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Your images for the set subject of Tryptich (1 open subject images, 1 set subject Images) are due by 9PM Wednesday, 28th of October 2026.

Definition:

A triptych photo is created from three separate photographic panels, which can either be three distinct images that share a common theme or a single larger image divided into three sections.

Your images for the set subject of Annual Competition (1 open subject images, 1 set subject Images) are due by 9PM Wednesday, 11th of November 2026.

Definition:

Only images captured within the past 12 months from submission date are eligible.
Images that have received an Honour or a Merit may also be submitted into this competition.

The Competition Categories (one Image per Category) are:
• Print - Colour - Open Subject
• Print - Monochrome - Open Subject
• Digital Image - Colour - Open Subject
• Digital Image - Monochrome - Open Subject

The competition is conducted in two grades:
• A grade members
• B (includes both AB and B grade members)

The Mount Gravatt Photographic Society, in close partnership with Karl and Eligia’s family, is deeply honoured to announce the establishment of the Annual Eligia Sword Memorial Bird Photography Competition.
Eligia was a deeply loved, highly respected, and talented member of our club whose passion for bird photography inspired so many of us.

To celebrate her memory and continue her legacy, Karl and her family have generously offered to establish and support this annual award.
We hope this competition serves as a lasting tribute to her incredible spirit and dedication to nature photography.

Competition Details & Rules

Entries Close: 11th November 2026 @ 9:00 PM
Judging: Awards will be presented and celebrated at our annual MGPS Christmas Party.
Grades & Sections: Grade A & Non-A Grade
Prizes 1st Place: $150 Cash Prize & Engraved Glass Trophy
2nd Place: $80 Cash Prize
Medium: 1 x Digital entry.

 All submitted entries will be displayed during the Christmas party.

Subject
Images may be of wild birds or those kept in captivity e.g. at wildlife parks and similar.
No people may be present in the photo, and evidence of the hand of man may be included but must be kept minimal. E.g. birds may be sitting on fences or fenceposts, wires or other manmade structures.
The welfare of the birds being photographed must be considered at all times.

Rules
All parts of the work must be photographed by the maker.
Images may not be composited, though focus stacking is permitted.
Images may have minimal editing of subject matter – small distractions (for example highlights and intrusive small twigs, leaves or branchlets or other small distracting elements) comprising only a very small part of the image may be tended to (e.g. by cloning / healing or similar), but no evidence of their removal should be noticeable.
Adjustments such as brightness, hue, saturation and contrast etc, whether global or local may be used, such that all editing adjustments appear natural.
Images may be monochrome; they do not necessarily need to be greyscale.
No elements external to the original image(s) may be brought in by AI-assisted processes or similar.
Images entered previously in monthly club competitions may be entered.
Images entered in a previous Eligia Sword Memorial Bird Photography Competition may not be entered again.

The original raw or unedited files, and images either side may be requested by the judge, the MGPS Committee, or the MGPS Competitions Officer in consultation with the President.

Your images for the set subject of Nature (1 open subject images, 1 set subject Images) are due by 9PM Wednesday, 9th of December 2026

Definition:

Nature photography records all branches of natural history except anthropology and archaeology.
This includes all aspects of the physical world, both animate and inanimate, that have not been made or modified by humans.

•  Nature images must convey the truth of the scene that was photographed.
• A well-informed person should be able to identify the subject of the image and be satisfied that it has been presented honestly and that no unethical practices have been used to control the subject or capture the image.
• Images that directly or indirectly show any human activity that threatens the life or welfare of a living organism are not allowed.
• The most important part of a Nature image is the nature story it tells.
• High technical standards are expected, and the image must look natural.
• Objects created by humans, and evidence of human activity, are allowed in Nature images only when they are a necessary part of the Nature story.
• Photographs of human-created hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral animals, domesticated animals, human-created hybrid animals and mounted or preserved zoological specimens are not allowed.
• Images taken with subjects under controlled conditions, such as zoos, are allowed.
• Controlling live subjects by chilling, anaesthetic or any other method of restricting natural movement for the purpose of a photograph is not allowed.
  
  EDITING GUIDELINES
  
• Processing or editing must be limited to making the image look as close to the original scene as possible, except that conversion to grayscale monochrome is allowed.
• Allowed editing techniques:
  • Cropping, straightening and perspective correction.
  • Removal or correction of elements added by the camera or lens, such as dust spots, noise, chromatic aberration and lens distortion.
  • Global and selective adjustments such as brightness, hue, saturation and contrast to restore the appearance of the original scene.
  • Complete conversion of colour images to grayscale monochrome.
  • Blending of multiple images of the same subject and combining them in camera or with software (exposure blending or focus stacking);
  • Image stitching – combining multiple images with overlapping fields of view that are taken consecutively (panoramas).