Competition Categories and Definitions
Categories for Image submissions into APAC competitions fall into five groups: Documentary, Pictorial, Creative, Open & Artistic.
Each group has individual categories associated with it detailed below.
Image editing and enhancements are permitted in the categories of all five groups, but each group is subject to it's own editing rules.
Documentary Editing Rules
Pictorial Editing Rules
Creative Editing Rules
Open Editing Rules
Artistic Editing Rules
Documentary Group
The Documentary Group contains the categories of Nature & Photojournalism
Documentary Categories Definitions
Nature (NA):
APAC has adopted the same Nature – Wildlife definitions as CAPA which were updated on January 1, 2019 by: Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP); the Photographic Society of America (PSA) and The Royal Photographic Society (RPS).
These Nature and Wildlife definitions are as follows, along with the CAPA supplementary themes:
Botanical – subjects such as wild flowers, plants, trees, fungi and algae. Germinated and grown without human assistance. ‘Hand-of-man’ elements shall not be present, except where those human elements are integral part of the nature story (10% or less of total image area).
Insects, Reptiles & Amphibians – such as: ants, bees, beetles, butterflies, crickets, dragonflies, hornets, mantis, mosquitoes, wasps, alligator, snake, crocodile, gecko, iguana, lizard, turtle, etc… ‘Hand-of-man’ elements shall not be present, except where those human elements are integral part of the nature story (10% or less of total image area).
Environment – subjects such as weather phenomena (e.g. rainbows, lightning, cloud formations and auroras), geological formations, other natural phenomena (e.g, snowflakes and raindrops), planets, stars and astronomical events. Any image that could otherwise be classified as a landscape or seascape cannot have any evidence of the Hand-of-man’ if entered in the nature category.
Wildlife – ONLY living and untamed wildlife mammals, birds and marine subjects. No traditional zoo, open-range zoos, game farms or other areas where animals/birds are enclosed or confined. Nature parks are considered natural environments because animals are not in ‘controlled conditions.’
Wild animals and birds are permitted to have scientific bands, tags or radio collars but no tethers or harness attachment. No feral or domesticated birds or animals are permitted – ‘Hand-of-man’ is permitted provided that it is deemed as an element of an ‘adaptive environment’ (e.g. barn owl) and consists of 10% or less of total image area.
Note: CAPA’s definition of Hand-of-man – “devoid of all human elements and impacts of human activities”
The following are examples of ‘hand-of-man:’
Human – body or portions thereof.
Sky – cables, telephone/power lines, jet streams, aircraft, light pollution, artificial light, etc…
Land – man-made structures or paths, buildings, concrete, man-made stone, telephone poles, fences, posts, sidewalk, domesticated or cultivated plants/food, cut grass, organized or systematic laying out of planted trees.
Elements – freshly cut trees, branches or stems if the cut appears to be from an axe or saw, posts, man-made food, objects or background elements. (a worn stump from a cut years ago is allowable).
Sea – boats, ships, piers, docks, posts in the water, etc.
Photojournalism (PJ):
An image that tells a story, where the story telling quality of the image is weighted more than the pictorial aspect.
Pictorial Group
The Pictorial Group contains the categories of Action, Architecture, Landscape or Seascape, Domestic or Captive Animals, Urban or Rural, Floral, Portraiture, Macro, Sport, Still Life, Street Photography, Mature.
Pictorial Categories Definitions
Action (A):
May include images of Sport but open to interpretation of Action
Architecture (AR):
Images depicting buildings, structures, interiors and surroundings,whole or in part, that emphasizes design or functionality.
Landscape or Seascape (LA):
Scenic images of land or water.
Domestic & Captive Animals (DC):
Pets, livestock, zoo animals, and animals of similar circumstances.
Urban or Rural (UR):
Images depicting either urban or rural scenes.
Floral (FL):
Images of flowers or parts of flowers. Both cultivated and natural specimens are acceptable.
Portraiture (PT):
Images of persons with the person as the main subject.
Macro (MA):
An image where the main subject is displayed at least one half life size relative to 35mm film. For example, a subject of 7 cm. size, would fully occupy, at minimum, the long side of the print or projected image - regardless of the camera format used to produce the image.
Sport (ST):
Images of Sport(s)
Still Life (SL):
An arranged setting of inanimate objects under controlled conditions.
Street Photography (SP):
An image that features subjects in candid situations within public places and does not necessitate the presence of a street or even the urban environment. The subject can even be absent of any people and can be that of object or environment where an object projects a human character, or an environment is decidedly human. Framing and timing are key aspects, with the aim of creating images at a decisive or poignant moment.
Mature (ZM):
Includes images of a sensitive nature including semi-nudity. We will not permit images that display genitals or focus in on fully exposed buttocks nor will we permit images of female breasts if they include the nipple(s). Breastfeeding or breasts with postmastectomy scars will be allowed as well as artwork and sculpture that depict nude figures. When we announce this category we will allow time for people to leave the room before displaying the images. From Facebook: We remove photographs of people displaying genitals or focusing in onfully exposed buttocks. We also restrict some images of female breasts if they include the nipple, but we always allow photos of women actively engaged in breastfeeding or showing breasts with post-mastectomy scarring. We also allow photographs of paintings, sculptures, and other art that depicts nude figures. Restrictions on the display of both nudity and sexual activity also apply to digitally created content unless the content is posted for educational, humorous, or satirical purposes. Explicit images of sexual intercourse are prohibited. Descriptions of sexual acts that go into vivid detail may also be removed.
Creative Group
The Creative Group contains the categories of Abstract, Creative Edit, In Camera Effects
Creative Categories Definitions
Abstract (AB):
Images extracted from a larger reality or subject. An abstract image is, usually, independent of pictorial references and reduced to form, colour, tones, texture and line.
Creative Edit (CE):
An artistic and creative interpretation of the maker’s original photographic image through post processing, manipulation and enhancement, e.g. compositing, transformation, creative filters, artistic brushes, edge effects, etc.
In Camera Effects (IC):
images created by altering the photographic process, in camera, e.g. combining multiple exposures, motion effects, sandwich effects (Orton,) filters, etc. If these effects are simulated, out of camera, with post processing software, then the creative edit category should be used instead.
Open Group
The Open Group contains the categories of Monochrome, Open.
Open Categories Definitions
Monochrome (MC):
Any image which is rendered in one colour and white.
Open (OP):
Any original photographic image.
Artistic
Artistic Category Definition
Artistic (AA):
Images that allow the maker complete freedom from any restrictions to create photographic works of art. No restrictions on edits. Images may include elements or components from any source and that do not have to be created by the maker. Scoring counts for club but images may not be eligible for outside competition.