Submitted image must fall within one of the following themes:

• Abstract – imaginative abstract images that showcase creativity in using shape, colour, light and composition in new ways. Both natural and everyday scenes presented with a fresh perspective are encouraged.
• Landscape – compelling landscapes from any environment urban or rural are invited. We are looking for creative perspectives and lighting that showcase the beauty of your surroundings.
• Wildlife – innovative compositions that reveal new perspectives on animals, birds, insects or reptiles that go beyond just capturing the subject’s appearance.
• Portrait – one or more persons, taken indoors or outdoors are welcome. We are seeking fresh, uncommon approaches to composing and lighting portraits.
• Still Life – artistic arrangement of inanimate objects using lighting, depth of field, and perspective to find the beauty in ordinary things.

• Eligibility Criteria – Prior to submitting any photo in a CAPA competition, all entrants must first read the CAPA Eligibility Criteria relating to images submissions. – READ ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA HERE
• Permitted Editing Techniques:

All In-Camera Techniques: Any adjustments made directly within the camera during image capture.

On-Camera Techniques: Utilizing on-camera features and settings for image enhancements.

Post-Processing Techniques: Editing the image using post-processing software.

Sky Replacement: Sky replacement is permitted, but the replacement sky must have been captured by the same photographer submitting the image into the competition.

Triptychs (an image of three (3) separated images contained in a single image) are  permitted in this competition.

Artificial Features Permitted: As of March 10, 2024, the following is a list of machine learning AI features which are permitted for use in this photo competitions:

• • • Luminar Neo includes tools like AI Structure, AI Sky Replacement, AI Skin Enhancer, and more that utilize machine learning algorithms to automate and enhance photo editing tasks.
    • ON1 Photo RAW includes tools like AI Auto Enhance, AI Match Batch Processing, and AI No-Noise AI which aim to streamline photo editing workflows.
    • DxO PhotoLab includes DeepPRIME AI technology for tasks like denoising, sharpening, and PRIME deblurring powered by machine learning.
    • Topaz Labs AI includes Gigapixel AI for upscaling images, DeNoise AI, and Sharpen AI leveraging deep learning models.

• Editing Techniques Not Permitted:

Images without Photographic Origin: Images that are entirely generated electronically with no photographic origin.

Frames, Borders, Pin-lines, and Mats: Photograph must not contain any decorative elements like frames, borders, pin-lines, or mats.  This includes the edges and markings of scanned film.  When the frame is integral to the captured image, for instance a window frame or door frame that has been captured by the camera, these elements are permitted.

Artificial Intelligence Renderings: Images that have been created or modified using specific AI generative techniques: in-painting(where AI fills in generated elements not captured by the photographer or where AI removes elements from a photograph and replaces these elements with AI generated element); or out-painting (where the AI extends beyond the original boundaries of the image captured by the photographer using generated elements). Whether with or without text prompts, these are not permitted for submission into a CAPA competitions.

We encourage you to review our  “October 1, 2024 – Updated CAPA Stance on AI-Generated Images in Photographic Competitions” (English) (French).”

Image Metadata Required:

Upon notification that their image is a potential winning entry, photographers may be required by the Director of Competitions to submit all original images, such as unretouched JPG or RAW files, along with other image files that were integrated into the submitted image.

Failure to comply with the Director’s request for image files will result in the potential winning image being withdrawn from the competition and the competition results will be re-sorted.

 These requirements aim to ensure transparency and verify adherence to the competition’s specifications regarding image authenticity and compliance with the editing criteria.

• Accepted Image Types:

– Black & White image
– Colour image
– Infrared image 

Title of Image

When images are uploaded into a competition, you are required to enter the title of your image into the Title Field.  Title can be in either  English or French or both.

Do Not: enter your name, the name of the photographer or the club name in the Title Field (that is for the Title of the image)

Do Not: include punctuation or symbols (such as / –_  , ; : ‘’ “” ! ? & $%*{} [ ] @ # &) or quotation marks in the Title of your image.

The Image Title should be simple, and introduce or set the mood or perspective for your image.  For example:  Sublime Nova Scotia Sunset

A weak image title, such as ‘pretty flower,’ will fail to stimulate the judge’s interest in the image and may result in a lower score than expected.

Image File Name

The image file name that you create prior to uploading into this competition should also be simple, and could be the same as the Image Title. For example: John Snow-Sublime Nova Scotia Sunset

Image Size – Dimensions

You must ensure your image is re-sized to meet the following two parameters:

1. 1. Saved as a jpg image with a maximum file size of 1.8 MB.
   2. Dimensions: Maximum horizontal size: 1400 pixels and maximum vertical size: 1050 pixels.

Note: Images smaller than the maximum dimensions will ONLY be accepted when one of the image edges has a horizontal size is 1400 pixels or the vertical size is 1050 pixels.  For example: square image – 1050 x 1050 pixels; 1400 x 800 pixels; or 700 x 1050 pixels.

Note: Images will NOT be rotated by the judges and will scored as submitted.

During the uploading process of your image, our online competition system will verify if the image is less than 1.8 MB and meets the two parameters.

If your image fails this verification process, you will receive an error message and it will appear below the upload image box.

Depending on the error message – you will need to either reduce the file size of the image to be 1.8 MB or less or re-size the dimensions of your image.  After doing so, please re-try uploading your image.

Suggestions – Use sRGB colour space for your image.  For colour accuracy: we strongly recommend that you calibrate your monitor to ensure colour accuracy from your monitor to the image projected to the judges.

• • An Image’s title may be used by the judges in evaluating a submission, so entrants should take care in selecting a title that complements or contributes to the vision or message being presented in the image.
  • The judges will assign scores primarily based on the ‘emotional’ components of the image, considering values such as creativity and emotional impact. Secondary emphasis will be place on the ‘technical’ aspects, followed by considerations of the ‘composition.’
  • Technical and Organizational factors, such as exposure, sharpness, focus, space, and composition, will be taken into account solely to the degree they do or do not support or reinforce the creative vision and storytelling. Images will not be penalized in scoring for so-called technical rule infractions, such as focus, if that is immaterial to the creative vision and storytelling.

  Likewise, judges take into consideration in their scoring the degree to which the entrant’s use of techniques such as colour, monochrome, duo and multi-tone, contributes to or supports the creative vision and the story telling value of the image.