PSA – NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY RULES

1. Definition of Nature Photography (PSA)Nature photography truthfully depicts natural phenomena, including:

• animals
• plants
• geology
• natural landscapes
• underwater life

The purpose of Nature photography is to present an accurate, ethical, and realistic portrayal of the natural world, while maintaining a high technical standard.

2. Fundamental Principles (Mandatory)Nature photographs must:

• represent a real scene
• maintain a natural appearance
• not alter the meaning of the scene or the behavior of the subject
• comply with ethical standards related to nature conservation and animal welfare

Truth and authenticity take precedence over pictorial aesthetics.

3. Human-Made Elements (Rules effective from 2025)Human-made elements may appear in a Nature image only if they fall into one of the following three categories:

• Integral elements of the nature story (e.g., a bird perched on a power line when it is a genuine part of the environment)
• Small, unavoidable background features (e.g., distant roads, fences, buildings)
• Scientific equipment attached to animals (e.g., GPS collars or research tags)

If a human-made element becomes dominant, distracting, or intentionally included, the image is not acceptable.

4. Practices That Are Not Allowed❌ Staged or arranged scenes

• Manipulation of natural animal behavior
• Attracting subjects using food or sound
• Removing, repositioning, or relocating plants or animals
• Images depicting anthropology or archaeology

The photographer must act as a passive observer, not an active participant.

5. Zoos, Rescue Centers, and Ethical FarmsPhotography is permitted in:

• accredited zoological facilities
• wildlife rescue centers
• ethical farms

Conditions:

• best practices must be followed
• the environment must appear natural
• animals must not show signs of obvious control, restraint, or coercion
• 6. Image Processing and Editing ✔️ Permitted Adjustments:cropping
• straightening
• perspective correction
• removal of technical imperfections (dust spots, noise, chromatic aberration, lens distortion)
• global and selective adjustments of:
• brightness
• contrast
• color balance
• only within the limits of a natural and realistic appearance
• full conversion to monochrome
• ! Prohibited Adjustments:adding, removing, or relocating any elements
• compositing multiple images
• ! HDR or techniques that alter the reality of the scene
• selective blurring or darkening to conceal elements
• unnatural colors or extreme saturation/desaturation

!!! If the processing alters the reality or meaning of the scene, the image is not acceptable.
Artificial intelligence are not allowed.

PSA – PHOTOJOURNALISM GUIDELINES

1. Essence of Photojournalism (PSA Definition)
A photojournalistic image must:

• convey information
• have emotional impact
• depict real events and real-life situations
• preserve the authenticity and truthfulness of the scene

Storytelling and truth take precedence over aesthetic quality.

2. Permitted Adjustments (PSA)
Minimal processing aimed at preserving reality:

• cropping
• straightening
• perspective correction
• removal of technical imperfections such as:
• dust spots
• noise
• chromatic aberration
• lens distortion
• global and selective adjustments of:
• brightness
• contrast
• saturation
• color balance
• only within the limits of a natural and realistic appearance
• full conversion to monochrome
• sequential images (typically 2–4) combined into a single image, each separated by a thin white border, clearly depicting a progression of events or related activity

3. Prohibited Adjustments (PSA)
Any manipulation that alters image content:

• adding, removing, or moving elements
• changing relationships between elements in the scene
• “cleaning” the image of meaningful or informative details

Manipulative processing:

• selective blurring or darkening to obscure elements of the original scene
• partial color or partial toning
• unnatural colors
• extreme saturation or desaturation
• HDR or other techniques that alter the reality of the scene

If the processing changes the meaning of the image, the image is not acceptable.

4. Staging and Direction (Strict PSA Rule)The following are not allowed:

• staged or arranged situations
• set-up events
• hired models
• subjects directed or instructed by the photographer
• events organized specifically for photographic purposes

These are among the most common reasons for disqualification.

5. Human Interest (If Offered as a Separate Section or Award)
Human Interest images must:

• focus on human emotion
• show interaction between people
• depict an unusual, meaningful, or emotionally engaging situation
• exclude sports action

Human Interest is considered a subset of photojournalism, with emphasis on personal storytelling rather than the event itself.

6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) – PSA PositionPSA policy is explicit:
AI-generated images are not permitted
AI tools that alter or create image content are not permitted
AI-assisted tools used for:

• noise reduction
• technical image optimization

are allowed only if they do not change the content, meaning, or authenticity of the scene.
For this reason, PSA states:
“PSA Statements on Artificial Intelligence and Subject Matter apply to all sections.”