The NATURE CATEGORY is for NON-COMPOSITE entries

Photographs that celebrate the beauty and diversity of nature in the natural world. Includes photographs of the land, sky, cloud formations, weather features, flora, fauna, aquatic life, birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles. This is
not a traditional natural history category, but images must be authentic in content.
» Entries may be commissioned or self-commissioned.
» Entries should be truly representative of the natural world, in a creative yet honest and realistic manner.
» This is not a category for domestic animals, family pets, farm animals, or cultivated plants.
» Landscapes without a dominant identifiable nature subject should be entered into the Landscape Category.
» Entrants must not handle the depicted wildlife or do anything to injure or distress any creature, or disturb their habitat.
» An image may include an indication of human existence if this is relevant to the subject’s environment, (e.g. a harrier hawk on a fence post), but must not include the human figure itself.
» Entries should reflect the mastery of camera technique, composition, light and non composite postproduction.
» Entries can be presented as a single image, panorama, diptych or triptych, etc.
» The use of HDR, focus stacking and multiple exposure is permitted, as long as the images have been taken at the same time and location and comply with the category intent and principles of authenticity.
» The removal of minor elements is permitted, as long as this does not significantly alter the authenticity of the original scene.
» You must include a caption to help the judges understand what they are looking at when judging. Maximum 15 words.
» Images must not have been captured as part of a photography tour or workshop as per the terms and conditions of entry.
» Except where specified as permitted above, entries must comply with all rules, entry terms & conditions, and the In-Camera – Non-Composite entry criteria.

IN-CAMERA CATEGORIES - ENTRY CRITERIA

The in-camera categories are intended to reward technical and creative excellence in photographing and presenting a representation of a scene, through in-camera capture and without the use of compositing techniques.

Post-production techniques applied must not obscure or eliminate elements, nor create an effect which is not present in the original RAW
capture/film/plate.

In-Camera Capture

The capture of a single scene by the photographer as recorded on the sensor, film or plate. Entries must remain true to the
original capture with no compositional changes, except cropping.

In-Camera Multiple Exposure

Images produced as double or multiple exposures using frames captured in sequence, directly in the camera, in the same place
and at the same moment.

Permitted post-production techniques include basic processing using:
• Tonal control
• Colour control
• Black & white conversion
• Sharpening
• Cropping

Restrained use of:
• Grain
• Noise reduction
• Lens correction
• Vignette
• Leveling of horizons
• Perspective correction
• Removal of dust spots, sensor spots, and scratches
• Removal of incidental temporary blemishes
• Stray hair removal
• Removal of incidental elements that are outside the control of the photographer at the time of capture

Permitted camera techniques:
• In-camera capture
• Direct capture to Polaroids and plates - will require digital reproduction
• In-camera multiple exposure, with frames captured in sequence
• Focus stacking (macro photography only)

Exclusions:
• Stitched images are not permitted as they are considered composites.