Nominations 2023

Photos taken from the air offer new perspectives to create mesmerizing and breathtaking shots, and allow us to see familiar places from unique and previously inaccessible angles. We accept photos taken from drones, airplanes, helicopters, and other flying devices.

Photographs of modern city life, with a multitude of people and cars, hustle and bustle, new constructions, and architectural landmarks. The essence of urban landscape photography is to see something in the existing city that others may not have captured yet. Shots focusing solely on individual architectural elements (like a door, window, etc.), as well as interior photos, are not accepted.

The essence of motion photography is to convey dynamics. The task is to show the progression of events and the movement of the subject over time and space.

Staged children photography, also known as artistic photography, involves posing the child in a specific style according to the photographer's vision. The photograph can feature either a single child or a group of children. The model in the photograph should be under 18 years of age. The presence of adults in the photo is allowed, but the child should be the main subject. The use of graphic editors is permitted. We look forward to emotional, unique, and memorable photos. Please upload staged children's portraits to the "Children's Portrait" section.

Children have an incredibly expressive and varied range of facial expressions, which makes photos especially lively. However, children are not concerned about the final result, and during the shoot, they are always active and constantly moving. The challenge is to make them look genuine in portraits, just as they are in real life, without forced smiles. The photograph can feature either a single child or a group of children. The model in the photograph should be under 18 years of age. The presence of adults in the photo is allowed, but the child should be the main subject. We look forward to emotional, unique, and memorable photos. Please upload staged children's photos to the "Staged Children's Photography" section. It's recommended that the subject occupy at least 2/3 of the frame area.

Wild animals, birds, fish, and other living creatures in their natural habitat. The photograph should capture an interesting moment from the animal's life, its behavior, and interaction with other species or the environment. Dynamic, emotional, memorable, and original shots are encouraged. We look forward to technically challenging photographs featuring rare animal species. The photos should not include insects, domestic animals, humans, items related to human activity, or man-made structures. Photos from zoos are not accepted.

The female portrait is a popular genre of contemporary photographic art, intriguing and beloved by many photographers. Every woman wants to be unique, distinct, and recognizable. It's these very nuances of a woman's nature that a photographer should consider and convey. The photograph should feature a non-nude model over 18 years of age. The presence of a person of the opposite sex in the photo is permitted, but the woman should be the primary subject. It's recommended that the subject occupies at least 2/3 of the frame area.

Conceptual photography stems from conceptual art; its purpose is to illustrate a particular idea. While the concept is subjective on one hand, a successful photograph will be understood by the viewer on the other. Within the realm of artistic photography, conceptual work can be quite abstract, hence it's assessed almost exclusively based on its subjective and aesthetic qualities. In this category, editing is permitted, including adding, removing, moving objects, incorporating additional graphic elements, and altering the background using graphic editing tools.

There's much in common between shooting the starry sky and macro photography. The microcosm is mysterious and fascinating. Its tiny inhabitants live right beside us, but they are rarely noticed by humans. Macro photography helps us to make them more visible and to examine them in detail. In this category, we also look forward to macro photographs of plants, water droplets, microbes, etc. We accept photos taken with microscopes.

The quality of photos taken with a mobile phone is approaching that of professional equipment. Moreover, mobile photography has one significant advantage: the phone is always at hand. The main requirement for this category is that the photograph must be taken with a mobile phone or tablet. The genre doesn't matter.

The portrait is currently one of the most common genres, but shoots involving men are much less frequent than photo sessions with children or women. By nature, men are less inclined to pose, and it's quite challenging to make a man feel relaxed in front of a camera lens. A person's fate in a single shot, emotionality, heroism, talent... The presence of a person of the opposite sex in the photo is permitted, but the man should be the primary subject. The photograph should feature a non-nude model over 18 years of age. It's recommended that the subject occupies at least 2/3 of the frame area.

Images of inanimate objects organized in a group or as standalones, arranged in a particular order with meaning. The presence of animals is permissible. Food photos aimed at creating an attractive image of food are also accepted. In these photos, human hands may be present if they are related to food preparation.

Nude photography reveals the beauty of the naked body, where the main focus of the image is the expressiveness of the pose, the image, the atmosphere, and the mood. Intimate details of the body may be concealed by shadows, gestures, or drapery, but nudity is always implied. The model in the photograph must be over 18 years old. Images focusing on exposed genitalia or lacking artistic presentation are not accepted.

(Sun above the horizon) Photographs showcasing the beauty of nature. This can include mountains, seascapes, and so on, taken during the daytime, at dawn, or in the evening. People and animals may be present in the photograph if they harmoniously fit into the frame. Original, expansive, unusual shots with an interesting play of light are encouraged. We are especially pleased to see photographs taken in harsh climatic conditions and from remote corners of our planet. Photographs where the main focus is on individual elements of nature (flowers, branches, trunks, grass, etc.) are not permitted.

(Sun below the horizon) Photographs showcasing the beauty of nature at nighttime. This can include mountains, seascapes, photographs of celestial bodies and phenomena when the sun has already set. People and animals may be present in the photograph if they harmoniously fit into the frame. Original, expansive, unusual shots with an interesting play of light are encouraged. We are especially pleased to see photographs taken in harsh climatic conditions and from remote corners of our planet. Photographs where the main focus is on individual elements of nature (flowers, branches, trunks, grass, etc.) are not permitted.

Underwater photography allows for some of the most captivating and unique images, broadening our understanding of fish behavior and simply offering immense pleasure due to excellent angles and unconventional shots. Underwater shooting poses certain challenges, as it differs significantly from air photography and carries increased risks. Photos of underwater inhabitants taken in oceanariums or fish in aquariums are not allowed.

Photos capturing staged or artificially organized scenes specifically for that shoot. In this category, we are looking for scenes with a cinematic quality, appearing as if the objects or people in them are "playing roles". It's the artistic concept that underpins any staged photograph and demands its specific realization. In this nomination, editing is allowed, including the addition, removal, or movement of objects, adding additional graphic elements, and changing the background using graphic editors.

This is a special type of photography that combines elements of landscape, portrait, lifestyle, and other photography genres. The primary objective of reportage photography is to convey the atmosphere of an event, capturing it in the faces, emotions, and poses of the participants.

Documentary photography is a genre of photography that focuses on real events, taken in public places: on the streets, in parks, on beaches, on public transport, etc. Street photography is not just about people, but about life and its rhythm as a whole. Find emotions and intriguing details where no one expects to see them - after all, the dynamic urban environment itself brings as much inspiration as the people within it. The goals of documentary photography can be defined as creating a photographic record that serves as evidence of real events, a document of an era, as well as a statement or a warning.

If you've been in photography for a while and single shots no longer interest you, then it's worth focusing on projects that don't limit the ability to tell a story. Typically, creating one photo project takes no less than a year, though generally, the longer you work on it, the better it will be. A series of photos has a much more powerful impact on the viewer. Coming up with a concept can be challenging, but it's what will form the foundation of your project.

Glamour photography focuses the viewer's attention on the model, while the clothing and background details enhance her appeal. Fashion photography aims to create a mood and atmosphere that represents a certain lifestyle. The age of the model or group of people doesn't matter.

The first photograph was taken almost 200 years ago and has since become commonplace in our lives. Black and white photography is classic. Monochrome or black and white photography consists of images with black and white colors, as well as intermediate shades of gray. Photographs in sepia are accepted. Converting photos to monochrome in graphic programs is allowed, as well as photos in sepia.

Within the competition, we accept photographs of any domestic animals, including but not limited to cats, dogs, fish, hamsters, and cows. We encourage participants to capture unique moments of their pets' lives, reflecting their individuality, character, and distinct features. It doesn't matter if your pet is exotic or common - every beloved household animal deserves to be immortalized in beautiful and original photographs. Pictures from zoos are not accepted.

"AI - Photo" is our experiment within the framework of a photo contest, which has not been conducted by us before. The main task of this nomination is to create images where even unreal objects look absolutely realistic. Artificial intelligence offers incredible opportunities for creating photographs that can become almost indistinguishable from real ones, regardless of the genre. However, be careful: if traces of neural network work are visible on the image, such a photo will be considered of poor quality. We are interested in your vision, your creative approach in any genre! The results for this nomination will be summed up separately from the others, without selecting the best photographers.