Recognition / Patronage

PSA (Photographic Society of America) 2023-85

GPU (Global Photographic Union) L230022

 

Organizer & Contacts

Camera Lucida Club, Podgorica, Montenegro

Chairman of the Photo Contest: Dusica Kalezic

Mob. +38162255135

cameralucida.foto@gmail.com

 

Sections

1. Nature (color/monochrome) (PSA ND, GPU)

2. Portrait (only color) PSA PIDC, GPU). Monochrome images may not be entered in PID Color sections.

3. Street (color/monochrome) PSA PJD, GPU)

4. Photo Travel (color/monochrome) (PSA PTD, GPU)

5. Nude (only color) (PSA PIDC, GPU)

6. Photojournalism (color/monochrome) (PSA PJD, GPU)

7. Experiment (only color) PSA PIDC, GPU). Monochrome images may not be entered in PID Color sections.

8. Open Color (only color) PSA PIDC, GPU). Monochrome images may not be entered in PID Color sections.

9. Open Monochrome (only monochrome) (PSA PIDM, GPU). Color images may not be entered in PID Monochrome sections.

 

Entry fee

Depending on the number of sections the participant applies, the fee cost is as follows:

Any 3 Sections = 12€ (15$)
Any 6 Sections = 18€ (21$)
All Sections = 23€ (26$)

 

For Group participation we offer a discount:

For 5 -10 persons = 10% discount

For 10 + persons = 20% discount

The participation fee is mandatory for all participants in the exhibition.

PayPal is available for payment online. The participants paying the participation fee through PayPal must specify their names and surnames. On the condition that there is an inconsistency between sent photos and PayPal payments, the photos will not be evaluated. The works of the authors who did not pay the fee would not be taken into consideration. The entry fee can be paid via PayPal through our website: https://lucidaphoto.com/ or can be paid directly to the Pay Pal connected email: gerbislav@gmail.com

 

Other ways of payment

Western Union

IN EUROS (€) ONLY
The payment information if you want to pay via Western Union on the following email: cameralucida.foto@gmail.com

 

Exhibition calendar

Closing date: 26. March 2023.

Judging: 01 - 06. April 2023.

Notification: 20. April 2023.

EDAS Sending: 06 May 2023.

Online Gallery: 07 May 2023.

Exhibitions of Prints and Digital Projections: 22 and 23 May 2023.

Catalogs and awards posted by: 05. June 2023.

All participants will receive personal report card notifications via e-mail, showing all acceptances and awarded images. Also, Acceptance Certificates (as PDF file) will be posted on personal email addresses. The results of the Exhibition will also be published on the organizer's website.

 

Judges

The works will be judged by the expert jury:
1. Borislav Milovanovic, EFIAP/D1, ESFIAP, MPSA, GPU CR3, Serbia

2. Sasa Blagojevic, EFIAP, PPSA, Serbia

3. Branko Cvijic, Academy Master of Scenography Art, Serbia

 

Awards

The Jury will assign over 140 awards  + 1 Grand PRIX Award and 9 Special Chairman Choice Awards as follows:

1. Nature (color/monochrome) ND

PSA - Gold medal and 3 HM Ribbons

GPU - Gold medal

Camera Lucida - Gold, Silver, Bronze medal and 6 HM Ribbons

2. Portrait (Only Color) PIDC

PSA - Gold medal and 3 HM Ribbons

GPU - 2 HM Ribbons

Camera Lucida - Gold, Silver, Bronze medal and 6 HM Ribbons

3. Street (color/monochrome) PJD

PSA - Gold medal and 3 HM Ribbons

GPU - 2 HM Ribbons

Camera Lucida - Gold, Silver, Bronze medal and 6 HM Ribbons

4. Photo Travel (color/monochrome) PTD

PSA - Gold medal and 3 HM Ribbons

GPU - Gold medal

Camera Lucida - Gold, Silver, Bronze medal and 6 HM Ribbons

5. Nude (only color) PIDC

PSA - Gold medal and 3 HM Ribbons

GPU - 1 HM Ribbon

Camera Lucida - Gold, Silver, Bronze medal and 6 HM Ribbons

6. Photojournalism (color/monochrome) PJD

PSA - Gold medal and 3 HM Ribbons

GPU - Silver medal

Camera Lucida - Gold, Silver, Bronze medal and 6 HM Ribbons

7. Experiment (Only Color) PIDC

PSA - Gold medal and 3 HM Ribbons

GPU - 2 HM Ribbons

Camera Lucida - Gold, Silver, Bronze medal and 6 HM Ribbons

8. Open Color (Only Color) PIDC

PSA - Gold medal and 3 HM Ribbons

GPU - Bronze medal

Camera Lucida - Gold, Silver, Bronze medal and 6 HM Ribbons

9. Open Monochrome (Only Monochrome) PIDM

PSA - Gold medal and 3 HM Ribbons

GPU - 1 HM Ribbon

Camera Lucida - Gold, Silver, Bronze medal and 6 HM Ribbons

 

Delivering Catalog

All entrants will be able to download an exclusively prepared PDF catalog.

The catalog will be digitally published with awarded photographs and with a certain number of photographs chosen by the organizer of the Exhibition, without financial compensation for the author's royalties.

The organizer will take all possible care while handling the email, awards, and catalogs, however, we assume no liability for damages and losses during shipment.

 

Exhibition Requirements

IMAGE AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS This exhibition is open to anyone; however, an entry may be rejected when the Sponsor or the Exhibition Organizers, in their reasonable discretion, believes the entry does not conform to exhibition rules and these Conditions of Entry. Membership in any photographic organization is not required.

Penalties: Entries will not be accepted from any entrant who has put on the PSA Penalties List for Ethics Violation. Entry fees are not refundable in these circumstances

PSA Star Ratings

To receive proper Star rating credit from PSA, entrants must provide their names and country exactly the same way in each exhibition. Aliases are not permitted. Please contact PSA in the event of name changes or relocating to another country. Using one’s name differently in different exhibition exposes the entrant to the risk that many of their acceptances may not be recognized by PSA Star Ratings.

Image Creation
Entries must originate as photographs (image-captures of objects via light sensitivity) made by the entrant on photographic emulsion or acquired digitally.

Certification:

By virtue of submitting an image, the entrant certifies the work as his or her own.  Images may not incorporate elements produced by anyone else (for example: clip art, images or art by others downloaded from the Internet). Aliases are not allowed.

Reproduction

The entrant permits the sponsors to reproduce all or part of the entered material free of charge for publication and/or display in media related to the exhibition. This may include low-resolution posting on a website.  The Photographic Society of America (PSA) may request specific permission from entrants to reproduce entered images in its educational materials. The terms of that permission will be mutually agreed between the entrant and PSA except in the circumstances where the entered image is found to breach the PSA Ethics Policy. In those circumstances, the image may be reproduced by PSA, without the entrant’s further permission, for educational purposes to illustrate serious exhibition rule violations. For those reproductions, the entrant’s name will be withheld

Entries will not be accepted from entrants who indicate that their images may not be reproduced in materials related to the exhibition.”   The exhibition assumes no liability of any misuse of copyright

Alteration and Computer Generation Subject to Divisional restrictions (particularly Nature, Photo Travel, and Photojournalism) images may be altered, either electronically or otherwise, by the entrant; adjustments to enhance images or creatively modify images are allowed providing the underlying photograph is retained in a way that is obvious to the viewer.  Images may not be constructed entirely with a computer and must be the sole work of the entrant

Re-use of accepted images: Any image that has been accepted in this exhibition, past or present, may not be entered again in the same Division Star Ratings Class in any future instances of this exhibition.  It may, of course, be entered in any other PSA recognised exhibitions but must always have the same title. Re-titling in another language is not allowed.

Entry: An Entry consists of, up to and including, four (4) images entered by a single entrant into the same Section. An entrant may only enter a specific Section once. Entrants may not enter identical or similar images into the same section or different sections of the same exhibition.

Titles:

Each image must have a unique title that is a description of the image. That unique title must be used for entry of that image or of an identical Image into any and all PSA-Recognized exhibitions. Titles must be 35 characters or fewer. No titles may be visible to the judges, and nothing in the image may identify the entrant. Titles may not include file extensions such as .jpg or .jpeg (or any other camera capture filenames such as IMG 471). Titles may not consist of personal identifiers possibly augmented by a number; or include words such as “untitled” or “no title”. Titles may not consist solely of numbers unless those numbers are prominently contained within the image, such as a contestant number in a race.

Color and Monochrome:

Color and Monochrome images from the same capture that share substantial pictorial content in common will be considered the same image and must be given the same title.

 

Submission of Works

To participate in the 1st International Salon Vesta 2023 authors will apply with black & white or color works. The maximum number of photographs per theme is 4. No title or identification of the maker shall be written anywhere on the face of an image. Photographs are accepted in electronic form only.

Format of photographs: JPG
Size of photographs: The image size should be 1920 x 1080 pixels (the horizontal side of the photo must be 1920px), and the resolution should be 300 dpi
JPG File compression should be between 7 and 12
The memory size of the file must not exceed 2 Mb
 

File naming

The filename must be the same as the artwork name.
Filename must be in English, unique, and NOT contain special symbols. Example: morning.jpg. Only English letters (a-z) are allowed.
Words such as “Untitled” and “No Title” are not acceptable as part or all of an image’s title, nor are camera capture filename (ex. DSC_00123)

 

Entry form

Authors must fill out an online entry form. The entry form and contact info must be written in the English language.

The Exhibition will be conducted in accordance with the rules of the PSA

An entrant’s images will not be presented to the judges consecutively.  An entrant’s four images will be distributed throughout four rounds of judging in that section.  Distribution of images will be in the same round order as submitted by the entrant. At no stage will a judge be able to view all the entrant’s images together.

 

Judge Methods

The Jury Team will judge the digital images by remote online judging.

For the on-site and remote judging, the Jury Team will use color-calibrated monitors.

The acceptance rate in any single section may not exceed 35%

 

DATA PROTECTION

By entering this exhibition, you are explicitly consenting to the personal details you have supplied, including physical addresses, and email addresses, being held, processed and used by the exhibition organizers for purposes associated with this exhibition. You also explicitly consent to such information being sent to organizations that have accorded official recognition, patronage or accreditation to this exhibition. You acknowledge, agree, and accept that by entering this exhibition, your participation status which includes your first and last name, name of the country used during the registration at the exhibition, number of sections entered and number of photos entered in those sections will be made public in a published status list and that the results of your entry shall be made public in the exhibition gallery, exhibition catalog. You also agree and accept the policy regarding Breaches of the Rules of the PSA.

 

SUBJECT MATTER AND SECTION DEFINITIONS

Statement on Subject Matter - applicable to all sections

The fundamental rule that must be observed at all times and applies to all sections offered in exhibitions with PSA recognition is that the welfare of living creatures is more important than any photograph. This means that practices such as baiting of subjects with a living creature and removal of birds from nests, for the purpose of obtaining a photograph, are highly unethical, and such photographs are not allowed in any exhibition with PSA recognition.  Under no circumstances may a living creature be placed in a situation where it will be killed, injured or stressed for the purpose of obtaining a photograph. Images that show live creatures being fed to captive animals, birds or reptiles are not permitted under any circumstances

There are also concerns about the use of aerial photography, drones, helicopters, low flying aircraft. These should not cause any interference with other individuals or animals which causes a disturbance in their normal activity or disrupt the way any individuals or animals interact with their environment.  Entrants in PSA recognized exhibitions should comply with all relevant laws and regulations, associated with aerial photography, in the country in which the image was taken.

Entry into PSA recognized exhibitions is conditional on accepting these policies.  The content of images must comply with the General Conditions and with the Division and Section definitions listed in these conditions. Images that - in the sole opinion of the judges or the Exhibition Organizers - do not comply, will be disqualified so the entrant may be aware of the problem when considering entry into other exhibitions with PSA recognition

PSA Monochrome Definition

An image is considered to be Monochrome only if it gives the impression of having no color (i.e. contains only shades of grey which can include pure black and pure white) OR it gives the impression of being a greyscale image that has been toned in one color across the entire image. (For example by Sepia, red, gold, etc.)  A greyscale or multi-colored image modified or giving the impression of having been modified by partial toning, multi-toning or by the inclusion of spot coloring does not meet the definition of monochrome and shall be classified as a Color Work.

Greyscale Monochrome images may be entered for Nature, Photojournalism and Photo Travel but toned images are not permitted for these sections.

Monochrome images may not be entered in Pictorial Prints or PID Color Sections.  Separate sections must be offered for Color Pictorial Prints, Monochrome Pictorial Prints, PIDC and PIDM.

Editing Guidelines for Nature, Photojournalism and Photo Travel

These sections require images to be truthful records, so there are limits on the amount of manipulation allowed.

Editing Guidelines

Processing or editing must be limited to making the image look as close to the original scene as possible, except that conversion to grayscale monochrome is allowed.

Allowed editing techniques:

  • Cropping, straightening and perspective correction.
  • Removal or correction of elements added by the camera or lens, such as dust spots, noise, chromatic aberration and lens distortion.
  • Global and selective adjustments such as brightness, hue, saturation and contrast to restore the appearance of the original scene.
  • Complete conversion of color images to grayscale monochrome.
  • Blending of multiple images of the same subject and combining them in camera or with software (exposure blending or focus stacking);
  • Image stitching – combining multiple images with overlapping fields of view that are taken consecutively (panoramas);

Editing techniques that are not allowed:

  • Removing, adding to, moving or changing any part of an image, except for cropping and straightening.
  • Adding a vignette during processing.
  • Blurring parts of the image during processing to hide elements in the original scene.
  • Darkening parts of the image during processing to hide elements in the original scene.
  • All conversions other than to complete grayscale monochrome.
  • Conversion of parts of an image to monochrome, or partial toning, desaturation or over-saturation of color

For the purpose of this exhibition any border added to a digital file must be a single border of white or grey, no greater than 3-5 pixels in width.

PSA/FIAP Nature Definition

Content Guidelines

  • Nature photography records all branches of natural history except anthropology and archaeology. This includes all aspects of the physical world, both animate and inanimate, that have not been made or modified by humans.
  • Nature images must convey the truth of the scene that was photographed. A well-informed person should be able to identify the subject of the image and be satisfied that it has been presented honestly and that no unethical practices have been used to control the subject or capture the image. Images that directly or indirectly show any human activity that threatens the life or welfare of a living organism are not allowed.
  • The most important part of a Nature image is the nature story it tells. High technical standards are expected and the image must look natural.
  • Objects created by humans, and evidence of human activity, are allowed in Nature images only when they are a necessary part of the Nature story.
  • Photographs of human-created hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral animals, domesticated animals, human-created hybrid animals and mounted or preserved zoological specimens are not allowed.
  • Images taken with subjects under controlled conditions, such as zoos, are allowed.
  • Controlling live subjects by chilling, anaesthetic or any other method of restricting natural movement for the purpose of a photograph is not allowed.

Attention is drawn to the PSA Statement on Subject Matter which applies to all sections and to the Editing Guidelines for Nature, Photojournalism and Photo Travel

Photo Travel Definition

A Photo Travel image is a portrayal of the real world we live in, as it is found naturally. There are no geographic limitations.

Content guidance:

  • If the image is predominantly or exclusively a land-, sea- or cityscape, these “scapes” must include characteristic, distinctive and recognizable physical features, although it is not necessary that the image identify the exact location;
  • Images that predominantly or exclusively depict people and their activities must illustrate a distinctive culture of a country, region, or continent;
  • Images that predominately or exclusively depict animal populations are allowed, if the animals are in their native environment and are characteristic of that country, region, or continent;
  • Portraits or other close-ups of people or objects, in addition to meeting the above paragraphs as applicable, must include elements depicting some of the surrounding environment to make it obvious that the image was not taken in a studio setting;
  • Images from events or activities arranged for photography, or of subjects directed or hired for photography, are NOT allowed.
  • Time exposures are allowed, if they do not dominate the image as a special effect (star trails, for example, are a dominating effect).
  • Highly distorted images such as those produced by fish eye lenses are NOT allowed.

Attention is drawn to the PSA Statement on Subject Matter which applies to all sections and to the Editing Guidelines for Nature, Photojournalism and Photo Travel

PSA Photojournalism Definition

Photojournalism entries are images with informative content and emotional impact, reflecting the human presence in our world.

  • The journalistic (story-telling) value of the image should receive priority over pictorial quality.
  • Images that misrepresent the truth, such as those from events or activities arranged specifically for photography, or of subjects directed or hired for photography, are not eligible.
  • A number of images (typically 2-4), each with a small white border, may be combined into a single image that depicts a progression of events or related activity.

Attention is drawn to the PSA Statement on Subject Matter which applies to all sections and to the Editing Guidelines for Nature, Photojournalism and Photo Travel

Street Photography Definition

uses the techniques of straight photography in that it shows a pure vision of something, like holding up a mirror to society. Street photography often tends to be ironic and can be distanced from its subject matter, and often concentrates on a single human moment, caught at a decisive or poignant moment. On the other hand, much street photography takes the opposite approach and provides a very literal and extremely personal rendering of the subject matter, giving the audience a more visceral experience of walks of life they might only be passingly familiar with.

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. Alternatively, the street photographer may seek a more prosaic depiction of the scene, as a form of social documentary.

It is a branch of realistic fine-art photography that records unposed scenes in public places (streets, parks, restaurants, stores, museums, libraries, airports; train, bus, and subway stations, etc.)

The primary subject is people, at rest or in motion, alone or with others, going about the every-day activities of life (walking, sitting, standing, waiting, reading, eating, talking, listening, laughing, daydreaming, greeting, parting, working, playing, shopping, viewing art, sightseeing, etc.).

The emphasis is not on the subject’s personal identity, as in portraiture. And unlike photojournalism, there is no news here, rather, the commonplace; although, the line between photojournalism and street photography is often blurry. Many of the best street photographers were photojournalists. Unlike travel photography, that aims to entice the viewer to visit a certain place or to fondly remember it, location is relatively unimportant, though busy cities with interesting architecture are commonly seen in these works.

The primary emphasis is on capturing a fleeting composition, a temporary arrangement of lines, forms, textures, and tones—balanced within a rigid frame. While such photographs often document clothing styles or automobile design, these details are subordinate to the artistic elements; whereas, in strict documentary photography, content is more important than artistry. In street photography, the image can be sharp or blurred and impressionistic. Many images feature strong graphic elements which—considered separately—constitute interesting geometric patterns.

Consistent with their overwhelming interest in composition, many street photographers—not all—shoot with a black and white final image in mind, eschewing color as a distraction. Another reason for this is the generally-conservative nature of the discipline. The early masters are revered and emulated, their styles and shooting techniques studied.

Some purists not only insist on shooting unposed scenes, they attempt to compose entirely in-camera, without cropping. Finally, the tone of these images tends to be positive, celebrating life and its fleeting nature in the very act of seeing and seizing and sharing momentary beauty and meaning with the viewer.

Portrait Photography Definition

A photograph of a person or persons that may range from a head study to full body length. This section includes candid photographs and formal portraits.

Captures the personality or essence of a subject. Not just a picture with a person in it. A "clinical" portrait might not attempt to reveal the soul of a person, but it still needs to capture something of that person's uniqueness — or else it's not a portrait.

Is staged. While portraits can be candid, even those tend to have some intentionality. The lighting, backdrops, and poses are important, even if they are ad hoc. (Or maybe especially when they are.)

Is commissioned. While this isn't necessary in a literal sense, in a larger sense portrait photographs are made for the purpose. Someone — the subject, or the artist, or some organization — wants a portrayal of a certain person (or group of people). Even a street portrait of a stranger can fit, based on the photographer's intention.

By the very existence of the term "group portrait", clearly such a thing exists. One can also say "individual portrait", but generally the implication of the term alone is that a single person is portrayed. However, if there are multiple subjects — the grandmother and granddaughter, for example — the picture isn't automatically a portrait without some of the above.

Experiment Photography Definition

The PSA definition of Experiment (Creative) is “Altered Reality.” The image must obviously display a change in natural color, form, shape, or any combination of these three. Creative images are often montages (a blending or composite of multiple images). High Dynamic Range (HDR) images without further changes are not considered “altered reality.” The original image must be made by the entrant on photographic emulsion or captured digitally. All images must be original and may not incorporate elements produced by anyone else. Original images must be altered by the maker; artwork or computer graphics generated by the entrant may be incorporated, if the original photographic content predominates. Images may not be constructed entirely within a computer. It is necessary that the image’s core content be identifiable. Non-creative images are not eligible for this competition. Any subject matter is acceptable as long as the Altered Reality guidelines are followed.

Nude Photography Definition

Fine art nude photography is a genre of fine-art photography which depicts the nude human body with an emphasis on form, composition, emotional content, and other aesthetic qualities. The nude has been a prominent subject of photography since its invention, and played an important role in establishing photography as a fine art medium. The distinction between fine art photography and other subgenres is not absolute, but there are certain defining characteristics.

Erotic interest, although often present, is secondary, which distinguishes art photography from both glamour photography, which focuses on showing the subject of the photograph in the most attractive way. Fine art photographs are also not taken to serve any journalistic, scientific, or other practical purpose. The distinction between these is not always clear, and photographers, as with other artists, tend to make their own case in characterizing their work, though the viewer may have a different assessment.

The nude remains a controversial subject in all media, but more so with photography due to its inherent realism. The male nude has been less common than the female, and more rarely exhibited or published. The use of children as subjects in nude photography is especially controversial and there is not permitted.

 

PSA Rules

Breaches of Rules

Entrants are strongly advised to look at the PSA Ethics Policy which can be found at https://psa-photo.org/page/ethical-practices.

If, at any time, it is determined in the reasonable discretion of the exhibition organizer or the judges before, during, or after the judging of an exhibition that an entrant has submitted entries where one or more images may fail to comply with these Conditions of Entry, including the stated definitions, exhibitions, on behalf of the judges, are allowed to request unedited or raw files of the submitted image

In order to ensure that images comply with the Conditions of Entry and definitions, the exhibition organizers may carry out reasonable measures to verify that:

a) the images are the original work of the entrant and

b) the images comply with the rules and definitions as set out in these Conditions of Entry

These steps include, but are not limited to, questioning any entrant, requiring the submission of RAW files or other digital files representing the original capture of the submitted image(s), confronting the entrant with evidence that one or more submitted images fails to comply with the Conditions of Entry (also known as Entry Rules), and offering the entrant a reasonable opportunity to provide counter evidence to refute the exhibition organizer’s evidence by a set deadline. Such entries that are not cleared or are still questionable after the entrant has presented evidence may be considered in breach of these Conditions of Entry, and declined. Such entries may be referred to PSA for further investigation of possible ethics violations

PSA, on receiving reports from exhibitions of possible breaches, retains the right to investigate in any way all complaints/suspicions of breaches of entry conditions, impose penalties if deemed necessary, void the acceptances of any image found to violate the PSA rules, include the entrant’s name on the list of sanctions provided to Exhibitions, and share such investigations with FIAP. Entrants automatically agree to these terms by the act of entering the Exhibition and agree to cooperate with any investigation.

If another party is submitting images on the entrant’s behalf, the entrant will still be held responsible for adhering to these Conditions of Entry (Entry Rules) and will be subject to penalties for any violations to these Conditions of Entry and PSA’s Statement of Ethics that may result.

If another party is processing images for an entrant or submitting images on the entrant’s behalf, the entrant will still be held responsible for adhering to all Conditions of Entry including the specific conditions in the relevant definitions.

NOTICE: When entrants fills in the Entry Form to submit an entry they will see the following feature to affirm they have read these Conditions of Entry

“I hereby confirm that I have read, understood and agree to the Conditions of Entry of this exhibition. I have read the PSA document to be found at https://psa-photo.org/resource/resmgr/pdf/exhibitions_/exhibition-entran.... I am aware that PSA may apply penalties for breaches of these Conditions of Entry”

Failure to agree will mean that the application will not proceed.