Rules, Terms and Conditions
mages must have been taken since Jan 1 2020 and not been part of any other IPPVA competition.
Commissioned Works: All images in the Commercial, Architectural, Portrait, Newborn and Weddings must be on a commissioned/real portrait/real wedding basis. The photographer must be able to provide proof of the commission. If the photographer is unsure of the eligibility of any images, they should contact the awards administrator or chairperson to check. awards@ippva.com
Images with the same subject/scene cannot be entered into multiple categories. This rule applies to each heat and across all heats in the same awards year.
In the case of Weddings, the images must have been taken a real wedding at which the photographer was the principal photographer.
Images taken at seminars and workshops are not allowed, with the exception of the Landscape and Open Creative category where it would count as ‘personal’.
Fine Art and Landscape categories may contain un-commissioned, speculative (i.e. future sales work).
Personal images, either from workshops or personal projects should be entered into the Open Creative category.
By entering the IPPVA Photographer of the Year competition you confirm that you:
A. Hold the copyright for the image(s) that you submit
B. Have permission from the client/subject in question to enter the image
All images submitted must be at the correct size and resolution (see Technical specification below)
No adjustments can or will be made by the IPPVA or its Judges to images that are not correctly sized
Nude images should only be entered in the Fine Art Category.
You agree to accept that the judges’ decision is final.
Composite images: In any image, where multiple images are composited, either in part or whole, all elements must have been photographed by the entrant. The individual entering acknowledges that all parts making up the image are solely shot by him/her, however insignificant that or those parts may be in the final image.
It is a condition of entry that the IPPVA may use your images to promote the association and standards in professional photography through all media channels. Your statutory rights are not affected in any way by this condition but if you so wish you may write to us to withhold your work from any and all promotions.
There is a maximum of 5 entries per category. With a total entry per heat not exceeding 15.
A commissioned image of the interior or exterior of a building or structure, in whole or in part, as a detail or graphic, where the integrity, design and structure of the building are the primary focus of the image.
The image must be sympathetic to the architectural elements of the structure. While there is an obvious emphasis on the technical elements of the image, the judges will be looking for harmony between design of the building/structure and the composition of the image.
Good use of composition
Use of light and time of day
Good use of camera lens, camera angle and camera height
Correct perspective (either corrected or deliberately emphasised perspective)
Control of depth of field
Any image that is commissioned to illustrate a product, people, expertise or to promote brand awareness. This includes, but is not limited to:
Product Photography
Fashion Photography
Promotion of Brand or Corporate Identity
Corporate Portraits
An image used to convey an idea or concept
Please note that any exterior or interior images should be entered in Architectural
The normal judging criteria of course applies here but there is a strong emphasis on the technical elements of the image, i.e.
Control and use of colour, contrast and tone
Presentation
Detail and sharpness
Fulfilling the client brief
In this category we are heavily into the realm of creative photography in all mediums. Human Form is included. Anything that contributes artistically to the image is allowed including editing, manipulation, compositing, use of illustration and graphic elements. All elements in the images must be taken by the photographer. No stock imagery may be used as part of the composition. All elements must be photographed/produced by the entrant. Landscape and urban landscapes should not be entered in this category.
Artistic Merit, Originality and Style
Technical ability
Composition
Storytelling
Any image that portrays a landscape or urban landscape. Judges will be looking for a strong emphasis on originality and artistic merit. Images taken at common/popular Landscape locations will require something very unique in their approach in order to stand out. Fine Art Landscapes are also a part of this category.
Particular attention will be paid to
Composition
Originality
Use of Light
Colour, tone and dynamic rang
Images may be black and white. Stitched panoramas are acceptable.
A Newborn portrait must include a newborn baby that is less than 6 weeks past their due date. This will allow for babies who are born premature to be included in this category when they are well enough to be photographed. The image may include other people including parents, siblings, pets, etc. All images that include a newborn must be entered in this category, not portraits or fine art. Maternity photographs should be entered in the portrait category, or the open creative category if not commissioned. The style is open to classic and documentary and can be done in studio, at home or environmental. Newborn images must be derived from commissioned portrait sessions and images with the same subject and/or from the same scene/session cannot be entered into multiple categories. If it is personal work, such as the photographer’s baby, it should be entered in the Open Creative category.
Additional pointers:
Use of lighting appropriate to the style of portrait
Posing of the subject(s) particular to newborn portraiture
Flattering angles of the newborn
Emotional Impact
No composite images can be used unless ALL elements of the composite are also photographed by the entrant. Digital backgrounds may not be used unless photographed by the entrant.
Documentary and environment portraits of newborns are included in this category
The Open Creative category will be for anything the photographer would like to have judged which does not meet the criteria for any other category. Enter personal projects, your own family or if you are trying to branch out into other genres of photography, you can enter that uncommissioned work here.
All judges, regardless of which categories they judge, will be required to judge this category.
The normal judging criteria of course applies here but there is a strong emphasis on the technical elements of the image, i.e.
Control and use of colour, contrast and tone
Presentation
Detail and sharpness
From a single subject to family groups. Young and old. Pets may be included in this category either on their own or with family members. The style may be classic, modern, documentary or environmental. This is a social category. Corporate Portraits would be under the Commercial Category. Likewise, Fine Art Portraits fall under Fine Art. Please bear in mind that Portrait images must be derived from commissioned portrait sessions and that images with the same subject and/or from the same scene/session cannot be entered into multiple categories.
Additional pointers:
Use of lighting appropriate to the style of portrait
Direction and posing of the subject(s)
Interaction between the subject and the viewer
Emotional Impact
No composite images can be used unless ALL elements of the composite are also photographed by the entrant
Documentary and environment portraits are included in this category
May be any image connected with a Wedding. It should contain, or clearly relate to, a bride or groom (or both!). For example, you may have a reportage image of a wedding guest, but it must be clearly demonstrated that there is a link to a wedding. Images may be of any wedding style.
Images must have been taken at a real wedding (not training course or personally arranged shoots).
Control of the subject(s) where appropriate
Use of lighting
Use of the venue/setting
Emotional Impact
Artistic Merit
Storytelling
There are three distinct sub-categories.
Classic
Documentary
Open Creative
Posed, classic photography. Posed shots of the couple, an individual bride or groom or the group at large. Successful entries involve direction from the photographer, and excellent control of scene, light and pose.
The “Open” element of this category allows for wedding images which are not classically posed, or do not meet the strict criteria for documentary to be submitted. Judges will expect a high degree of impact, creativity and technical skill from such images in this category. Entrants are advised to only enter images which go beyond the norms of a typical wedding photograph.
Posing or client interactions may be casual, unusual, possibly break convention. Compositions, cropping and styles of processing may also be key elements in an award-winning image of this type. The photographer must clearly convey their understanding of the elements of modern, creative photography and show that they have attempted to understand the genre.
Documentary, reportage or journalistic photography. The aim of this type of photographic style is to document the wedding day in without direction, conveying a clear narrative. The photographer must show that the image was completely undirected and had a 'hands off' approach when taken. Nothing posed, staged or from the couple shoot (including first look) any specific portrait session or any specific dedicated set of formal group photos (even if candid moments during those parts of the day should be submitted here.
It imperative that the image tells a story. This is where there is a difference between documentary and candid. There are many moments that can be captured on the fly, i.e. ‘candidly’ but this does not necessarily make it a documentary image. The judges will be looking for a story/drama/life/emotion, looking to see that the photographer has composed the shot to include the elements needed to convey that story. A simple candid shot is not documentary, judges will be looking for more.
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TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Close attention needs to be paid to the technical specification of the submitted images also:
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IPPVA 2022 Awards - Photography Heat 2
