HomeCompetitions 2024-25

PSA Competitions

The LVPC has the chance to compete against national and international clubs as members of the Photographic Society of America (PSA). For the past ten years, we have proudly received some top awards as a club and so have some of our members for their individual images!

There are three rounds per year beginning in October and ending in April of the following year. The LVPC will compete in 2 divisions of PSA competition: Nature and Pictorial Image Division (PID) Color. We are allowed to submit up to just 6 images in each division for each round, or a maximum 12 images, per round. We are competing in group A, the highest level, in both divisions.

Members are invited to submit up to 3 images for each division for consideration. A selection panel from the club will make the final determination of which images will go on to PSA for judging. The selection process is based on image quality, story, and the photographer's observation of the PSA rules for the division.

Photographers may compete with only ONE club during a competition season. If you are competing with the LVPC you cannot submit images to PSA with any other organization.

Congratulations 2024/25 Round 1 Award Winner Wayne Kliewer

PSA Interclub Division Definitions and Allowable Editing:

Image Creation and Authorship

In all sections of an exhibition, images must originate as photographs made by the entrant. Entrants may not incorporate images or image elements authored by anyone else (for example textures, replacement skies, clipart or stock images), and there is zero tolerance for plagiarism. Editing or alteration of images is only permitted within the limits specified in the division definitions.

Statement on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Images created solely by image creation software (frequently called “AI” images) are not allowed to be submitted for competition. Any person submitting an AI generated image (in whole or in part) that does not begin with a photograph from the maker shall be prohibited from competing in Interclub competition.

Statement on Subject Matter - applicable to all sections

The fundamental rule that must be observed at all times and applies to all sections offered in exhibitions with PSA recognition is that the welfare of living creatures is more important than any photograph. This means that practices such as baiting of subjects with a living creature and removal of birds from nests, for the purpose of obtaining a photograph, are highly unethical, and such photographs are not allowed in any exhibition with PSA recognition. Under no circumstances may a living creature be placed in a situation where it will be killed, injured or stressed for the purpose of obtaining a photograph. Images that show live creatures being fed to captive animals, birds or reptiles are not permitted under any circumstances.

There are also concerns about the use of aerial photography, using drones, helicopters, or low flying aircraft. These should not cause any interference with other individuals or animals which causes a disturbance in their normal activity or disrupts the way any individual or animal interacts with their environment. Entrants in PSA recognized exhibitions should comply with all relevant laws and regulations associated with aerial photography in the country in which the image was taken.

Judging and Scoring Process

No more than one image per photographer can be submitted to PSA for each division. Images not selected for a current round will be considered for future rounds. However, once an image is selected and submitted to PSA for scoring it cannot be resubmitted for any future competition in any division. Annual image submissions can be viewed in the website Gallery (see menu at the top of the webpage).

Competition Registration
Please register your participation through the event calendar first.
You can register for both divisions at once, or separately. We are unable to submit any images without a completed current registration.

Detailed instructions for uploading your images will be provided after you register. You will upload your images to the club's Dropbox folder for the correct competition division. Links for uploading images will be included in your registration confirmation.

Your images must conform to the following size and naming conventions to be considered.

1. PSA image specs:
a. Images must be JPG format/sRGB color space.
b. Images shall be sized to a maximum of 1920 pixels on the long side and 1080 pixels on the short side.
c. Square images are to be a maximum of 1080 X 1080 pixels.
d. Please resize your images accordingly. DPI is not a concern.

2. Rename your images: LastName_FirstName_Image Title, e.g. Smith_John_A Beautiful Day

PSA Guidelines
2025/26 General Interclub Guidelines
2025/26 Visual Guide Revised
2025/26 Nature-Photography-Judge-Guide
2025/26 Host Club General Guidelines
2025/26 PSA Interclub Scoring Guide
2025/26 PSA-PID Color Host Clubs Judging Calendar

PSA Submission Deadlines for 2025-26

Competition Round 1 - Due November 15, 2025

Competition Round 2 - Due February 15, 2026

Competition Round 3 - Due April 15, 2026

Competition Image Gallery

Nature
PID