Assigned Topic Definitions for 2018/2019

Abandoned (anything) – The picture must convey that the subject is left to fall into a state of disuse and is given little or no attention. For this competition, the abandoned subject can be anything, except for people. For example, it could be a building that is falling apart and shows signs of neglect, a rusty car, a deserted field, a factory, or an old road/railroad that is no longer in use. Abandonment must be evident when the picture is viewed, not with the help of the title or because it’s a known subject.

Abstract – an abstract picture does not have an immediate association with a specific object. It could be a composition that concentrates on the fine details of an object, such as patterns, textures, colors, lines, curves, and edges of elements, but not the object itself. An abstract could also be a scene or an object where the photographer removed the details to create a more conceptual image using creative methods during the capture or in post processing. For example, distorted reflections, soft silhouettes of people, multiple overlapping images.

Astro (Moon, Milky Way, Stars, Sunrise, Sunset...) – The main subject in the picture must be an astronomical object, celestial event, or a part of the night sky. A sunrise/sunset picture will qualify only if the sun is the main element in the picture.

Black & White – A black and white image containing various shades of grey from black to white is considered to be monochrome photo. A black & white work toned entirely in a single color will remain a monochrome work able to stand in the black & white category (e.g., sepia toned). No additional colors will be allowed in the B&W images (e.g., selective coloring).

Landscape – Landscape photography shows wide nature scenes with minimal or no inclusion of man-made objects. A landscape photo is made outside the city and shows an open scene. It’s permissible to include man-made elements, such as a road, a fence, a house, a vineyard, or a barn. However, these should only be small supporting elements in the scene. For example, a road may provide a leading line or a person or a house may be used to enhance the composition, act as an anchor point, or show scale relative to the vast landscape.

Panorama (aspect ratio > 16:9) – The picture may be created by any method (e.g., camera set to panorama mode, panning the camera in pano mode, cropping, stitching multiple shots), but the aspect ratio must be 16:9 or wider.