Photographic Competition Technical Requirements
Entries should exclude watermarks, borders and signatures. Digital manipulation and other post-capture processes are allowed with specific constraints and restrictions (see below). Entrants must not misrepresent manipulated subjects as unmanipulated nor artificially created ones as natural. Entrants will be required to detail any digital techniques/manipulation used as part of their entry.
The use of software or AI systems to produce an image or part of an image that cannot be demonstrated to exist in the real world is prohibited. Images must have been created using equipment designed specifically to record the real world (including cameras in mobile phones and Drones) and capture scenes that exists in the real world. General photo editing software that utilises AI or “intelligent” tools or plug-ins may be used in post-production to enhance the images you have already captured, such as eliminating small distracting elements from the scene.
The judges will exercise the right, if the use of AI algorithms or tools that exceed the constraints specified here is suspected, to ask an entrant to submit the original/RAW file for comparison and if the entry is deemed to not comply with these conditions it may be disqualified.
Digital manipulation is the alteration, enhancement, or modification of digital images using software tools or techniques. By manipulating various elements such as colours, shapes, textures, or structure of an image a visual effect can be created or an audience deceived.
Digital manipulation is used in various fields, including photography, graphic design, and advertising. While it offers flexibility and greater creative possibilities, it raises ethical concerns when it’s used to misrepresent reality or to deceive an audience. With advancing technology and the availability of powerful AI tools, digital manipulation has become more accessible and pervasive and necessitates ongoing critical evaluation and awareness to ensure the integrity and authenticity of visual content is maintained.
The majority of even basic photo editing tools now incorporate AI in some way to operate and the use of those tools is generally not prohibited for awards entries with the following restrictions on their use.
Digital manipulation can be minor – to remove dust spots, minor unwanted items; adjust exposure, dodge and burn elements within the image, sharpening, etc. This minor digital manipulation is permitted in awards entries.
Digital Manipulation can be major – to add or remove significant elements, alter backgrounds, etc. or to create totally synthetic images. Generative AI-based or other tools or plug-ins may not be used to generate or add-in objects that weren’t present at the time of photographic capture of the real scene, nor should they be used to generate a made-up scene, in whole or part. This major digital manipulation is NOT permitted in awards entries.