1. Open Colour.
Any photograph that is not monochrome. It may include a monochrome photograph that has been partially toned or had colour added. The photograph may be of any subject matter other than a copy of two-dimensional artwork.
2. Built Environment.
A photograph of a human-built structure or structures which displays all or a substantial portion of the structure/s so that the structural process is obvious or the social environment of the structure/s is evident.
Photographs of small architecture detailed features, doors, windows etc. will not be accepted.
3. People
A photograph that must portray, in candid or formal settings, human subject matter with two or more people. Head and shoulder portraits will not be accepted.
The story-telling aspects of photographs in this section will outweigh the technical aspects, however the latter will be a factor under consideration.
4. Open Monochrome
Any photograph of any subject (other than copies of 2 dimensional artworks), containing shades of only one colour. The photograph may be in grayscale, however if toning is carried out, it must be over the total photograph – partial toning and/or the addition of one extra colour is not acceptable.
5. Nature
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. Adding a vignette or blurring the background during processing is not allowed.
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.
No modification that changes the truth of a Nature image is allowed. Images may be cropped but no other technique that removes, adds or moves any part of the image is allowed.
Techniques that remove elements added by the camera, such as dust spots, digital noise and lens flare are allowed.
Complete conversion of colour images to greyscale monochrome is allowed. Partial conversion, toning and infrared captures or conversions are not allowed.
Images of the same subject that are combined in camera, or with software, by focus stacking or exposure blending are allowed. Multiple images with overlapping fields of view that are taken consecutively and combined in camera or with software (image stitching) are allowed.
6. Landscape/Seascape
A landscape is a photograph of natural scenery with land and sky- based elements displayed in a pictorial fashion. It may include evidence of man, people, animals, even part of the sea provided that none of these additional elements dominate the photograph.
A seascape is a photograph of natural coastal scenery, a wave study, or a picture of the open sea, provided always that the sea is the centre of interest of the photograph. People, boats and man-made structures may be present as incidental to the photograph.
...