2018 Topic Guidelines

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Introduction

Every month we have the following topics available. You can enter a maximum of 4 photos per month with any mix in these sections;

  1. Topic of the Month
  2. Technique of the Month
  3. Manipulated
  4. Not Manipulated

General Rules

  1. Our Conditions of Entry will apply. If you submit an image, it indicates you agree to these conditions.

Manipulated

Topic

  • This section is intended to allow any method of post processing on an image, and to allow multiple photographs to be combined into a single image.
  • Manipulation can be minor, such as cloning out unwanted elements, to major where the final product is the combination of many images. If you do anything that is not allowed under Not Manipulated topic rules, the image should be entered here.

Not Allowed

  • No special rules apply to this section.

Allowed

  • Any manipulation is allowed.

Beginner Tips

  • Ideas: travel, portraiture, landscapes, fashion, architecture, nature where e.g. branches removed.
  • When photographing living creatures, it is important that the eyes are in sharp focus.
  • Be aware of how to compose a good picture. Read more here.

Not Manipulated

Topic

  • Any image that has not been manipulated can be entered here.
  • Some popular genres of photography, such as Photojournalism and Wildlife, have limitations on the kinds of post processing that is allowed. Those images can only be entered here.

Not Allowed

  • Any adding or removing of pixels. E.g. No cloning or modifying of individual pixels. (Cropping is allowed. Removing dust spots is allowed.)
  • HDR or stacking.
  • Do not change the story or remove elements of the picture by cloning pixels (You may remove dust spots only).

Allowed

  • Crop and rotate the image.
  • Correct lens distortion, chromatic aberrations, purple fringing or similar.
  • Clone out camera induced imperfections such as dust spots.
  • Levels and contrast.
  • Saturation or desaturation.
  • Borders are allowed.
  • Sharpening.
  • Dodge and burn.

Beginner Tips

  • When photographing a wild animal, you should not show man-made objects (such as roads). Radio collars or identification tags are acceptable.

As a PSSA affiliated club, you can also read their guidelines on Ethics and Manipulation.