TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast - TST Monthly Photo Contest 2/1/07

Source: All entries must have been exposed with a digital camera. Any other type of image is unacceptable.
File Format: JPEG (.jpg/.jpeg)
Image Dimensions: No dimension may be smaller than 500 pixels or larger than 900 pixels
Exposure Date: All entries must have been taken during the contest submission dates.
Rules:
Theme: "Love"
- Your image must be emailed to me trobertson7@comcast.net on or before midnight 02/28/2007
- Your submission email should have the title of the image.
- Also, when you email your submission, make sure you include your TST username and your entry's title.
- Only one submission per user
- Your image must NOT contain any borders or signatures or anything to distinguish the photo as your own
- Photoshop is OK to use, see below for details.
- Please, with your email, send the name of the camera used also.
- DO NOT POST THESE PICTURES on the forum. See below.
- On March 1, 2007, I will take all the submissions and post them in a voting poll. Members will then be given the chance to vote. After the winner is chosen, the photographers will be named for their respective photos.

Each photographer is only allowed to enter one photograph per contest. Attempts to enter any given contest more than once will simply replace the photographer’s current entry.

I reserve the right to request the original image that any entry was derived from. Therefore, all entries must have an original file, complete with EXIF data, available in the case of such a request. Failure to provide the original will result in disqualification.

Lastly, any submission that does not follow the rules below is subject to disqualification. If you are unsure about the rules as a whole or as they apply in a particular situation, please contact me before the submission deadline. Entries cannot be edited once voting has begun.

All entries must consist of only one single scene. Two or more scenes may not be combined to create a single composition. Multiple exposures may be combined only if the combination is for the purpose of increasing dynamic range, panoramas, and compositions that show the same scene at different time frames.

There may be no post-processing to add elements from another unrelated image. This includes (but is not limited to) the subject, supporting objects, and the background. You must compose the elements of your photograph before exposure. Do not use image editing software to create or alter the overall scene.

Filters may not be applied to add any dramatic effect to the photograph. Such filters include (but are not limited to) those which are categorized as artistic, brush strokes, distort, pixelate, render, sketch, stylize, texture (except grain), and any other similar or equivalent filters.

Spot-editing/selective-editing is an acceptable technique to improve the photograph. The list of acceptable tools includes selections, dodge, burn, sponge, clone stamp, healing brush, smudge, pen (for selections), red-eye removal, and any other filters/tools that perform similar tasks.

You may not add any text to the photo or its border through post-processing. This includes your signature and copyright information. The only exception is in the case that the text is part of the actual composition.

The use of layers is permitted within the boundaries of all other rules. This means that layers are acceptable for most editing work other than to add elements from images of a different scene/composition. Examples of acceptable layer use include (but are not limited to) layer masks, blending layers, and adjustment layers.

Post-processing may be performed on selective areas of the image or to the entire image as a whole. Examples of acceptable post-processing techniques include (but are not limited to) cropping, sizing, rotating, flipping, color balance, hue/saturation, brightness/contrast, levels, curves, noise/grain removal and addition, color mode, color casting, color balance, sharpen, unsharp mask, blur, channel mixer, and any other similar or equivalent effects.

Finally, you can always implement any photography technique imaginable as long it is performed during or before the time of exposure, without the use of any image editing software.

Voting:
Voting will take place after the submission deadline and before the end of the voting deadline.

Everyone wants constructive criticism on their contest entries, so try to leave a comment whenever possible, especially when you feel that a photo deserves a below average rating.