1. (NL) Natural Landscape Category

Subjects can be any biological, geological, climatological, and astronomical scenes.

Permitted postprocessing techniques:

• • Image quality improving techniques such as realistic color and contrast adjustment, detail sharpening or enhancement, noise reduction, etc.
  • Exposure bracketing.
  • Focus stacking.
  • Image stitching (such as creating panoramas) with each of the images taken at the same time at the same location with the same focal length.
  • Cropping.
  • Removing dust spots.
  • Removing scratches (for film submissions).

Not permitted postprocessing techniques:

• • Compositing by adding or replacing elements.
  • Making significant changes to any existing compositional elements.

2. (WA) Wildlife Category

Subjects can be any animal species (land animals, marine life, fish, birds, insects, fungi, etc.) that grow or live wild and free in wilderness or natural wildlife conservations.  Images of captive or restrained animals in zoos, circuses, farms, aquariums, farms, etc., are not accepted in this category.

3. (SD) Street and Documentary Category 

Subjects can be diverse in this category, as long as it is related to human life – street, journalism or documentary are all accepted in this category. 

Permitted postprocessing techniques:

• • Image quality improving techniques such as realistic color and contrast adjustment, sharpening, noise reduction.
  • Cropping.

Not permitted postprocessing techniques:

• • Adding, replacing, removing any composition elements from the original scene.

4. (BWM) Black and White / Monochrome Category

Subjects in this category can belong to any other category subject matter and must follow the respective category rules, but only black and white images can enter this category. Toned images (such as sepia, selenium, etc.) are accepted. 

Permitted postprocessing techniques:

• • Image quality improving techniques such as realistic contrast adjustment, sharpening, noise reduction.
  • Cropping.

Not permitted postprocessing techniques:

• • Compositing by adding or replacing elements.
  • Making significant changes to any existing compositional elements.

5. (AC) Creative Category

Subjects in this category can be anything. There is no limit in image creation and digital postprocessing techniques in this category.  Imaginary scenes and conceptual photography are accepted.  Creativity is encouraged.  However, the compositional elements must be taken photographically, and cannot be computer generated.

The judging process uses rules from World Photography Awards. Winners will be voted by the judging committee members.

Each entrant can submit to one or more categories.

Each entrant can submit no more than six images in each category.

Each entrant can receive at most one award in each category.

Each image can submit to only one category.

All judging decisions are final. No modification or negotiation is allowed.   

Gold awards:  winner of each category, total 5

Silver awards:  2 per category, total 10

Bronze awards:  3 per category, total 15

Excellence awards:  15 per category, total 75

Honorable mentions:  25 per category, total 125

Total 230 awards

Points System: 

Each Honorable Mention receives one point; each Excellence Award receives two points; each Bronze Award receives three points; each Silver Award receives four points; each Gold Award (winner of each category) receives five points. Each image receives points from its best result. 

Timeline:

Submission deadline:  TBD

Judging Starts: TBD

Judging Ends: TBD

Winner Announcement: TBD

Award Delivery: TBD

1. Submitted images must be the original work by the entrant, who retains full ownership of the copyright. 

2. Submitted images must not contain any logos, copyright watermarks, signatures or borders. 

3. Submitted digital images must retain the original EXIF data.  

4. File format and size requirement:

•  JPEG format only.
• The longest dimension can be anywhere between 1024px and 3000px.
• Resolution 300dpi.
• File size should be at least 2.5MB but no more than 5MB.
• Color space sRGB.

5. Each image can only be submitted to one category. Each image must have a different title.  Do not use the camera auto-generated file names or only sequence number as titles.  Required image file name convention: Category code name-Entrant’s Name-Title-Submission sequence number (examples can be found in the Submission section). 

6. Any black and white or monochrome image converted from a source color image should be considered the same entry as its color image, and hence must have the same file name. Therefore, only one of them can be submitted but not both. Infrared images are not accepted in this competition. 

7. Both film and digital works are eligible to enter. All entrants must be ready to supply high-resolution files for printing should their images be chosen to win any awards.

8. Once an image is selected by the judges to qualify for any awards, the entrant will be contacted by email to supply the original file (either RAW or unaltered JPEG) and the final processed high-resolution file (JPEG). You must submit these two files within the specified time. Those who fail to do so are automatically disqualified. 

9. Please be aware that you should consider entering this competition only if you are able to supply the original file (either RAW or unaltered JPEG).

10. Image quality improving techniques using postprocessing software are permitted, such as exposure bracketing, focus stacking, and reasonable brightness, contrast, saturation adjustment, and cropping. 

11. Except for Creative category, images submitted to all other categories do not allow compositing by adding, replacing, or making significant changes to any existing elements or colors (except that black and white images can be converted from color images).  

12. Drone images must be taken in countries and regions where drones are allowed, without violating any regulations.

13. Images depicting nesting birds, their nests or their young chicks are not accepted. Images taken by baiting, interfering, or posing wildlife (including birds) is not accepted. Aerial or drone images of wildlife (including birds) are not accepted. 

14. Drone images of people activities are not accepted unless a written permission has been issued prior to taking the image. 

15. All winners will receive electronic award certificates. Winners can also order printed certificates and manufactured medals.

All entrants must submit their images via www.theworldphotographyawards.org or through email.

A: Website: Create an account to submit images.

B: Email:

1. Submission email address:  NapaPhotoPro@gmail.com

2. File(s) must be sent as attachment(s) in the email to the above address. Do not send any web links. Do not directly paste the image(s) in the email.

3. Please write the submission email subject as:  2023 WPA-the entrant’s real full name

4. Entrants must provide the following information in the submission email body:

Entrant’s real full name.

Entrant’s email address.

Title of the submission.

Description of the submission (Includes when and where the image was taken. Maximum 100 words).

5. Submission file name convention:  Category code name-Entrant’s Name-Title-Submission sequence number.jpg

Category code names:

NL        Natural Landscape Category

WA       Wildlife Category

SD         Street, Documentary, Architecture Category

BWM    Black and White / Monochrome Category

AC        Creative Category

Examples:

John Lee plans to submit 3 images to Natural Landscape category. The titles are “Sunrise”, “Ocean”, “Snow Mountain” respectively. 

Submission emails subject should be:  2022 WPA-John Lee

Submission file names should be:

NL-JohnLee-Sunrise_-01.jpg

NL-JohnLee-Ocean-02.jpg

NL-JohnLee-SnowMountain-03.jpg

1. I declare that I am eighteen (18) years old or older and am legally competent to execute this release.

2. By entering this competition, you hereby acknowledge and accept all the competition rules and the terms and conditions.

3. Submissions must be the original work by the entrant captured with film or digital equipment.  The entrant is the sole owner and author of each entry.

4. The organizer World Cultural Arts Organization (WCAO) and the North America Photography Association in United Nations (napa) has the right to freely use the submitted or winning images within the copyright protection period. The organizer has unlimited non-exclusive right to use the high-resolution image files for marketing, promotions, publishing, exhibition, screening, public archives, and media (including social media, online and print).  For all images except those that have been granted, the copyright owner shall grant (WCAO) and (napa) the right to freely use the submitted or winning images within the copyright protection period. The organizer has unlimited non-exclusive right to use the high-resolution image files for marketing, promotions, publishing, exhibition, screening, public archives, and media (including social media, online and print).  For all images except those that have been granted, the copyright owner shall grant (WCAO) and (napa) private archives the non-exclusive free use of low-resolution images for educational and research activities. All promotional and educational activities conducted by the organizer can use the entering images free of charge. private archives the non-exclusive free use of low-resolution images for educational and research activities. All promotional and educational activities conducted by the organizer can use the entering images free of charge. private archives the non-exclusive free use of low-resolution images for educational and research activities. 

5. Disclaimer: It is entrants’ legal responsibility to ensure that the submitted images do not infringe portrait rights, rights to reputation, music copyrights, etc. If an image contains people, it is the entrants’ responsibility to ensure that the image has been taken and will be used with the consent and permission of anyone who is identifiable in the image. It is also the entrants’ responsibility to ensure that the submitted images do not infringe any third party’s rights (such as copyrights, portrait rights, rights to reputation and privacy, etc.). If any losses are caused to the organizer due to these legal disputes, the entrant shall compensate the organizer for all losses. By entering this competition, you hereby accept this term and condition.

6. Limits of Liability: By participating in this WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, each contest entrant agrees to release and hold harmless the World Cultural Arts Organization (WCAO) and the North America Photography Association in United Nations (napa), their sponsoring agencies, and each of their commissioners, directors, officers, employees, attorneys, agents and representatives (hereinafter referred to as “RELEASED PARTIES”), from any and all liabilities, claims, demands, damages or costs (including, without limitation, litigation costs and attorney’s fees), resulting from, growing out of, or in any way connected with or incident to: (1) this contest, including, without limitation, any liability arising from the use, processing or preparation of the finished Photograph(s) submitted by each entrant and loss or damage to the Photograph(s); (2) any prize won; or (3) any use of the entry materials provided, except for the gross negligence of the RELEASED PARTIES. For the purposes of this Consent, Waiver of Liability and Release form (“Release”), the term “Photograph(s)” shall mean and refer to all or any portion of any visual image submitted to the World Cultural Arts Organization (WCAO) , the North America Photography Association in United Nations (napa) and WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS or their sponsoring agencies.

7. Copyrights & Usage Rights: The organizer World Cultural Arts Organization (WCAO) and the North America Photography Association in United Nations (napa) recognizes You, the author of the image, retain full ownership of the copyright in each Entry.

8. I understand that the terms herein are contractual and not a mere recital, that this instrument is legally binding, and that I have voluntarily agreed to these terms.

The organizer World Cultural Arts Organization (WCAO) and the North America Photography Association in United Nations (napa) reserves the right to interpret the competition rules and terms. By entering this competition all entrants hereby agree to and abide by all the above rules and terms. Any entrants or submissions that do not comply with these rules and terms will be disqualified. Cultural

Who can enter? 

Open to all photographers of any level worldwide.

Is there a theme? 

Open Theme

How many photos can I submit? 

There are five categories. Each entrant can submit no more than six images in each category.

What is the cost of participating? 

Free

What is the schedule? 

Submission Deadline:  TBD

Judging Starts: TBD

Judging Ends: TBD

Winner Announcement: TBD

Award Delivery: TBD

How do I send my images? 

If you have not already a profile on All About Photo, you have first to register on our website. Then you will be able to log in and to upload your photos in your gallery.

What size and format should I upload photos in?

Submitted images MUST NOT contain any Logos, Watermarks, Signatures and Borders.

Saved as JPEG.

Resolution of 300 dpi.

Grayscale or sRGB profile.

Layers must be flattened.

File size should be at least 2.5MB but no more than 5MB.

The longest dimension can be anywhere between 1024px and 3000px.

What about copyright?

All About Photo recognizes you, the author of the image, retain full ownership of the copyright in each Entry.