Nature
Nature photography is restricted to the use of the photographic process to depict all branches of natural history, except anthropology and archaeology, in such a fashion that a well-informed person will be able to identify the subject material and certify its honest presentation.
The story telling value of a photograph must be weighed more than the pictorial quality while maintaining high technical quality.
Human elements shall not be present, except where those human elements are integral parts of the nature story such as nature subjects, like barn owls or storks, adapted to an environment modified by humans, or where those human elements are in situations depicting natural forces, like hurricanes or tidal waves.
Techniques that enhance the presentation of the photograph without changing the nature story or the pictorial content, or without altering the content of the original scene, are permitted including HDR, focus stacking and dodging/burning.
Techniques that remove elements added by the camera, such as dust spots, digital noise, and film scratches, are allowed.
Scientific bands, scientific tags or radio collars on wild animals are permissible.
All allowed adjustments must appear natural. Colour images can be converted to greyscale monochrome.
Images entered in Nature sections meeting the Nature Photography Definition above can have landscapes, geologic formations, weather phenomena, and extant organisms as the primary subject matter.
This includes images taken with the subjects in controlled conditions, such as zoos, game farms, botanical gardens, aquariums and any enclosure where the subjects are totally dependent on man for food.
No techniques that add, relocate, replace, or remove pictorial elements except by cropping are permitted.
Photographs of human created hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral animals, domestic animals, or mounted specimens are ineligible, as is any form of manipulation that alters the truth of the photographic statement.
Infrared images, either direct captures or derivations, are not allowed.
Stitched images are not permitted.
Minimalist
Minimalist photography can be summarized in one quote by Leonardo da Vinci:
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
Less is more. By stripping a photo down to the bare essentials, minimalist photographers show how powerful simplicity can be.
Australian Landscape
A photograph taken in Australia of natural land or coastal scenery, which may include people, buildings or other objects, provided that these elements do not dominate the photograph. Seascapes with no land do not fit the section. Urban-scapes are not acceptable.
The Odd One Out
A person or thing that is different from or kept apart from others that form a group or set
Our Town
An Image that is distinctively of the Wollongong region, that a person familiar with the region would be able to recognise as from our town.
Close-Up
A photograph taken at a very short distance (or with a long focal length lens), to permit a close and detailed view of an object in a much more intimate way than you would see with the naked eye.
Old
Anything of advanced years
Sports
An athletic activity that involves a degree of competition.
Sports Photography is one of the most exciting and challenging types of photography.
In sports everything in the scene will be moving. Decide how you would like to capture that movement, Fast shutter speed; to freeze the action. (so it looks still) or a Slow shutter speed; to let the movement blur giving the feeling of speed or excitement. Panning; moving your camera along in time with the moving subject so they come out nicely in focus/sharp but the background blurs. This gives a feeling of movement and speed. Sports photography isn’t just about capturing star athletes at the top of their game, some of the greatest shots focus on the reaction after a win, fans and athletes coming together, or the crowning of a champion on the Olympic podium. Others highlight an athlete’s physique.
At Work
An image of people or person working/at work
Street Photography
Street photography is a non-formalised genre of photography that features subjects in candid situations within public places such as streets, parks, beaches, malls, political conventions and other associated settings. Images can often be ironic or emotionally detached from subject matter, focusing instead on a particular context or detail. Framing and timing are key aspects of the craft, with the aim of creating images at a decisive or poignant moment.
Panning Blur
panning and/or motion blur to show movement.
Portrait
An image of a living person that accurately represents their anatomical features in which the face or profile is predominant. The intent is to meaningfully reproduce the recognizable appearance, personality, character, mood or qualities of the person or group of people. It is not just a recording or ‘snapshot’ and its purpose is to memorialize an image of someone for the future.
There are essentially four approaches to portraiture:
- Constructionist (Maybe studio based where the photographer builds an idea or theme around the portrait to communicate about the person, for example, a musician in action)
- Candid (These are observational images of the moment, rely on ambient light and the person is unaware the image is being made)
- Environmental (Shows the surrounding living conditions and reveals a lot about the person)
- Inventive (Imaginative but true to reality where post-production manipulation is used)
Product Photography
Product photography is any image of a good for sale. Also known as commercial photography, these images are meant to entice shoppers to purchase the photographed products. They feature product details and features. The idea is to give potential buyers a full impression of the product.
Note: For this competition the Images will not have text added to them in post-production by the photographer. We are the photographers supplying only the photos of the products to the Client.
Urban Landscape
Urban landscape refers to an outdoor environment that is dominated by and influenced by urban features.
This includes both man-made and natural elements found in an urban area such as buildings, roadways, parks, and other elements that are present in a city or town.
Urban landscape photography is like traditional landscape photography but, unlike landscape photography, urban landscape photography documents human-made interventions, structures, and environments.
