Nature Photography Exhibition 2021 – Terms & Conditions

Important Dates

Expression of Interest Closes:  Thursday 15 April 2021 11:59pm
Register Images:  Thursday 29 April 2021 11.59pm
Prints to be Delivered to Melbourne Camera Club;
Printed and Ready to Install:		 Thursday 13 May 2021 between 6.30pm—8pm 
(or by prior arrangement with Exhibition Coordinator)
Exhibition Opening Event: Thursday 20 May 2021 at 8pm
Exhibition Dates Saturday 22 May & Sunday 23 May 2021, 10am—4pm 
Saturday 29 May & Sunday 30 May 2021, 10am—4pm
Collection of Works Thursday 4 June, 7pm—8pm

How to Enter

  • Read nature definition below.
  • Register interest by midnight Thursday 15 April – register via this link
  • Register images (maximum four) by midnight Thursday 29 April – submit image titles via this link 
  • Drop off your work/s to the Melbourne Camera Club on Thursday 13 May.
  • Work must be labelled on the reverse with your name, work/s title, section (Nature or Interpretations of Nature (ION)) and your contact details. Every endeavour will be made to hang all work submitted.
  • Collect your works on the specified date after the exhibition from the Melbourne Camera Club.

Entries

  • The Exhibition will have two sections to it – “Nature Photography” and “Interpretations of Nature”.
  • Images for the “Nature photography” section, for the purposes of this exhibition, will follow the definition as determined by Australia Photography Society (APS). See below.
  • The number of entries is limited to three prints in the “Nature Photography” Section.
  • The Melbourne Camera Club reserves the right to move an image to another section or not hang if image is deemed not to meet Nature definitions as outlined below.
  • Images for the “Interpretations of Nature” do not have to comply with the Nature definition. We are looking for creative images that speak to the theme of nature.
  • The number of entries is limited to one for the “Interpretations of Nature” section.
  • Changes to artwork or titles will not be accepted after entry forms and works have been submitted.
  • This is a free exhibition. There is no entry fee. 
  • Entrants are invited to submit a 1 MB JPEG of their entry to be used for the promotion of the Nature Photography Exhibition on the Melbourne Camera Club Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages via email to mcc-nature@melbournecameraclub.org.au
  • Please note that the Melbourne Camera Club may or may not use your image for promotion
  • All work submitted must be available for display across all dates of the exhibition.
  • Work submitted will not be for sale.
  • Artists with a series consisting of two or more images must provide instructions for the installation of their work.
  • We have an all care, no responsibility policy. With such a large number of works to install, although we take all care, we cannot take responsibility for damage made to work submitted to the exhibition.
  • All works must be ready for installation when dropped off.
  • We do not accept framed work. Images should be supplied on white or cream mat board or backing.
  • Works must not exceed 400mm x 500mm (this includes mats) and will preferably be 400mm x 500mm.

Dropping Off Works

  • Works must arrive at the Melbourne Camera Club on or before Thursday 13 May 2021 between 6.30pm to 8pm.
  • Dropping off work before 13 May is only by prior arrangement with the Exhibition Coordinator.  
  • Please clearly label all work on the back with artist’s name, contact details, title of the work and whether Nature Photography or Interpretation of Nature Section.

Collecting Works

  • Works are to be collected on Thursday 4 June 2021 from 7pm to 8pm or by prior arrangement.

People’s Choice

  • There will be a prize for a People’s Choice award for the 2021 Nature Photography Exhibition.
  • The Artist’s work with the most votes, will be awarded the winner of the People’s choice award.  
  • Every person who visits the exhibition is entitled to one vote. Multiple votes per person will not be valid. Only valid votes will be counted. 
  • People’s Choice Prize winner will be announced after the final day of the exhibition on social media.

Further Conditions

  • Melbourne Camera Club Exhibition Coordinators reserves the right to make selections for the exhibition that may be determined by available space.
  • All entries displayed (subject to space) must meet the nature definition per below for the “Nature Photography” section.
  • All entries will be displayed (subject to space) unless deemed offensive, too fragile, dangerous or not ready for installation.
  • Insurance is the sole responsibility of the entrant
  • All care will be taken; however, the Melbourne Camera Club will not be responsible for any loss or damage caused to the work, however caused.

Any queries or alternative drop off / pickup arrangements, please contact the Nature Exhibition Coordinator, via email at mcc-nature@melbournecameraclub.org.au

Attachment 1

Nature Definition

For the purposes of the Nature Exhibition, the following definition of nature photography as used by the Australian Photography Society (APS) has been adopted.

Definition

Nature images in all APS approved national and international competitions are required to comply with the FIAP Nature Photography definition. From 1 January 2015 the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), The Photographic Society of America (PSA) and the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) will use a common definition of Nature Photography.

That definition is:

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 story telling 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. Colour images can be converted to grey-scale monochrome. Infrared images, either direct-captures or derivations, are not allowed.
 
Images entered in Nature sections meeting the Nature Photography Definition above can have landscapes, geologic formations, weather phenomena, and extant organisms as the primary subject matter. This includes images taken with the subjects in controlled conditions, such as zoos, game farms, botanical gardens, aquariums and any enclosure where the subjects are totally dependent on man for food.

Nature Definition Checklist

 
Allowed
Not Allowed

General Subject Matter
  • Anything to do with natural history (the study and description of organisms and natural objects), except anthropology or archaeology.
  • Subject matter must be identifiable.
  • Anything that is classified as anthropology (the study of humans) or archaeology (the study of historic or prehistoric peoples and their cultures).

 
 
Allowed
Not Allowed

Specific Subject Matter
  • All extant (not extinct) organisms (plants, animals, etc); landscapes, geological formations, and weather phenomena.
  • Human created hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral animals, domestic animals, mounted specimens of plants and animals.
 
Allowed
Not Allowed

Human Elements
  • Human elements that are an integral part of the nature story (such as birds nesting on a man-made structure).
  • Scientific bands, tags or collars.
  • Human elements (such as buildings) that are not part of the nature story being told by the image.

 
 
Allowed
Not Allowed

Image Alterations
  • Cropping. HDR techniques. Focus stacking. Removal of dust spots, digital noise or scratches on film.
  • Subject must be presented honestly.
  • Anything (such as cloning) that alters the content of the original scene by adding, moving or removing image elements. Stitching together multiple images (e.g. to create a panorama)
 
Allowed
Not Allowed

Image Adjustments 
  • Techniques (such as contrast adjustment) that enhance the image without changing the nature story, or altering the pictorial content of the original scene.
  • Grey-scale monochrome images.
  • Adjustments that change the nature story, such as turning a daylight scene into a night scene.
    Toned monochrome images.
    Infrared images.