CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

The Newborn Category celebrates professional excellence in newborn photography, focusing on images that capture the delicate beauty and essence of newborns. It encompasses both technical mastery and the ability to tell compelling visual stories through creative concepts, emotional depth, and artistic expression. 

CATEGORY INTENT

This category recognises photographers who excel in capturing the tender, intimate moments of newborns. It encourages creativity, technical skill, and storytelling to highlight the significance of the early stages of life. The emphasis is on conveying emotions and/or connections while maintaining high professional standards in newborn photography.

CATEGORY RULES

This is a MAJOR EDITING CATEGORY and allows for significant creative manipulation of the original image.

Entries may:

• Alter, add, or remove elements
• Combine multiple images or scenes
• Transform the original capture creatively

The final image does not need to represent the original scene as photographed.

RULES:

1. Compliance with Global Rules, Terms and Conditions, Spirit and Intent of the Awards 

All entries must comply with the Global Rules, Terms and Conditions, and the Spirit and Intent of the awards. This includes adherence to the principles of originality, accuracy, and ethical standards set forth by the competition. Images must be the entrant’s own work, and any entries that violate these guidelines will be disqualified. 

2. Eligible Subjects 

• This category is for photographs of newborn human babies under eight weeks old. 
• Premature babies (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) may be photographed up until eight weeks past their due date. 
• The newborn(s) must be the primary focus of the image, but other elements such as people, animals, or contextual details may be included if they contribute to the storytelling, including images captured during birth. 

3. Conceptual & Storytelling Elements 

• Images may incorporate conceptual elements that convey a theme, mood, or creative narrative. 
• The image should evoke emotion and tell a story, whether through a visual metaphor, a family connection, or the newborn’s interaction with their surroundings. 
• Storytelling and conceptual photography are encouraged to add depth to the image, but the newborn(s) must remain the primary focus. 

4. Ethical Considerations 

• The safety and comfort of the newborn must always be the top priority during the photography session. 
• Handling and posing must be done in a way that ensures the newborn’s well-being at all times. 
• Entrants must not place the newborn at risk or cause any distress or harm during the session. 

5. Allowed Techniques

• Compositing (combining multiple images or elements)
• Adding or removing subjects or objects
• Background replacement or scene construction
• Extensive colour grading or creative colour shifts
• Heavy dodge and burn or relighting
• Artistic effects and filters (e.g. painterly styles, texture overlays, blur effects) as long as this does not add non-photographic elements or photographic elements not captured by the entrant
• Retouching and reshaping, including significant changes to form or appearance

6. Capture Techniques

• In-camera techniques such as multiple exposure and intentional camera movement (ICM) are allowed
• Focus stacking and stitching are permitted

7. Not Allowed

• Any use of AI-generated content (as outlined in Global Rules 2.2)
• Any entry that misrepresents AI-generated elements as photographic work
• Adding non-photographic elements (except in explicitly permitted circumstances outlined in the category specific rules) 

8. Presentation (Digital & Print)

• Borders may be created using photographic elements (e.g. textures, objects, or parts of your image)
• Computer-generated borders that simulate a physical print presentation (e.g. mat colour or mount) are only permitted for entries submitted for print judging and may be included in the required digital upload of those print entries. Such borders must be clearly distinct from the image.
• Non-rectangular crops must be presented on white, or with a photographic border – unless representing a print mat (see above)
• Series may be presented with or without gaps (compositing is allowed)
• A thin stroke line (black or white) may be used to define the edge of the image only if the edge would otherwise not be visible 

WANT TO BE NAMED PROFESSIONAL NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR?