Any member may submit a maximum of two Prints and two Digital Images, in the Nature competition. The competitors who accumulate the most points will receive the appropriate awards at the end of the year.

Definition of a Nature Photograph

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 storytelling 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. Scientific bands, scientific tags, or radio collars on wild animals are permissible. 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.

No techniques that add, relocate, replace, or remove pictorial elements except by cropping are permitted. 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. Stitched images are not permitted. All allowed adjustments must appear natural. Color images can be converted to grey-scale monochrome. Infrared images, either direct captures or derivations, are not allowed.

Entries that do not meet the definition of Nature will be disqualified. In the event, the judges disqualify an entry for not meeting the definition the maker has the option to withdraw the second entry after the judging to avoid a low score for the competition. If a maker’s nature image is disqualified, the maker may not submit extra entries (more than two images) in a subsequent competition. No panoramas are allowed.