Nature Photography Exhibition 2025 – Terms & Conditions

Draft

Exhibition Terms & Conditions

Theme: Nature In All Its Glory

1. IMPORTANT DATES

Registration

    • Entries now open
    • REGISTER HERE – you are invited to register your interest now to secure a place in the exhibition, and update your print titles closer to the closing date.
    • Closing date: Sunday 1 June 2025, 11:59pm
    • Entries are open to all photographers, members and non members.

Artwork Submission

    • Thursday 12 June 2024 between 7.00 and 8.00 pm (or by prior arrangement with the Exhibition Coordinator)
    • Artwork to be delivered, printed, mounted and ready to install to Melbourne Camera Club, corner Ferrars St and Dorcas St, South Melbourne

Exhibition Opening Event

    • Thursday 19 June 2024 at 7.30pm

Exhibition Dates and Hours

    • Saturday, Sunday and Monday 21, 22 and 23 June 2025 from 11.00am to 3.00pm

Artwork Collection

    • Monday 23 June 2024 from 3.00 to 4.00pm
    • Thursday 26 July 2024, 7.00 to 8.00pm
    • Or by prior arrangement with the Exhibition Coordinator

2. HOW TO ENTER

    • REGISTER HERE – you are invited to register your interest now to secure a place in the exhibition, and update your print titles closer to the closing date.
    • Closing date: Sunday 1 June 2025, 11:59pm
    • You are required to accept these terms and conditions, and to confirm you are the owner or the copyright for your works
    • Drop off your works to the Melbourne Camera Club on the specified dates. Each work must be ready for installation. Work must be labelled on the reverse side with:
      • Your full name
      • The title(s) of your work(s)
      • Your contact details
      • Arrow showing required orientation
    • Every endeavour will be made to hang all work submitted, subject to Section 7

3. ENTRIES

    • The number of entries is limited to a maximum of 3 per person
    • All entries must be within the theme of ‘Nature In All Its Glory’
    • Prints entered must meet the appropriate definitions below
    • This is a free exhibition.
    • Entrants are invited to submit a 1MB JPEG of their entry to be used for the promotion of the Exhibition on the Melbourne Camera Club Facebook and Instagram pages via email to Exhibition Coordinators. Please note that Melbourne Camera Club may or may not use your image(s) for promotion.
    • Work submitted to this exhibition may or may or may not be on display in the gallery however every exhibitor will have at least one work in the exhibition – subject to Section 7.
    • All work submitted must be available for display across all dates of the exhibition.
    • Artists with a series consisting of two or more images must provide instructions for the installation of their work, but we cannot guarantee that a series will be hung together
    • Works deemed unsafe to hang will not be exhibited
    • We have an all care, no responsibility policy. 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
    • All works must be printed and mounted on white mat board with a backing board of foam core or cardboard
    • All works must not exceed an outside measurement of 400mm x 500mm (or 16inch x 20inch) mounted, including mat boards. If you wish to submit works outside these specifications, please discuss with the Exhibition Coordinators

4. DROPPING OFF WORKS

    • Works must arrive at the Melbourne Camera Club on or before Thursday 12 June 2025, between 7.00 and 8.00 pm.
    • Drop off location:

Melbourne Camera Club
254-256 Ferrars Street (cnr Dorcas & Ferrars Sts)
South Melbourne 

    • Dropping off work before 12 June is by prior arrangement with the Exhibition Coordinator.
    • Please clearly label all work on the back with the artist’s name, contact details, orientation and title of the work.

5. COLLECTING WORKS

    •  Works can be collected:
      • Monday 23 June from 3.00 to 4.00pm
      • Thursday 26 June, 7.00 to 8.00pm
      • Or by prior arrangement with the Exhibition Coordinator
    • If work is to be returned by post, return postage costs must be included with your submission.
    • Please bring your satchel / bag when collecting images

6. PEOPLE’S CHOICE

    • There will be a small prize for a People’s Choice Award for the Exhibition
    • The photographer’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 at the Melbourne Camera club meeting on Thursday 4 July at 8pm and included in the club’s newsletter, social media and website.

7. FURTHER CONDITIONS

    • As this is a curated exhibition, where it is hoped to display all entries, this may not be possible due to space restrictions.
    • The Melbourne Camera Club Exhibition Coordinators reserve the right to make selections for the exhibition that may be determined by available space.
    • 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.
    • We kindly request that all exhibitors assist with staffing the exhibition for a two-hour shift if possible.
      • MCC members can sign in at this link
      • Non members please email us with preferred time
      • Shifts are 11am to 1pm or 1pm to 3pm on Saturday 21, Sunday 22 or Monday 23 June.

If you are a first time exhibitor and have any questions, need clarification on nature definition or wish to arrange alternative drop off / pickup arrangements, please contact our Exhibition Coordinators, via email at ExhibitionsTeam@melbournecameraclub.org.au.

Definitions

8. NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY DEFINITION

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 greyscale monochrome. Infrared images, either direct-captures or derivations, are not allowed.
Images 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.

January 2025