Album Design Categories:

We are looking for the best designed album. The focus will be on both the design as well as the way the story is told by way of your images and layout. There are 8 categories:

• Couple
• Wedding
• Pregnancy
• Newborn
• Babies First Year
• Portraits (Family/Holiday)
• Boudoir
• Other (Anything Else)

Architecture Categories:

• Exterior
• Interior

Architecture Photography Awards:

This award celebrates architectural photography. There are two categories, exterior and interior architecture. There are no restrictions on style, but the judges will look at technical craftsmanship, combined with artistic flair. We will consider your unique perspectives of the architectural form or how it integrates with humanity.

Bird Photography Awards:

This award celebrates bird photography. There are three categories, 

1. Bird Portraits – Close up of a bird in its environment.
2. Bird Behavior – Photographs that capture bird behavior.
3. Birds in Environment – Photographs of birds in their environment.

Cinematography Awards:

This award celebrates outstanding Wedding* cinematography. There are 3 categories

1. Best Cinematography – A short highlight film less than 10min. Judges will look at your creative shooting ability in relaying a story.
2. Best Technical Film – A short highlight film less than 10min. Judges will look at the most polished film in terms of stable shooting, sound, music, grading and clear visuals.
3. Best Story Telling – A short highlight film less than 10min. Judges will look at your ability to tell a story and evoke emotions through your editing process.

• Please only enter in Wedding specific Cinematography.

Creative Photography Awards:

This award celebrates architectural photography. There are two categories, Figurative abstraction and Conceptual photography There are no restrictions on style, but the judges will look at technical craftsmanship, combined with artistic flair.

Fashion & Fitness Photography Awards:

This award celebrates Fashion & Fitness photography. There are two categories, Fashion & Fitness. Apart from technical craftsmanship, our judges will also be looking for creative aspects, such as composition, colour, perspective and unique interpretation

Fine Art Photography Awards:

This award celebrates fine art photography. Fine art is first and foremost about the artist.  There are no restrictions on style, judges will look at technical craftsmanship, combined with artistic flair. We will consider your unique perspectives of the fine arts and how visually engaging the work is.

Composites are allowed for Fine Art,

Food Photography Awards:

This award celebrates food photography. There are 5 categories:

• Politics in Food
• Food Portraiture,
• Food at the table, celebrating Food,
• Food from the harvest,
• Food in action & Food innovation.

Judges will look at technical craftsmanship, combined with artistic flair and creative aspects, such as composition, colour, perspective and unique interpretation.

Landscape Photography Awards:

This award celebrates Landscape photography. We are looking for high-quality and creative landscape photography. Submissions can be representational, Impressionistic or abstract landscape photography 

Representational landscapes are the most natural and realistic out of all the styles of landscape photography. They should showcase the what you see is what you get mentality. The impressionistic landscape should employ photographic techniques that result in images that have vague or elusive qualities. The abstract photography should be non-objective, experimental, conceptual or concrete photography and should depict a visual image that does not have an immediate association with the object world.

We will consider your unique perspectives and technical craftsmanship, our judges will also be looking for creative aspects, such as composition, colour, perspective and unique interpretation.

Lifestyle Photography Awards:

This award celebrates lifestyle photography, the capture of portraits / people / pets in situations, real life events or milestones in an artistic manner. . There are nine categories

1. Family: Environmental image of a family. The family can consist of any amount of people.
2. Toddler & Kids: Images with kids as the main focus. Other people can be included in the image. The image should be lifestyle / journalistic.
3. Boudoir: Discreet portrait of a female, in lingerie or suggestive nude pose. Has to be tasteful and respectful.
4. Portrait: Portrait imagery of a person in lifestyle setting.
5. Pets: Pet portraits in a lifestyle setting.
6. Engagement: Close up or environmental image of the engaged couple together on their own. The Image can be lifestyle or journalistic and on location or at home.  Please note these should be real couples (no models allowed).
7. Couple: Close up or environmental image of the couple together on their own. The Image can be lifestyle or journalistic and on location or at home.  Please note these should be real couples (no models allowed).
8. Black & White: Any black and white lifestyle orientated photograph that displays people in real life events or situations in an artistic manner.
9. Cake Smash: Any creative cake smash shoot photograph with a child/children.
10. Portrait (Styled shoots): Wedding related portrait shots in any environment for a publication or portfolio.  Model/s can be used in this shot.
11. Detail (Styled shoots): Wedding related detail shots in any environment for a publication or portfolio.  This includes table settings, dress detail, decor etc.
12. Couple (Styled Shoots): Wedding related couple shots in any environment for a publication or portfolio. Model/s can be used in this shot.

We will consider your unique perspectives and technical craftsmanship, our judges will also be looking for creative aspects, such as composition, colour, perspective and unique interpretation.

Macro Photography Awards:

We are looking for high-quality and creative macro and micro photography. Any subject or theme, be it from the natural world or human-made is allowed. The only condition is that the pictures should be extreme close-ups that will show intimate subject details that could easily be missed with the naked eye. Apart from technical craftsmanship, our judges will also be looking for creative aspects, such as composition, colour, perspective and unique interpretation.

Maternity Photography Awards:

This award celebrates Maternity photography. Photography (styled, studio or lifestyle) of pregnancy. There are nine categories : 

1. Milk Bath  – Creative milk bath shoot photography of a pregnancy.
2. Lifestyle – Lifestyle photograph of a pregnant mum.
3. Outdoor – Photographs of a pregnant mum outdoor. 
4. Styled – Styled photographs of a pregnant mum indoors or outdoors. 
5. Family – Photographs of a pregnant mum with her family at home in her environment or outdoors, The family can consist of any amount of people.
6. Children – Photographs of a pregnant mum with her child/children at home in her environment or outdoors.
7. Black and white – Any black and white photograph of a pregnant mum. 
8. Gender reveal – Creative gender reveal photograph of a pregnant mum with or without her family.

Newborn Photography Awards:

This award celebrates Newborn photography, the captured photography (styled, studio or lifestyle) of a baby that is two weeks or younger. There are ten categories : 

1. Birth Photography  – Capturing the emotions and wonder experienced during the birth of a baby.  From the first labour pain to the the arrival of a baby either via natural birth or C-section.  Photographs should be discreet and tasteful.

2. Fresh 48  – Photography that captures baby the first 48 hours of his / her life.  These photos are taken in a natural lifestyle way, normally with baby in the hospital crib, on moms breast for the first time and with the hospital bands still around the ankle.

3. Posed Newborn Photography  – Posed newborn photography should consist of a well thought out composition for newborn baby to be photographed in.

4. Newborns with Parents / Family  – These photos are done either with baby wrapped up nice and tight, in an outfit or naked in parents arms.  It’s not simply a matter of grouping the family together and saying “cheese” – a perfect family photo can take a while too pose and yet can look so beautifully simple.

5. Composites / Digital backdrops – Photography done in stages and then edited in post to merge as one photo qualifies as a composite.  Digital backdrops requires elements added in post photography.

6. Lifestyle Newborn photography – Lifestyle newborn photographs of baby at home in his / her environment with or without family members.

7. Styled Newborn  – Photography done in a studio environment with a back drop and styling props to compliment the photoshoot.

8. Newborn with sibling – Newborn photography in styled or lifestyle environment with sibling/s.

9. Natural light – Newborn photography done with natural light.  Images can include close ups and finer detail of the newborn (like lashes, nose etc).

10. Black & white – Any newborn photography done in black and white.

We will consider your unique perspectives and artistic flair. Our judges will also be looking for creative aspects, such as composition, colour, perspective and unique interpretation.

Travel Photography Awards:

Show us your travel photography. We are looking at your creative perspectives of your travel adventures, capturing the exciting and worthwhile moments in life as it happens around you. Photos do not necessarily have to include people but must fall in the genre of travel photography, therefore posing, set-ups, staging or re-enacting of the scene is not allowed.

Street Photography Awards:

Show us your urban life. We are looking at your creative perspectives of the urban environment, capturing the exciting and worthwhile moments in life as it happens around you. Photos do not necessarily have to include people but must fall in the genre of Street Photography. Therefore posing, set-ups, staging or re-enacting of the scene is not allowed. You can use any camera as we will
be emphasising visual prowess rather than mere technical precision.

Wedding Photography Awards:

This award celebrates wedding photography, the capture of activities relating to weddings. There are eleven categories : 

1. Couple Together: Close up or environmental image of the couple together shot on the wedding day. Image can be directed or journalistic.
2. Bridal Portrait: The Bride is the main focus in the photograph and can be a close-up portrait or featured environmentally. Images to be taken on the wedding day.
3. Groom Portrait: The Groom is the main focus in the photograph and can be a close-up portrait or featured environmentally. Images to be taken on the wedding day.
4. Wedding Detail: Macro, styled or environmental image of any details from the wedding day.
5. Journalistic: The image cannot be posed or directed by the photographer or assistant. The image should reflect a moment in time that was simply captured but not created on the wedding day.
6. Groups & Entourage: The image can be a formal or informal shot of the family, entourage or any groups on the wedding day.
7. Reception & Party: Lighting and/or emotion will be the main focus of this image. The image must have been taken during the first dance, speeches or party on the wedding day.
8. Post wedding category rule: Only sessions with a real bride and groom after the wedding day is allowed. No styled shoots or models may be entered in the post wedding category. You may be asked to provide a link to the couple’s wedding.

Judges will look at technical craftsmanship, combined with artistic flair. Our judges will also be looking for creative aspects, such as composition, colour, perspective and unique interpretation.

Wildlife & Nature Photography Awards:

This award celebrates wildlife & nature photography. The wildlife & nature photography has 8 categories. 

The Big 5

African Carnivores

Animal interaction

Small Animals 

Macro

Black and White

Wildlife Portraits

Animal in environment