Definitions
Portrait
Whether it is a person or an animal, your portrait subject needs to be the main feature of your image. If the focus is on the activity of the subjects, or on their surroundings, it's probably not really a portrait. Your portrait may be a candid shot or your subject may be posed in a studio – it’s up to you.
A photograph of a person or persons that may range from a head study to full body length. This section includes candid photographs and formal portraits.
Street photography images are permitted within the scope of this competition and no ‘model release’ is required, provided that the image was taken in a public place, displays an un-manipulated scene and is not deemed as a violation of an individual’s privacy.
All in-camera, on-camera and post-processing techniques can be used. This includes combining multiple images and elements in a final image. However, all components of the final image must have been taken by the entrant.
Botanical
Photo depicting plants (including flowers and fungi) as the main subject.
A Pets Life
Capture your pet in an image that tells us a story about their life. For instance we want to get an idea of what your dog is obsessive about or give us a glimpse into the life of your cat, the personality of your pet goat etc. Get down to their level and get creative! If you don’t have a pet you’ll just have to steal your neighbours.
Landscape
Photographs which capture a sense of 'space' and 'place' and tell a story of the scene before the camera. A landscape may combine elements such as land, sea, bodies of water and sky and may include human elements for scale and context but not to the extent that the human element becomes the prominent element.
The integrity of the landscape at the time of capture must be maintained. The making of physical changes to the landscape such as the introduction of new elements either from photographic sources or digital painting eg, adding in or replacing skies, foregrounds, birds, mists, sun, moon, sunray, etc, or the deletion of significant objects is NOT permitted.
Minor deletions of transient items eg, a leaf or stone or dust spot or litter, etc are permitted if they do not impact on the integrity of the scene. Digital adjustments including dodging and burning, changes to tone and contrast, and cropping are allowed, as are High Dynamic Range, stitched panoramas, and focus stacking.
Creative
The word “Creative” in photography means “Altered Reality.” This means the image must display a different shape, form, color, and even a combination of the three. These photos are a combination or fusion of multiple images. High Dynamic Range images, also known as HDR, that are produced without further changes cannot be categorized as “altered reality.”
The unique combination of objects, line, and form makes the photos more creative, apart from the fact that the images are produced based on the photographer’s imaginative ideas and feelings.
If a picture has intentionally been treated in a way that gives it a deeper meaning, then it can be categorized as a creative photograph.
Architecture
Architectural photography refers to the art and practice of capturing and documenting architectural structures, spaces, and elements through the medium of photography. It involves the careful composition, lighting, and framing of buildings, structures, and their details to convey their aesthetic qualities, design principles, and the intended experience of the architectural space. Architectural photographers aim to showcase the architectural features, forms, materials, textures, and spatial relationships of the subject, while also considering factors such as context, perspective, and the interplay between light and shadow. The purpose of architectural photography is often to create visually compelling images that celebrate the beauty, functionality, and artistic aspects of architecture, whether it be modern, historical, residential, commercial, or cultural in nature. Architectural photography is a captivating art form that allows us to capture the beauty, intricacy, and essence of architectural structures. Whether you’re a professional photographer or an enthusiast, mastering the art of architectural photography can help you create stunning visuals that showcase the craftsmanship and design elements of buildings.
Back Lit
Photograph subjects lit primarily from behind so light wraps around edges, creates silhouettes, glows through translucent elements, or produces dramatic rim light and flare. Use the backlight to shape form, reveal texture in hair or leaves, or turn ordinary scenes into luminous, high-contrast moments.
Breaking the rules of photography
Intentionally ignore, bend, or invert the classic rules of composition, exposure, focus, and technique. Embrace tilted horizons, clipped subjects, harsh light, motion blur where sharpness is expected, overexposed highlights, underexposed shadows, centering what “should” be off-center, or any deliberate technical “mistake” that serves the image and makes it stronger.
Celebration
Photograph moments of joy, festivity, and shared happiness — parties, rituals, victories, gatherings, quiet personal triumphs, or any scene where people mark something worth celebrating. Capture the energy, the details, the connections, and the fleeting expressions that turn an ordinary moment into a celebration.
Flora
In this topic all nature rules apply but the subjects must be flora. Photograph any living plant or plant-related subject: flowers, leaves, stems, bark, seeds, moss, ferns, trees, vines, fungi growing on wood, wild or cultivated gardens, botanical details, or abstract plant forms. Focus on color, texture, pattern, light, growth, decay, or the relationship between plants and their environment.
Food
Photography that focuses on food, or uses food as a photographic subject in its expression of a non-food related idea. Traditionally thought to be limited to carefully composed tabletop scenes called still lifes, the styles, forms, and uses of food photography have become as expansive as any genre. From avant-garde and conceptual food photography in fine art galleries to elegant tessellations composed of fruits and vegetable printed on designer fabrics, the stylistic possibilities of food photography are nearly endless.
Human Emotions
Portrait, street photography, photojournalism for example. Any image depicting human emotion. Photograph the visible and felt expressions of human emotion — joy, sorrow, anger, tenderness, fear, longing, quiet contentment, or any state in between. Capture faces, gestures, body language, intimate moments, or the subtle ways emotion lives in the eyes, hands, posture, or shared space between people.
Minimalism
Anything goes showing a minimalistic approach.
Monochrome
Monochrome is where each position on an image can record and show a different amount of light, but not a different hue. It includes all forms of black-and-white photography, which produce images containing tones of neutral grey ranging from black to white. Other hues besides grey, can also be used in monochrome photography.
Motion Blur
Photograph movement made visible through intentional blur — people in motion, vehicles, animals, flowing water, wind-blown objects, or any subject where the camera’s longer exposure turns action into streaks, trails, and soft energy. Explore the beauty of motion itself rather than freezing it.
Landscape
Photographs which capture a sense of 'space' and 'place' and tell a story of the scene before the camera. A landscape may combine elements such as land, sea, bodies of water and sky and may include human elements for scale and context but not to the extent that the human element becomes the prominent element.
The integrity of the landscape at the time of capture must be maintained. The making of physical changes to the landscape such as the introduction of new elements either from photographic sources or digital painting eg, adding in or replacing skies, foregrounds, birds, mists, sun, moon, sunray, etc, or the deletion of significant objects is NOT permitted.
Minor deletions of transient items eg, a leaf or stone or dust spot or litter, etc are permitted if they do not impact on the integrity of the scene. Digital adjustments including dodging and burning, changes to tone and contrast, and cropping are allowed, as are High Dynamic Range, stitched panoramas, and focus stacking.
Leading Lines
Photograph compositions that use strong lines — roads, paths, fences, shadows, architecture, or natural forms — to guide the viewer’s eye through the frame toward a subject or vanishing point. Let the lines create depth, direction, and visual flow.
Low Light
Low light in photography refers to any scenario in which there is the amount of ambient light is low. In other words, low light is when there isn't much natural light available. This can be indoors, a poorly lit street at night, or even out in the middle of an overcast day. In low light photography, photographers must use their knowledge and creativity to compensate for the lack of available light. To do this, they must rely heavily on faster lenses that allow more light in through a wider aperture, as well as higher ISO settings and/or slower shutter speeds to increase the sensitivity of the camera's sensor. They might also need to use external lighting such as flashes or reflectors to get enough light into the scene. By combining these techniques creatively, talented photographers are able to capture incredible images even in situations that many would consider too dark. Overall, low light photography gives us all a chance to explore the world around in a different way that can be dramatic and interesting.
Photo Story
Submit six images that tell a story or describe an event. You could think of it as a photojournalist assignment. You want to convey an overall picture of a place or event and you can tell your story with a variety of images. You could have a close-up, some action shots as well as an overall image or two for instance. What is important is that they give an idea of an overall concept. Think about the images used in a magazine article for instance.
Photo Set
Submit six images that sit well together as a set. They must have a good flow and relate to each other visually.
Purple
Photograph anything dominated by or featuring the color purple — flowers, fabrics, light, shadows, objects, skies, or scenes where violet, lavender, magenta, or deep purple takes center stage. Let the color itself become the subject, mood, or emotional core of the image.
Street Stories
Photograph the everyday dramas, quiet moments, and unspoken narratives that unfold on city streets, sidewalks, and public spaces. Capture people, interactions, details, and scenes that hint at larger stories — a glance, a gesture, a fleeting connection, or a fragment of urban life that feels like the beginning of a tale.
Symmetry or Pattern
Photograph repeating shapes, balanced compositions, or rhythmic structures found in architecture, nature, objects, or everyday scenes. Seek perfect symmetry, near-symmetry, or strong patterns that create visual order, harmony, or hypnotic repetition within the frame.
Reflections
Photograph reflections in any form — mirrors, water, glass, polished surfaces, puddles, windows, or unexpected shiny objects. Explore how reflections distort, double, fragment, or reveal hidden layers of a scene, a person, or the world around them.
Waterscape
Any image where water is the main subject of your 'scape'. Think lakes, ocean, river, waves etc.
Wild
Photograph the untamed — wild animals in their natural habitats, overgrown landscapes, rugged wilderness, raw weather, or any scene that feels free of human control. Capture instinct, scale, chaos, beauty, and the sense of nature living on its own terms.