raw files of the submitted imageIn order to ensure that images comply with the Conditions of Entry and definitions, the exhibition organizers may carry out reasonable measures to verify that:
a) the images are the original work of the entrant and
b) the images comply with the rules and definitions as set out in these Conditions of Entry
These steps include, but are not limited to, questioning any entrant, requiring the submission of RAW files or other
digital files representing the original capture of the submitted image(s), confronting the entrant with evidence that one or more submitted images fails to comply with the Conditions of Entry
(also known as Entry Rules), and offering the entrant a
reasonable opportunity to provide counter evidence to refute the exhibition organizer’s evidence by a set deadline. Such entries that are not cleared or are still questionable after the entrant
has presented evidence may be considered in breach of these Conditions of Entry, and declined. Such entries may be referred to PSA for further investigation of possible ethics violations
PSA, on receiving reports from exhibitions of possible breaches, retains the right to investigate in any way all
complaints/suspicions of breaches of entry conditions, impose penalties if deemed necessary, void the acceptances of any image found to violate the PSA rules, include the entrant’s name on the
list of sanctions provided to Exhibitions, and share such investigations with FIAP. Entrants automatically agree to these terms by the act of entering the Exhibition and agree to cooperate with
any investigation.
If another party is submitting images on the entrant’s behalf, the entrant will still be held responsible for adhering
to these Conditions of Entry (Entry Rules) and will be subject to penalties for any
violations to these Conditions of Entry and PSA’s Statement of Ethics that may result.
If another party is processing images for an entrant or submitting images on the entrant’s behalf, the entrant will still be held responsible for
adhering to all Conditions of Entry including the specific conditions in the relevant definitions.
Notice to Entrants
When entrants fills in the Entry Form to submit an entry they will see the following feature to affirm they have read these Conditions of Entry:
“I hereby confirm that I have read, understood and agree to the
Conditions of Entry of this exhibition. I have read the PSA document to be found here. I am aware that PSA may apply penalties for breaches of these
Conditions of Entry.”
Failure to agree will mean that the application will not proceed.
PSA Recognition Statement
PSA 2023-351
PSA/FIAP
Statement on Subject Matter
-Applies to All Sections
The fundamental rule that must be observed at all times and applies to all sections offered in exhibitions with PSA recognition is that the welfare of living creatures is more important than any photograph. This means that practices such as baiting of subjects with a living creature and removal of birds from nests, for the purpose of obtaining a photograph, are highly unethical, and such photographs are not allowed in any exhibition with PSA recognition. Under no circumstances may a living creature be placed in a situation where it will be killed, injured or stressed for the purpose of obtaining a photograph. Images that show live creatures being fed to captive animals, birds or reptiles are not permitted under any circumstances.
There are also concerns about the use of aerial photography, drones, helicopters, low flying aircraft. These should not cause any interference with other individuals or animals which causes a disturbance in their normal activity or disrupt the way any individuals or animals interact with their environment. Entrants in PSA recognized exhibitions should comply with all relevant laws and regulations, associated with aerial photography, in the country in which the image was taken.
Entry into PSA recognized exhibitions is conditional on accepting these policies. The content of images must comply with the General Conditions and with the Division and Section definitions listed in these conditions. Images that - in the sole opinion of the judges or the Exhibition Organizers - do not comply, will be disqualified so the entrant may be aware of the problem when considering entry into other exhibitions with PSA recognition
Subject Definitions
Projected Image Division
- Color Class
There are two sections:
Color General and Color Theme Scapes
Please click here to enter or use the Enter/Pay button above.
Images eligible for entry into the PID Monochrome Class (see below) may NOT be entered into this Exhibition's PID Color Class. Spot color images with a greyscale background, however, may be entered.
Section 1: Color General
There are no other restrictions on content.
Section 2.: Theme :Scapes (Landscape, Cityscape, or Seascape)
The image must be eligible for this Division (see above) and must be dominated by a broad landscape, cityscape, or seascape. Images that just encompass a narrow part of a scape (such as a cityscape dominated by a single building; or a couple of trees) may be disqualified by the Exhibition Organizers or the judges.
Projected Image Division
- Monochrome Class
There are two sections:
Monochrome General and Monochrome Theme (People).
Please click here to enter or use the Enter/Pay button above.
Images must meet the requirements for a Monochrome Image (see below).
Section 1: Monochrome General
Any Monochrome Image may be entered into this Section. The content is unrestricted.
Section 2: Monochrome Theme (People).
Any Monochrome image that is dominated by one or more people.
PSA Monochrome Image Definition
An image is considered to be Monochrome only if it gives the impression of having no color (i.e. contains only shades of grey which can include pure black and pure white) OR it gives the impression of being a greyscale image that has been toned in one color across the entire image. (For example by Sepia, red, gold, etc.)
A greyscale or multi-colored image modified or giving the impression of having been modified by partial toning, multi-toning or by the inclusion of spot coloring does not meet the definition of monochrome and shall be classified as a Color Work.
In addition, for the purposes of this exhibition:
Borders, if any, must be colored the same as the overall image, that is, in shades of grey for a greyscale image; or toned in the same color as the rest of the image for a toned image. Pure black and pure white are acceptable shades of any color.
Monochrome images may not be entered into PID Color sections.
Monochrome Images may be entered for Nature and Photojournalism but toned images are not permitted for these sections.
Editing Guidelines for Nature and Photojournalism Divisions
These guidelines can be found below right below the Photojournalism definitions. ALL ENTRANTS TO NATURE OR PHOTOJOURNALISM SHOULD READ THESE GUIDELINES TO AVOID LOW SCORES OR IMAGE DISQUALIFICATIONS (DQS).
Nature Digital
There are two sections:
Nature General and Nature Wildlife.
Please click here to enter or use the Enter/Pay button above.
Images must meet the requirements for Nature Photography (see below).
There are two sections:
Nature General and Nature Wildlife.
Images must meet all requirements of these Conditions of Entry including the requirements for Nature Photography (see below).
Attention is drawn to the PSA Statement on Subject Matter shown above - which applies to all sections - and to the Editing Guidelines for Nature, Photojournalism and Photo Travel shown below.
Section 1: General
Images entered into this Section may be any image that meets the below requirements for Nature Photography and the below specific requirements of this Exhibition.
Images entered in Nature General meeting these requirements can have landscapes, geologic formations, weather phenomena, and extant (that is, still in existence) organisms as the primary subject matter. This includes images taken with the subjects in controlled conditions, such as zoos, game farms, botanical gardens, aquariums and any enclosure where the subjects are totally dependent on man for food.
Section 2: Wildlife
Images entered into this Section must meet the below requirements for Nature Photography, the below requirements for Wildlife Photography, and the below specific requirements of this Exhibition.
Landscapes, geologic formations, photographs of zoo or game farm animals, or of any extant zoological or botanical species taken under controlled conditions are NOT eligible in Nature Wildlife sections in this Exhibition.
Nature Wildlife is not limited to animals, birds and insects. Marine subjects and botanical subjects (including fungi and algae) taken in the wild are suitable wildlife subjects, as are carcasses of extant species.
Requirements for Nature Photography
(applies to both sections):
Nature photography records all branches of natural history except anthropology and archaeology. This includes all aspects of the physical world, both animate and inanimate, that have not been made or modified by humans.
- Nature images must convey the truth of the scene that was photographed. 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 that threatens the life or welfare of a living organism 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.
- Images taken with subjects under controlled conditions, such as zoos, are allowed.
- Controlling live subjects by chilling, anaesthetic or any other method of restricting natural movement for the purpose of a photograph is not allowed.
Wildlife Photography
(applies to Section 2, Wildlife Photography):
In addition to the restrictions on Nature photography, to be eligible for any Wildlife award images must meet the following conditions:
- Zoological organisms must be living free and unrestrained in a natural or adopted habitat of their own choosing.
- Images of zoological organisms that have been removed from their natural habitat, are in any form of captivity or are being controlled by humans for the purpose of photography are not allowed.
- Botanical organisms may not be removed from their natural environment for the purpose of photography.
- Images that have been staged for the purpose of photography are not allowed.
For the purposes of this Exhibition, applying to both Sections:
- Any border added must be a single border of white or grey, between 3 and 5 pixels in width. (Entrants are, however, advised that borders of less than 5 pixels may appear incomplete in the smaller images used in the final Catalog due to jpeg artifacts.).
- Greyscale images are permitted but toned images are not permitted.
Entrants are encouraged to read the PSA Nature Division "GUIDE FOR NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS AND JUDGES" for further clarification.
Only Wildlife photographs may be entered in the Wildlife Section. Photos eligible for the Wildlife Section may also be entered in the General Section (subject to the Re-Entry rules in General Conditions).
Photojournalism Digital
There are two sections: Photojournalism General and Photojournalism Human Interest.
Please click here to enter or use the Enter/Pay button above.
Images must meet the following Requirements for Photojournalism, including the special requirements listed belowmfor this Exhibition regarding toned images, vignettes, fisheye techniques , and borders.
Section 1: Photojournalism General: Any image that meets the Requirements for Photojournalism specified below.
Section 2: Theme (Human Interest)
In addition to meeting the Requirements for Photojournalism, Human Interest images must depict a person or persons in an interactive, emotional or unusual situation, excluding sports action.
Requirements for Photojournalism images
(applies to both sections):
Photojournalism entries are images with informative content and emotional impact, reflecting the human presence in our world.
- The journalistic (story-telling) value of the image should receive priority over pictorial quality.
- Images that misrepresent the truth, such as those from events or activities arranged specifically for photography, or of subjects directed or hired for photography, are not eligible.
- A number of images (typically 2-4), each with a small white border, may be combined into a single image that depicts a progression of events or related activity.
- Any border added must be a single border of white or grey, between 3 and 5 pixels in width. (Entrants are, however, advised that, due to jpeg artifacts, borders of less than 5 pixels may appear incomplete in the smaller images used in the final Catalog).
Attention is drawn to the PSA/FIAP Statement on Subject Matter which applies to all sections and to the Editing Guidelines for Nature and Photojournalism.
In addition, for the purposes of this Exhibition, applying to both Sections:
- Toned images are not allowed. Any monochrome image entered met be entirely grayscale monochrome.
- Vignettes and fisheye techniques are not allowed.
- In addition to the above, all adjustments must appear natural.
- Any border added must be a single border of white or grey, between 3 and 5 pixels in width. (Entrants are, however, advised that borders of less than 5 pixels may appear incomplete in the smaller images used in the final Catalog due to jpeg artifacts.).
Entrants are encouraged to read the PSA PJ Division "ILLUSTRATED DEFINITION OF PHOTOJOURNALISM" for more clarification.
Editing Guidelines for Nature and Photojournalism Divisions
Processing or editing must be limited to making the image look as close to the original scene as possible, except that conversion to grayscale monochrome is allowed.
Allowed Editing Techniques
- Cropping, straightening and perspective correction.
- Removal or correction of elements added by the camera or lens, such as dust spots, noise, chromatic aberration and lens distortion.
- Global and selective adjustments such as brightness, hue, saturation and contrast to restore the appearance of the original scene.
- Complete conversion of color images to grayscale monochrome.
- Blending of multiple images of the same subject and combining them in camera or with software (exposure blending or focus stacking);
- Image stitching – combining multiple images with overlapping fields of view that are taken consecutively (panoramas)
Editing Techniques That Are Not Allowed
- Removing, adding to, moving or changing any part of an image, except for cropping and straightening.
- Adding a vignette during processing.
- Blurring parts of the image during processing to hide elements in the original scene.
- Darkening parts of the image during processing to hide elements in the original scene.
- All conversions other than to complete grayscale monochrome.
- Conversion of parts of an image to monochrome, or partial toning, desaturation or over-saturation of color
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