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Discover the detailed category definitions for the 20×16″ Print Competition by The Society of Photographers. From Advertising and Commercial to Fashion, Portraits, and the Natural World, explore the guidelines for each category and prepare your entries for this prestigious global competition.

Advertising and Commercial 
Images entered may be of the following genres: Advertising, Product, Food, Architectural, Still Life, Interior Design as well as Marketing Material, Headshots and Business Portraits. Commissioned Work only.

Children
Images must be of children aged over 42 days and below 18 years of age. Group shots are permitted, however parents not permitted unless being used as a prop (example shoulder/arm not showing face) Commissioned and self-commissioned work permitted.

Creative Portrait
Images entered can be taken in a studio or environmental setting. Images entered into this category should be experimental or innovative, pushing the boundaries of what is expected to be the norm. Models permitted. Commissioned and self-commissioned work permitted.

Family and Group Portrait
Images entered must be of 2 or more subjects (this includes pets and their owners) and can be either contemporary or traditional portraits taken in a studio or environmental setting. Models permitted. Commissioned and self-commissioned work permitted.

Fashion (including Wedding Fashion)
Images entered into this category can show clothing, jewellery, makeup, accessories, hair or any other specific fashion item. Models wearing bridal gowns should be entered into this category instead of the Wedding categories. Commissioned and self-commissioned work permitted.

Illustrative
Images entered may be of the following genres: Pictorial, Fine Art, Digital Art, Abstract, Composite and Concept work. Please note you will be required to send the original RAW file to terrie@thesocieties.net prior to the closing date for entries in order for your image to verified and accepted. Commissioned and non-commissioned work permitted.

Individual Portrait
Images entered must be of one human subject (no pets permitted). In the case of composite images the subject may not be placed into the image more than once and all reflections must be achieved in-camera. Models permitted. Images can be in a contemporary or traditional style and can be taken in a studio or environmental setting. Commissioned and self-commissioned work permitted.

Maternity
Images entered can be taken in a studio or environmental setting. This category is specifically for images of pregnant people. Partners and siblings are permitted. Commissioned and self-commissioned work permitted.

Monochrome
Images entered into this category must be coloured in one single tonal range. There are no restrictions on the type of images permitted in this category.

Newborn
Images must be of children aged 42 days and below, or have a corrected age of 42 days and below in the case of prematurely born children. Parents not permitted unless being used as a prop (example shoulder/arm not showing face). Commissioned and self-commissioned work permitted.

Nouveau
Images may only be entered by entrants who are first time entrants of The Society of Photographers’ 20×16 competition. There are no restrictions on the type of images permitted in this category. Each image will receive a spoken critique during the live judging process.

Open
Images can be of any genre. Commissioned and Self-Commissioned work permitted.

Pet Portrait
Images entered into this category must be portraits of domestic or tamed animals which kept for personal companionship or pleasure, examples of this include (but are not restricted to) cats, dogs, small reptiles and mammals which live with their owner in a home environment. Images taken of captive wild animals not permitted. Examples of this are livestock and/or animals in zoos, wildlife parks, sanctuaries and farms where the animals are kept in enclosures and often a fee or donation is charged for visitors to see them. Commissioned and Self-Commissioned work permitted.

Photojournalism (including Wedding Photojournalism)
Images entered may be of the following genres: Wedding Reportage, Documentary, Street and Press. Images entered into this category should be those that provide a straightforward and accurate representation of people, places, objects and events with little to no input from the photographer. Minimal post processing is permitted such as cropping, conversion to black and white and dust spot removal. Photojournalistic wedding images must have been created at commissioned weddings where the entrant was the principle professional photographer and must have been taken on the day the register was signed (no models permitted.)  Please note you will be required to send the original RAW file to terrie@thesocieties.net prior to the closing date for entries in order for your image to verified and accepted.

The Natural World
Images entered can be of wild animals in their environment (showing the animal’s natural behaviours in a way that has not been directed by the entrant) plants, forests and fungi in their environment, landscapes, cityscapes or seascapes. No captive animals or studio images permitted. Although we do accept images taken from commercial hides we cannot accept images where the lighting or baiting has been set up by somebody other than the entrant. Commissioned and self-commissioned work permitted.

Visual Narrative NEW FOR 2025 
Images entered must have a strong visual narrative, telling a story through photography. Commissioned and Self-Commissioned work permitted.

Wedding
Whilst there are no restrictions on the type or subject of mages entered into this category, they must have been created at commissioned weddings where the entrant was the principle professional photographer and must have been taken on the day the register was signed. No models permitted. If several photographic elements are used in the final image, all the elements must have been taken at the same wedding. The judges are looking for images that are either styled or in a photojournalistic style. (Authors will be required to provide details of the wedding). Special consideration is given to multicultural weddings spanning multiple days. Commissioned work only.

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