Master of Photography NFFF – a portfolio title

Photographs where buildings, structures, or architectural details form the main subject. The image may be documentary or artistically interpretive but must retain recognisability of structure and form. Light, lines, materials, and perspective are key elements.

Allowed: Direction and colour correction, cropping, perspective adjustment.
Not allowed: Excessive manipulation that alters the building’s shape or proportions; combining several buildings from different locations.

Photographs that document real events, situations, or people without staging. The image should appear natural. No excessive use of colour, contrast, or sharpness. No urban elements. No human presence unless it is part of the story of nature. The purpose is to convey a true story with visual strength and authenticity.

Allowed: Cropping, tonal and colour adjustments.
Not allowed: Adding, removing, or moving elements; alterations that distort the actual event; use of models or staged setups.

Photographs where the human body, wholly or partially nude, is the main subject. The focus may be on form, light, texture, and aesthetics — not on sexualisation. The image can be artistic, documentary, or symbolic.

Allowed: Lighting setup, minor retouching, cropping.

Photographs where the expanse, light, structure, and atmosphere of nature or the city form the main theme.
Landscape photography depicts nature’s forms, light, and moods — mountains, forests, coasts, or open plains — while cityscapes focus on urban environments where architecture, streets, light, and man-made structures create the composition.
The aim is to convey the character, mood, and spatial sense of a place — whether the calm of nature or the pulse of the city.

Allowed: Tonal and colour correction, cropping, moderate HDR, and contrast/light adjustment. Long exposures, filters, and panoramic shots.
Not allowed: Composites of different locations that create a false landscape/city view; adding or removing major elements (buildings, mountains, sky, etc.); excessive manipulation that makes the image unrealistic.

Photographs that highlight the identity, expression, and character of a person or group. A portrait may be taken in a studio, in natural light, or in the subject’s own environment (environmental portrait). The focus is on the person—face, gaze, body language, and presence—and on conveying personality or mood rather than action.

Allowed: Cropping, colour and tonal adjustments, black-and-white conversion. Light and discreet retouching (skin, contrast, sharpness) to preserve the person’s natural appearance.
Not allowed: Excessive retouching that significantly alters the person’s identity or body shape. Manipulation where elements are added or removed to change the narrative

Photographs capturing spontaneous moments in public spaces, often featuring people in the scene. The focus is on the interaction between people, architecture, and the rhythm of urban life. Authenticity and the moment itself are key.

Allowed: Black-and-white conversion, cropping, light adjustment.
Not allowed: Staging, manipulation of people or scenes, compositing.

Photographs that capture action, movement, and energy in sport — both professional and amateur. Timing, drama, and respect for the event’s authenticity are essential.

Allowed: Cropping, contrast enhancement, white balance adjustment.
Not allowed: Adding/removing elements, altering results or the course of events.

Photographs documenting a public or private event such as a concert, festival, wedding, demonstration, or theatre performance. The focus is on atmosphere, interaction, and storytelling.

Allowed: Light and colour adjustments, cropping.
Not allowed: Staging, moving people, excessive manipulation of atmosphere.

Photographs that deliberately break with realism, combining elements from multiple captures or digitally manipulating images to create a new visual expression. Artistic freedom and imagination are central.

Allowed: All forms of digital manipulation, montage, compositing, colour changes, texture work.

Photographs featuring inanimate objects — natural (e.g. fruit, flowers, stones) or man-made (e.g. kitchen utensils, books, furniture, etc.). The composition may be consciously arranged by the photographer or partly “found”, but the image should focus on the objects without human activity as the main subject.

Allowed: Adjustments in light, composition, colours, choice of background, and arrangement of objects.
Not allowed: Excessive digital interventions altering the nature of objects, such as adding something that was not there.

Photographs taken from the air using a drone, offering a perspective not possible from ground level. The focus may be on landscape, architecture, patterns from above, environment, or human activity seen from a high viewpoint. The image should create a sense of space or overview, typically showing a larger context.

Allowed: Drone flights following local regulations; drone photography used for documentary or artistic purposes.
Not allowed: Flying drones illegally, disturbing wildlife or people.

Photographs that express the character of a place, landscape, culture, people, or event encountered while travelling or staying away from one’s daily surroundings. The images should show authenticity — the place and culture as they are, not staged or artificially arranged (e.g. people in traditional clothing only if natural to the context). This includes landscapes, streets, markets, architecture, and people in their natural environments.

Allowed: Photos from travel at home or abroad depicting culture, people, architecture, and environment; minor digital corrections.
Not allowed: Arranged scenes where people or events are staged solely for photography; portraits with hired models clearly posed without relevance to the location; heavy manipulation or fusion of elements unless permitted by rules; close-ups lacking context that obscure the sense of place.

Photographs that document real events, situations, or human conditions as they occurred. The goal is to tell a truthful visual story with journalistic integrity, where authenticity, timing, and content are more important than aesthetic perfection. The image must not be staged, and the photographer’s intervention must be minimal.

Allowed: Cropping, adjustment of exposure, contrast, and colour tone. Conversion to black and white, if it doesn’t change the meaning of the image. Technical corrections that ensure an accurate and faithful representation.
Not allowed: Staging, directing, or reenacting actions. Adding, removing, or moving content within the image. Manipulation that alters the course of events, context, or message.