This was the Categories 2023

Definitions & samples

© Copyright Ana María Iglesias, Mexico

2023

The Governing Committee of WPC is constantly looking at entries and categories that reflect the ever changing perception of images and also respecting the core roots of photography.

In the 2023-edition of the WPC competition two new categories were introduced, as Portrait was split into Natural Portrait & Illustrative Portrait and Nature was split into Nature/Landscape & Nature/Wildlife.

Also from the 2023-edition we started presenting a visual guide to category descriptions to assist in your image selection.

The goal is to avoid confusion or having images challenged due to interpretation of the English language descriptions.



Nature Categories

The Nature Category will now recognize Wildlife (wildlife in their NATURAL habitat) and Landscape (scenic) images.

In the wildlife category images must be in the animals natural habitat.


Nature/Landscape

This category is for photography that is devoted to displaying natural elements such as landscapes, cityscapes, plants, flowers, trees and close-ups of natural scenes and textures. Aerial, macro and astrophotography are included in this category. It is allowed to crop, rotate, selective dodging and burn, reduce noise, sharpen, adjust colour/black-and-white, apply grain and minor cleaning jobs like removing sensor dust or chromatic aberration. It is also allowed to combine several photos to one (photo stitching, focus stacking, multi-exposure, etc), shot at the same time and on the same place as a consecutive sequence, seconds or minutes apart). It is NOT allowed to add, delete or move elements by cloning, healing, patching, content aware fill, liquify or similar tools. The original captured image (in RAW or jpg) must be available if requested by the WPC.

Nature/Wildlife

Images must illustrate the astonishing diversity of wildlife from all parts of the world showing images of actual wildlife in a natural habitat. It is allowed to crop, rotate, selective dodge and burn, reduce noise, sharpen, adjust colour/black-and-white, apply grain and minor cleaning jobs like removing sensor dust or chromatic aberration. It is also allowed to combine several photos to one (photo stitching, focus stacking, multi-exposure, etc), shot at the same time and on the same place as a consecutive sequence, seconds or minutes apart). It is NOT allowed to add, delete or move elements by cloning, healing, patching, content aware fill, liquify or similar tools. The original capture image (in RAW or jpg) must be available if requested by the WPC.

Portrait Categories

The Portrait category will also be split defining images that reflect the natural appearance of subjects and Illustrative Portrait images that are more illustrative and highly manipulated.

The two Portrait categories has two distinct differences. Natural Portraits to recognize what many consider an approach to portraiture, that conveys the natural appearance of the subject, and the Illustrative Portraits where the subjects convey an illustrative story using props and makeup.

Natural Portrait

Images where lighting, posing and highlighting of the person’s NATURAL appearance, essence, personality and character is key. Images should tell a story about the personality/ies and possibly their culture or traditions. Images that use extensive makeup or props to transform the natural appearance, must be entered in Illustrative Portrait or Illustration/Digital Art categories. Post production techniques are not to be an essential part of the final story in the photograph.

Illustrative Portrait

Images where styling, creative photo techniques, extensive makeup or props are allowed. Post production techniques are encouraged and may be an essential part of the final story in the photograph. Entries in this category would include images that have been highly manipulated or stylized.

Wedding

Entries in Wedding must be done in connection with an actual wedding event (not a commercially created image). Images must reflect the personality of the subject(s) and/ or illustrate the story of the event. They must include some visual reference(s) that defines the wedding event (traditional clothing, church flowers etc.). Composite images are allowed as long as the digital postproduction is not a significant part of displaying the essence or the personality of the subject(s). Commercial, Illustrative and Fashion images are not permitted in the Wedding category and instead must be entered into Commercial or Illustration categories. Judges will consider the relevance of highly manipulated images and the spirit of intent of the rules as it relates to the category. In instances where an image is challenged regarding an image from the wedding event, the captain will be asked to provide additional images from that event that define being from a real event (bride and groom, groups, ceremony etc).

Commercial

Images with an intended use by a commercial client to promote or brand a product or company. Advertising, fashion, beauty, still life, food, architecture, corporate photography are all included in this category. Composite and non-composite images, and highly manipulated images (Photoshop or similar), as well as the use of computer generated images (CGI), are allowed as relevant in this category.

Illustration/Digital Art

An Illustration is a graphic depiction of any concept or subject. The main principle of an Illustration is to elucidate or define a concept, story, literature, activity etc. in such a way as to provide a visual representation of the story, title or concept. Composite and non-composite images, and highly manipulated images (Photoshop or similar), as well as the use of computer generated images (CGI), are allowed as relevant in this category.

Reportage/Photojournalism

Images that illustrate an actual public or non-public event, life, an area of human interest, telling news that have meaning on the context or record of events, high impact and/or lasting emotional response. Images that illustrate sporting events are included in this category. Basic color and brightness adjustments, cropping, dodging and burning in are allowed. Only single-capture images will be accepted. Composite and multiple exposure images will not be accepted. The original captured image (in RAW or jpg) must be available if requested by the WPC.

error: Content is protected by Copyright !! Copyright by respective Photographer!!!