Digital Manipulation of a Competition Entry

You may use adjustments to optimise a still image by adjusting brightness, contrast, colour balance, curves and levels. You may crop a picture but you are not permitted to add or remove pixels and critical elements.

*Exception for A Photo Manipulation Category –  if you are entering in a category specially designed for photo manipulation it is standard to change pixels and edit a photograph in such an extreme way that it takes on an entirely different look.

Manipulations which are achievable in a darkroom will be accepted. Images stitched to form a panoramic image are allowed provided that the entrant declares, at the time of submission, that the final image is “stitched panorama”. Multiple exposures ‘in camera’ are permitted. Composite or montaged images, from more than one original image, are not eligible in the general categories with exception to Macro Photography where you can apply image stacking and DIB, others should be entered under the Photo Manipulation category – this includes images shot at different exposures/dynamic ranges and combined digital image blending.

*Exception for A Macro Photography Category –  if you are entering into the category for Macro Photography it is accepted to use focused stacked images and digital image blending techniques that relate to the same subject. Extreme macro images are commonly made using focus stacking and specialised software.