2023 XVII ASFERICO International Nature Photography Competition
Send your images to participate in Asferico 2023, one of the most important contest of naturalistic photography, arrived at its 17th edition.
In the this edition of Asferico 2023, the total prize value will be higher than 13.000 €.
Participants may enter their images into eight categories. The overall winner, selected from the pool of winners of the eight categories, will receive 3.000 € cash + carbon gimbal type KEVLASS Z (approx. value of 700 € *) offered by ZENELLI ( www.zenelli.it)
Each of the remaining 7 winners will receive a prize of 500 € cash, while the runner up of each category will receive a 250 € prize. Furthermore, 8 more photographer will be selected in each of the eight categories.
In the young photographers category will be awarded the two pictures of the age groups with a 200 € gift card *. The runner up of each age group will receive the competition catalog.
All winners and selected photographers will receive the catalogue of the contest, are invited to participate in the awards ceremony and to attend the gala dinner during Asferico 2023 Photofestival.
DATES AND DEADLINES
| 01 October 30 November 2022 |
Submit of images |
| 02 January 2023 | Pre-selection outcomes |
| 02 ÷ 18 January 2023 | Request for RAW and JPEG format files in high resolution and image descriptions |
| 27 ÷ 29 January 2023 | Jury |
| 06 February 2023 | Notification of winners |
CATEGORIES
Landscape
The majesty of a scenario or the intimacy of a glimpse represent the inspiration of every photographer, who has to instill the feeling of amazement given by the uncontaminated nature.
Underwater worlds
The underwater world is unknown to most people. The submarine life (plants, animals or habitats), from marine to freshwater environments, is a fascinating subject and it can be portrayed with images able to tell their essence in a unique and unforgettable
experience.
Mammals
The fantastic diversity of shapes, behaviors and relationships of the animal kingdom can be pictured through portraits, settings or action scenes able to instill the character or the soul of the subject in an original and exciting way.
Birds
The fantastic diversity of shapes, behaviors and relationships of the animal kingdom can be pictured through portraits, settings or action scenes able to instill the character or the soul of the subject in an original and exciting way.
Other animals
The fantastic diversity of shapes, behaviors and relationships of the animal kingdom can be pictured through portraits, settings or action scenes able to instill the character or the soul of the subject in an original and exciting way.
Plants and fungi
The delicacy of a flwer or the strength of an ancient tree are few examples of a biodiversity that can be portrayed in many diffrent ways through the sensitivity of a careful observer.
Composition and forms
The beauty of nature can be resumed with imagination and creativity playing with shapes and colors and with blurry and reflctions while looking for unique and personal visions.
Man and nature
A combination of contrasts and contradictions, but also of balances and coexistence. Every photographer for once in his/her life must have photographed meaningful pictures able to impress the observer sensitizing to a respect for nature that is often lacking.
JURY
 |
Marco Ferrari
(Italy), Science journalist, collaborator of |
 |
Zoltan Nagy
(Romania) |
 |
Perdita Petzl
(Austria) |
|
|
Dani Salgado
(Spain) |
 |
Mauro Tronto
(Italy) |
AWARDS
ABSOLUTE WINNER
- Money prize of 3.000 €
- Carbon gimbal type KEVLASS offred by ZENELLI
- Competition catalog
CATEGORY WINNERS AND RUNNERS UP
- Category winners:Money prize of 500 € + Competition catalog
- Runners up:Money prize of 250 € + Competition catalog
YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHERS WINNERS
- Category winners:200 € GIFT CARD + Competition catalog
- Runners up:Competition catalog
COMPETITION RULES
PARTICIPATION
- The competition is open to amateur or professional photographers of any age or nationality.
- Subscription fee for photographer is € 25,00.For the young photographers (aged 17 and under on the opening date of the competition) subscription is free(point 24).
- Each entrant is allowed a total of thirty (30) entriesinto the Adult Competition, such total is intended to be distributed freely across the different categories.
- Participation is exclusively on line on the website www.asfericocontest.it.
- Any contact with the Owners should be only via the email address: info@asfericocontest.it. Any entrant will be responsible for her/his own security/spam restrictions. In order to avoid the loss of any communication from Asferico Staff please verify your own restrictions.
- By submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to the Rules. English and Italian are the languages used by the staff and for the final texts inside the catalogue.
IMAGES
- Digital files and scan slides are accepted. Files editing is permitted only if limited to a basic cleaning (removal of stains due to dust on the camera sensor and noise reduction), slight saturation and contrast or adjustment of tonal values and curves. Croppingis allowed but must not exceed 35%of the original image area and always taking into account the effects on the final fie sizes. Borders, signatures or watermarks should not be included into the images. The colour space must be Adobe RGB (1998).
- Digitally manipulated images are not accepted except the ones complying with limits described in section 7). The image must remain an intact and faithful representation of shapes, behaviours or natural phenomena. It is not also allowed the insertion or deletion of elements within the image.
- Pictures resulting from the fusion of two or more shots are allowed only for panoramic images or to extend the dynamic range (HDR). The single shots used must be taken in the same place and at the same time and the resulting picture must follow than expected in the points 7) and 8) in order to guarantee the authenticity of the final picture. Multiple exposures are allowed only if part of the native functions of the camera (incamera) with the generation of a single RAW file.
- Images must be submitted in low resolution: each shot must have the longer side of 1920 pixels, resolution of 72 dpi and jpgformat with weight not heavier than 3 MB. Renaming of files is not necessary.
- Entrants will be contacted by email if the submitted image(s) has passed the pre-selection stage and instruction on how loading RAWand high resolutionfiles, compulsory to enter the final phase of the competition, will be provided together with the communication. Every entrant will be able to track the progress of every single image online.
- High-resolution digital files in JPEG formats must have the longer side measuring not less than 3000 pixels, and the same cut and colour of the jpg image uploaded during the registration process. Original capture files as recorded by the camera with no manipulation in RAW are also required. In case of panoramic or HDR images all the single RAW files used must be included in a compressed folder (for example ZIP).If high resolution digital files and original capture files will not be submitted or non-compliance of the rules, the participant will be disqualified.
- The jury may request the original slides if the scans will be considered as highlight or winning pictures.In case of non-receipt, the image will be disqualified.
ETHICS AND BEHAVIOUR
- Subjects must be photographed in their natural environment. Photos of pets and animals bred in captivity, birds in their nest as well as photos of cultivated plants or landscapes including human elements, will not be accepted. The jury reserves the right to reject images which may be in contrast with the ethic of the contest.
- The judges will appreciate images not awarded in other contests and if possible unpublished.
SELECTION
- he jury selection will be according the following steps:
I. Image compliance:all the images submitted before the end of the contest will be verified by Asferico Staff in order to verify ONLY the compliance with clause 7 and 15.
II. Pre-selection:the jury will choose independently the images for the fial selection.
III. Final Selection:the jury will meet and select the awarded images. - The Jury reserves the right to move entries from one category to another where applicable and appropriate.
- The jury‘s decisions will be final.
- Rejected images will not be refunded.
USAGE RIGHTS
- All the rights on photos entering the competition must be author’s property and be without bonds with agencies or publishers.
- AFNI and Asferico, will be entitled to a free use of the winning and selected images, that will eventually be published in the magazine, in the competition catalogue, on websites or in brochures and calendars. Furthermore, photos may be showed in exhibitions related to the competition and whenever the organizers of the competition will deem it necessary. The names of images authors will always be mentioned.
- You can fid all additional information on the site FAQ.
CATEGORY FOR YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHERS
- A new category for young photographers is introduced:
I. Aged 14 and under.
II. Aged 15 -17. - For the young photographers entry is free and subject to authorization by one of the parents or the guardian.
- Young photographers may submit a maximum of five (5) imagesbetween various categories.
- The categories are those mentioned in the general competition rules.
- Entrants have to comply with the rules described between points 4 and 21.
- In the case of preselection, the RAW files will be requested or, in their absence and only for the young photographers section, the original JPGs as taken by the camera. If necessary the jury reserves the right to request the next or previous shots of the selected one.
- A document that attests the age of the young entrants is required.
- Will be awarded and published only the winner and the runner up of each age group (I and II).
ASSOCIAZIONE FOTOGRAFI NATURALISTI ITALIANI
