ACTION & SPORT

NO MANIPULATION ALLOWED

Sport
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.

Please note that Dance productions like ballet and Air Shows are deemed not to be Sport, so watch out for this particularly in Salons. Submit these photos into Open. 

Action
This category covers any aspect of a sporting event or activity i.e. images can depict an active pastime or recreation, or a sport involving physical exertion and/or skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs of a competitive nature.  This could involve the use of a fast shutter speed to freeze the action, slow shutter speed to blur the action, or any technique where the emphasis is on the action, whether it is news-worthy or not.  In the interest of credibility, images that misrepresent the truth and model or staged set-ups are not permitted.

CREATIVE/VISUAL/PHOTO ART

FULL MANIPULATION ALLOWED

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.

This Category will include -

• Altered Reality,
• Abstract,
• any Photo-Art picture where the emphasis is on the artistic manipulation of the picture

NATURE NO BIRDS

NO MANIPULATION ALLOWED

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.

Macro as a sub-section of Nature
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.

NATURE BIRDS ONLY

NO MANIPULATION ALLOWED

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.

OPEN COLOUR

FULL MANIPULATION ALLOWED - COLOUR ONLY

Includes any topic that might be excluded from any of the other topics, including Nature, Wildlife, Photo-journalism and Sport/Action images where manipulation was required in order to present the image.

Mono with a touch of colour is considered a Colour image.

MACRO – as a subsection of Open - full manipulation
Macro photography is extremely close-up 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.

OPEN MONO

FULL MANIPULATION ALLOWED - MONO ONLY

Includes any topic that might be excluded from any of the other topics, including Nature, Wildlife, Photo-journalism and Sport/Action images where manipulation was required in order to present the image.

PSSA DEFINITION OF MONOCHROME
Monochrome is a black and white image.
A black and white work fitting from the very dark grey (black) to the truly clear grey (white) is a monochrome work with the various shades of grey.
A black and white work toned entirely in a single colour will remain a monochrome work able to stand in the black and white category.
A black and white work modified by a partial toning or by the addition of one colour becomes a colour work (polychrome) to stand in the colour category.

PORTRAITURE

FULL 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

FULL 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.

This Category will also include Architecture and Panorama.

Panorama
A panorama is an image with elongated fields of view, with an aspect ratio of 2:1 or larger, the image being at least twice as wide as its height.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY / PHOTOJOURNALISM

NO MANIPULATION ALLOWED

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. Staged set-ups are not permitted.

Photojournalism

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.