DEFINITIONS FOR CATEGORIES
1. Naturescape
Photo Credit: Senaritra Dutta
Naturescape captures the beauty and grandeur of natural landscapes, including wide vistas, intimate details of the environment, and the night sky. Human elements can be present when they represent conservation efforts or showcase a positive, sustainable interaction with nature. This category also welcomes landscape photography and astrophotography, encouraging participants to explore diverse scenes, both earthly and celestial.
Key Elements:
1. Composition: Focuses on natural landscapes, such as mountains, forests, rivers, and wilderness, as well as celestial bodies in the night sky.
2. Natural Light: Daylight or night photography, including the use of the Milky Way, stars, or other celestial elements in astrophotography.
3. Human Elements (When Relevant): Human presence is allowed when it emphasizes conservation efforts or the harmonious relationship between humans and nature.
4. Astrophotography: Depicts night skies, stars, and celestial phenomena, often combined with natural landscapes.
Objective:
To inspire appreciation for both terrestrial and cosmic beauty, while promoting environmental conservation and the sustainable coexistence of humans with nature.
2. Floral Diversity
Photo Credit: Santanu Majumder
Floral Diversity highlights the variety and richness of plant life in natural ecosystems. This category focuses on capturing the beauty of flora, from forests to delicate wildflowers, without any human presence. Faunal species (animals) can be included in the images to showcase the natural interaction and ecological link between flora and fauna.
Key Elements:
1. Composition: Emphasizes the diversity and beauty of plant life, showcasing the intricate structures, patterns, and colours of various plant species in their natural habitats.
2. Natural Light: Utilizes natural lighting to enhance the textures and hues of flora.
3. Faunal Species: Animals may be included to depict the ecological relationship between flora and fauna, illustrating how they coexist and support each other within ecosystems.
4. Plant Variety: Includes a wide range of plant species like trees, flowers, shrubs, fungi, and moss in their natural environments.
Objective:
To highlight the essential role flora plays in sustaining ecosystems, with a focus on the interdependence of plant and animal life. The category encourages a deeper appreciation for the balance of natural biodiversity.
3. Animal Behaviour
Photo Credit: Mukul Mukherjee
Animal Behaviour captures the unique and fascinating actions, interactions, and natural instincts of animals in their natural environments. This category focuses on moments that reveal the behavioural patterns of wildlife, including feeding, hunting, mating, social interactions, and survival strategies.
Key Elements:
1. Natural Interaction: The image should depict animals engaging in natural behaviours, whether interacting with each other, their environment, or their prey.
2. Emotion and Instinct: Moments that showcase the emotions, instincts, or intelligence of animals, such as care for offspring, territorial displays, or hunting techniques.
3. Environmental Context: The natural surroundings should complement the behaviour being portrayed, adding context to the actions of the animals.
4. Ethical Photography: Photographs should be captured ethically, without disturbing or influencing the animal's natural behaviour.
Objective:
To celebrate the complexity and diversity of wildlife behaviour, emphasizing the importance of observing and understanding animals in their natural state. This category seeks to foster respect for wildlife and encourage conservation through appreciation of their natural lives.
4. Animal Portraits
Photo Credit: Raj Paise
Animal Portraits focuses on capturing the essence, personality, and unique characteristics of an individual animal. This category emphasizes close-up or intimate shots that highlight the subject’s features, expressions, and textures, allowing viewers to connect emotionally with the wildlife being portrayed.
Key Elements:
1. Focus on the Animal: The animal should be the primary subject, with attention to detail in its eyes, fur, feathers, or skin. The portrait should convey the animal's personality or presence.
2. Emotional Impact: The photograph should evoke a sense of connection or empathy between the viewer and the subject, showcasing the animal’s beauty, strength, or vulnerability.
3. Minimal Distractions: The background should be simple or blurred (using shallow depth of field) to ensure the focus remains on the animal.
4. Ethical Photography: Portraits should be taken in natural conditions without disturbing or stressing the animal.
Objective:
To create an emotional bond between the viewer and wildlife through intimate, expressive portraits that highlight the individuality of animals, encouraging wildlife conservation and respect for the natural world.
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5. Animal in Habitats
Photo Credit: Urmil Jhaveri
Animal in Habitats focuses on photographing animals within their natural environments, showcasing the interaction between wildlife and the ecosystems they inhabit. This category emphasizes the balance between animals and their surroundings, portraying how animals rely on their habitats for survival, shelter, food, and reproduction.
Key Elements:
1. Animal-Environment Connection: The image should highlight the relationship between the animal and its natural habitat, showing how the surroundings support its way of life.
2. Environmental Context: The environment is as important as the animal itself. The landscape, vegetation, or ecosystem should be clearly represented and form a vital part of the composition.
3. Natural Behavior: The photograph may capture the animal engaging in behaviors specific to its habitat, such as foraging, hiding, or resting.
4. Wide or Close Framing: Depending on the subject, the framing may be wide to showcase the entire habitat or closer to highlight specific interactions between the animal and its immediate surroundings.
Objective:
To illustrate the critical role of habitats in the survival and behavior of wildlife, encouraging a deeper understanding of ecosystem preservation and the protection of biodiversity through compelling visual storytelling.