Digital Image Cafe Contest Rules

Only registered Digital Image Cafe members may participate in our photo contests.

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Contest Categories

Below apply to all Categories

With the exception of the Digital Art Category; Excessive Digital Manipulation, Selective Desaturation, Digitally added Frames (a 2px maximum border on edge of photo is allowed) and/or Text not allowed. Unless a specific filter attached to the camera is used in taking the picture, edit-added vignetting is not global processing and therefore disqualified from non-DA categories.

Though there is a separate category for B&W photography, members may enter a B&W or IR photo in any category as long as the content fits the subject guideline for that category.

Global Processes (as in “the entire photo” not just a selection(s)) such as Levels, Color Adjustments, HDR and RAW processing are NOT considered Digital Art.

Entries must still appear natural otherwise it will be considered DA.

Photo of the Day selections are final with the exception of copyright infringements and duplicate wins. See Terms of Use for overall Member Content Restrictions.

Please remember that the entire judging process is done manually by real human beings, mistakes will be made from time to time.

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Still Life/Other
Still Life is the type of work in which an arrangement of diverse inanimate objects, including items of food, plants and artifacts is depicted. This arrangement is often apparently random and is usually within a domestic setting. A "Still Life" is an arrangement of anything that does not move or is dead. Anything still living is not a "Still Life".

Other Photography is an entry that does not appear to fit in any other category.

Scenic
Scenic Photography is Landscapes, Cityscapes, Seascapes and Skies. Broad or wide-angle views in which the main subject is the environment. Architecture is best suited, but not limited to this category.

People
People Photography contains people or a person. Can be Portraiture, Journalism or Candid, as long as there is a person or persons presented.

Digital Art
Digital Art, contemporary art in which computer technology is used in a wide variety of ways to make distinctive works. All components of the entry must be the entrants own photography and/or artwork. No base photography is required for Digital Art. Public Domain imagery is NOT allowed.

Macro/Abstract
Macro photography refers to close-up photography. All entries should be 1:1 or larger. Subject matter is not limited to anything in particular. You need not specifically use your Macro feature.

Abstract photography is having only basic or essential form with little or no pictorial representation or narrative content. If it is immediately recognizable as an object - it is not an abstract.

Black & White
Black & White Photography depicts any subject matter in a grayscale, sepia or monotone manner.

Animal
Animal Photography depicts Animals and Insects.

Theme
Rules and guidelines will be outlined within a week of the 1st of every month.

Panos
Panos can be submitted in any category, provided they fit the category content.
Photo of The Day
  • Digital Image Cafe Upload Policy
    By submitting an image, you authorize Digital Image Cafe to publish it for display within our web site. You agree that you are the owner of the image. Under no circumstance are you allowed to submit an image that is copywritten by someone else, nor are you allowed to submit any images of a questionable nature (no nudity, no violent images, drug use, pornographic content, etc.). Digital Image Cafe reserves the right to delete any image submitted to us that we deem inappropriate. Any member that intentionally violates this policy will risk losing their membership, as well as any membership fees that may have been paid.
  • All submitted images must be your own.
  • You may submit one image in each category. Once you enter a category, you should not enter that category again until the next day. (Cutoff time is 12:00 AM EST).
  • Your image will stay active and be eligible for one week (7 days). Please do not resubmit a photo prior to the end of 10 days after it's previous submission.
  • Categories should be followed as closely as possible.
  • All winning Photo of the Day images should not be entered into any of our contests again. The exception to this is our Photo of the Month contest, where all POTD's (excluding Appetizers) are automatically entered for that period. In the event that a previous winning image is selected as a POTD again, it will be disqualified once it has been discovered.
"Appetizer" Photo of The Day
  • All Photo of the Day rules as described above apply except as noted below.
  • Only members with less than 10 wins can submit an image as an Appetizer.
  • Images submitted as "appetizer eligible" appear before the judges for 7 days in both the POTD judging pool and Appetizer judging pool. After 7 days, they are viewed in the Appetizer judging pool for an additional 3 days.
  • An "appetizer eligible" submission can still win in the monthly contest if it is selected by the judges in the first 7 days as a (non-Appetizer) POTD image. If selected as an Appetizer win, it will appear on the front page in the Appetizer section, but is not considered in Photo of the Month voting.
  • You may Opt-Out of the Appetizer Section by clicking the “Edit This Entry” link in your upload queue and following instructions there.
Photo of the Month
  • All Photo of the Day winning images are automatically entered in our Photo of the Month contest.
  • An image selected as a Photo of the Month may NOT be entered into any of our contests again, with the exception of an automatic entry into our Photo of the Quarter contest. All winning POTM images will always be available for viewing in our POTM archives.
  • You must be a member in good standing at the time any prize is awarded.
  • Picture of the Day (POTD) winners must be members with a Full Membership, in good standing for the Month awarded.
  • Prizes are awarded to all categories in our Photo of the Month contest. Certain partners have agreed to sponsor a particular category, while others leave it to our discretion. Digital Image Cafe will not work out trades between members for prizes. Digital Image Cafe and/or MacMillan, Inc. are not responsible for the non-delivery of prizes due to Sponsors failure to comply with our agreements and other circumstances beyond our control. Any or all prizes may change at any time without prior notice. Prizes are subject to change at any time, without notice.
Critique Section - Photo of The Week
  • All submitted images must be your own.
  • Photo of the Week winners will be selected by the previous POTW winner.
  • In the event that the previous winner is not available to make the selection, it will be made by Digital Image Cafe judges.