Photo STAR 2025, International Exhibition of Art Photography is organized by the PC Simanovci from Serbia. Chairman: Mr. Slobodan Cavic, 22310 Simanovci, Serbia
e-mail: [email protected] web: https://photobalkana.com/photostar

Photo STAR 2025 International Exhibition of Art Photography is divided into 6 sections, all digital:
1. (A) Open Color (color) FIAP
2. (B) Open Mono (mono) FIAP
3. (C) Woman (color & mono) FIAP
4. (D) Nature (color & mono) FIAP
5. (E) World in Focus (color & mono) FIAP
6. (F) Photojournalism (color & mono) FIAP

- Closing date: 05/02/2025
- All judging completed by 25/02/2025
- Notifications sent by 07/03/2025
- On-Line Gallery posted by 13/03/2025
- Submit reports to FIAP: 23/03/2025
- Catalogs posted by 25/04/2025
- Awards mailed by 25/04/2025
Public Exhibition:
o Simanovci – 13/03/2025
o Kupinovo – 20.03.2025.

Depending of the number of sections participant applies, the fee cost as follow:
- any 1 or 2 sections = 15 EUR (20$USD)
- any 3 or 4 sections = 20 EUR (25$USD)
- any 5 or all 6 sections = 25 EUR (30$USD)

The participation fee may be paid through: PayPal or Moneybookers.com (Skrills.com) through our web site at:
1. PayPal: https://photobalkana.com/photostar click at PAYMENT in menu or directly on email: [email protected]
2. The fee can be paid via SKRILL sending fee to email: [email protected]
3. For FSS members/ za FSS članove i srpske autore entry fee/kotizacija je 1500,00 din for all section/sve sekcije.
Bankarski racun: 200-128946454-55 kod Postanske stedionice, Uplata kotizacije Photo STAR. Nakon uplate pozeljno obavestenje putem email-a o izvrsenoj uplati.
Works by authors who do not pay the fee will not be taken into consideration.
A discount of will be given for group entries:
5-9 Entrants: 10%
10 -15 Entrant: 15%
16-20 Entrants: 20%
21 Entrants: 25%

The exhibition is open to anyone; however, an entry may be rejected when the sponsoring organization or its agent, in its reasonable discretion, believes the entry does not conform to the exhibition rules and conditions.
An entrant’s images will not be presented to the judges consecutively. An entrant’s four images will be distributed throughout four rounds of judging in that section. Distribution of images shall be in the same round order as submitted by the entrant.
Entries must originate as photographs (image-captures of objects via light sensitivity) made by the entrant on photographic emulsion or acquired digitally. By virtue of submitting an entry, the entrant certifies the work as his own (aliases are not permitted). The entrant permits the sponsors to reproduce all or part of the entered material free of charge for publication and/or display in media related to the exhibition. This may include low resolution posting on a website. Note: Entrants who indicate that their images may not be reproduced or used “will not be eligible for awards” or inclusion in audio-visuals of the exhibition “and could be subject to disqualification” by the exhibition sponsors.
Words such as “Untitled” and “No Title” are not acceptable as part or all of an image’s title, nor are camera capture filenames.

Photographs must be in JPEG format, with dimensions horizontal 1920 x vertical 1080 pixels at 300 DPI, JPEG compression (if Photoshop used for export): 7-12, file size maximum 4 Mb. No file naming is needed. Digital images cannot be altered, including resizing in either direction, by the exhibition or by the exhibition’s equipment before or during judging.
The photographs of authors with the application are submitted in these ways:
- uploading thought our web site: https://photobalkana.com/photostar

FIAP NOTICE: “I hereby expressly agree to FIAP document 018/2017 « Conditions and regulations for FIAP Patronage » and FIAP document 033_2021 « Sanctions for breaching FIAP regulations and the red list ». I am particularly aware of chapter II « Regulations for International photographic events under FIAP patronage » of FIAP document 018/2017, dealing under Section II.2 and II.3 with the FIAP participation rules, the sanctions for breaching FIAP regulations and the red list.”

1. Biljana Latinovic, EFIAP, FA2 FSS – Bosnia and Herzegovina, (for all 6 sections)
2. Cedomir Biukovic, KMF FSS, EFIAP – Serbia, (for all 6 sections)
3. Dimitar Risteski, KMFMK – North Macedonia (for all 6 sections)
Reserve:
Oliver Vukmirovic, PPSA, AFIAP – Bosna i Hercegovina

The Photo STAR 2025 International Exhibition of Art Photography will award the following medals:
• 6x FIAP Gold Medals and 12x FIAP Blue Ribbons
• 6x PBA Black Medals and 18x PBA Digital Diplomas
• 6x IAAP HM Certificates
• 3x FSS Medals and 3x FSS Diplomas
• 6x SALON Gold Medal, 6x SALON Silver Medal, 6x SALON Bronze Medal
• 36x SALON Digital Diploma
• 6x FPO ecoGold Medal, 6x FPO ecoSilver Medal, 6x FPO ecoBronze Medal
• 18 FPO Digital HM
• FIAP Blue Badge
Digital diplomas will be delivered via the participant's email.

FIAP Definition of Monochrome
A black and white work fitting from the very dark grey (black) to the very clear grey (white) is a monochrome work with the various shades of grey. A black and white work toned entirely in a single colour will remain a monochrome work able to stand in the black and white category; such a work can be reproduced in black and white in the catalogue of a salon under FIAP Patronage. On the other hand a black and white work modified by a partial toning or by the addition of one colour becomes a colour work (polychrome) to stand in the colour category; such a work requires colour reproduction in the catalogue of a salon under FIAP Patronage.
FIAP Definition for “World in Focus“
Just as with travel and tourism pictures, this section encompasses the full range of photographic genres from architecture, culture, events, food, landscape, portraits, etc. A “WORLD IN FOCUS” image expresses the spirit of an era, the essence of a place or of a culture whether it is shown in an authentic scene or whether it is arranged. Digital manipulation to optimise an image in terms of finetuning of levels and colours is allowed as long as the image looks natural. The same applies for removal of dust or digital noise. Techniques that add, relocate, replace, or remove any element of the original image, except by cropping, are not permitted.
FIAP/PSA “Photojournalism Definition”
Photojournalism entries are images with informative content and emotional impact, reflecting the human presence in our world.
Content Guidelines
• The journalistic (story-telling) value of the image should receive priority over pictorial quality.
• Images that misrepresent the truth, such as those from events or activities arranged specifically for photography, or of subjects directed or hired for photography, are not eligible.
• When Human Interest is specified, those images depict a person or persons in an interactive, emotional or unusual situation, excluding sports action.
Editing Guidelines
Processing or editing must be limited to making the image look as close to the original scene as possible.
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 color 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);

Editing techniques that are not allowed:
• Removing, adding to, moving or changing any part of an image, except for cropping and straightening.
• Adding a vignette during processing.
• Blurring parts of the image during processing to hide elements in the original scene.
• Darkening parts of the image during processing to hide elements in the original scene.
• All conversions other than to complete grayscale monochrome.
• Conversion of parts of an image to monochrome, or partial toning, desaturation or over-saturation of color
PSA/FIAP Nature 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, anesthetic or any other method of restricting natural movement for the purpose of a photograph is not allowed.
• No modification that changes the truth of a Nature image is allowed. Images may be cropped but no other technique that removes, adds or moves any part of the image is allowed.
• Techniques that remove elements added by the camera, such as dust spots, digital noise and lens flare are allowed.
• Complete conversion of colour images to greyscale monochrome is allowed. Partial conversion, toning and infrared captures or conversions are not allowed. Images of the same subject that are combined in-camera or with software by focus stacking or exposure blending are allowed. Multiple images with overlapping fields of view that are taken consecutively and combined in-camera or with software (image stitching) are allowed.

Notification cards will be sent by email.
The organizer will take all possible care handling the emails and awards, however, assumes no liability for damages and loses during shipment.