BAKU 2025 is international contest of art photography, organized by Gilavar Photo Club of Azerbaijan

A. Open Color (color) TRAD
B. Open Monochrome (monochrome) TRAD
C. Landscape (color and monochrome) TRAD
D. People (color and monochrome) TRAD

Closing date: 15.12.2025
Judging start: 16.12.2025
Judging end: 29.12.2025
Notification: 30.12.2025
Awards delivery: 15.02.2026
Online gallery: 16.02.2026

IMAGE AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Entry: An Entry consists of, up to and including, four (4) images entered by a single entrant into the same Section. An entrant may only enter a specific Section once. Entrants may not enter identical or similar images into the same section or different sections of the same exhibition. Similar is defined as almost identical in subject, composition, props, lighting, or technique so that a reasonable person viewing the entries together would decide the entrant has duplicated the previous image except for minor changes.

Titles: Each image must have a unique title that relates to the content of the image. That unique title must be used for entry of that image or of an identical Image into any and all FIAP-Recognized exhibitions. Titles must be 35 characters or fewer. No titles may be visible to the judges, and nothing in the image may identify the entrant. Titles may not include file extensions such as .jpg or .jpeg (or any other camera capture filenames such as IMG 471). Titles may not consist of personal identifiers possibly augmented by a number; or include words such as “untitled” or “no title”. Titles may not consist solely of numbers unless those numbers are prominently contained within the image, such as a contestant number in a race.

Submission of works
The entrants have to register on web-site baku.gilavar.net. After registration and authorization the applicant enters personal account and uploads images for the contest. The images on CD sent via regular mail are subject to rejection.
Technical requirements for the uploaded images:
Photos must be in JPEG format, dimensions no more than 1920 pixels horizontal by no more than 1080 pixels vertical side max. at 300 dpi, max. 2MB.
Each image must have a unique title that is a description of the image. No title or photos containing visible watermarks, names or initials will be disqualified and for this reason will not be included in the verdict. Please use only English alphabet and numeric (A-Z, 0-9).
An author may not enter identical or similar images into different categories and sections of the same salon.

The Exhibition will be conducted in accordance with the rules of the FIAP.
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 will be in the same round order as submitted by the entrant. At no stage will a judge be able to view all the entrant’s images together.

By entering this exhibition, you are explicitly consenting to the personal details you have supplied, including physical addresses, email addresses, being held, processed and used by the exhibition organizers for purposes associated with this exhibition. You also explicitly consent to such information being sent to organizations that have accorded official recognition, patronage or accreditation to this exhibition. You acknowledge, agree and accept that by entering this exhibition, your participation status which includes your first and last name, name of the country used during registration at the exhibition, number of sections entered and number of photos entered in those sections will be made public in a published status list and that the results of your entry shall be made public in exhibition gallery, exhibition catalog. You also agree and accept the policies regarding Breaches of Rules of the FIAP.

FIAP Breaches of Rules:
The mention that by the sole act of submitting his/her images or files to a salon under FIAP Patronage, the entrant accepts without exception and with no objection the following terms: - that the submitted images can be investigated by FIAP to establish if these obey to FIAP regulations and definitions even if the entrant is not a member of FIAP, - that FIAP will use any means at its disposal for this undertaking, - that any refusal to cooperate with FIAP or any refusal to submit the original files as captured by the camera, or failure to provide sufficient evidence, will be sanctioned by FIAP, - that in case of sanctions following the non compliance with FIAP regulations, the name of the entrant will be released in any form useful to inform the breaches of the rules. It is recommended to leave the EXIF data in the submitted files intact in order to ease eventual investigations. If, at any time, it is determined in the reasonable discretion of the exhibition organizer or the judges before, during, or after the judging of an exhibition that an entrant has submitted entries where one or more images may fail to comply with these Conditions of Entry, including the stated definitions, the exhibition organizers reserve the right to delete the entry from the exhibition and void any or all acceptances or awards in connection with the exhibition. Fees may be forfeited or refunded in these circumstances. The entrant acknowledges that the decision of the exhibition organizers or the judges is final.

Gurvinder Singh Chhabra, EFIAP, PPSA India (Section A, B, C, D)
Nevra Topalismailoglu, EFIAP/b, PPSA Turkiye (Section A, B, C, D)
Umberto Deramo, EFIAP/g, MPSA Italy (Section A, B, C, D)
Calal Firidunov Azerbaijan (alternative)

At the contest there will be 141 international awards from FIAP, IAAP and Gilavar Photo Club

The Best author: 1 x FIAP blue pin
Open Color: FIAP gold medal, IAAP gold medal, Gilavar gold medal, IAAP silver medal, Gilavar silver medal, IAAP bronze medal, Gilavar bronze medal, 6 x FIAP blue ribbon, 6 x IAAP ribbon, 6 x Gilavar ribbon, 10 x Gilavar diploma (PDF)
Open Monochrome: FIAP gold medal, IAAP gold medal, Gilavar gold medal, IAAP silver medal, Gilavar silver medal, IAAP bronze medal, Gilavar bronze medal, 6 x FIAP blue ribbon, 6 x IAAP ribbon, 6 x Gilavar ribbon, 10 x Gilavar diploma (PDF)
Landscape: FIAP gold medal, IAAP gold medal, Gilavar gold medal, IAAP silver medal, Gilavar silver medal, IAAP bronze medal, Gilavar bronze medal, 6 x FIAP blue ribbon, 6 x IAAP ribbon, 6 x Gilavar ribbon, 10 x Gilavar diploma (PDF)
People: FIAP gold medal, IAAP gold medal, Gilavar gold medal, IAAP silver medal, Gilavar silver medal, IAAP bronze medal, Gilavar bronze medal, 6 x FIAP blue ribbon, 6 x IAAP ribbon, 6 x Gilavar ribbon, 10 x Gilavar diploma (PDF)

The organizer reserves the right to change the number of awards, depending on the total number of the entrants.

Monochrome Definition
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.

Landscape Definition
Fascinating images from the most beautiful landscapes from all over the world. With or without people, at any weather condition, at the very best light. Sea/waterscapes, cityscapes – whatever you like!

People Definition
People in all situations, such as daily life, street photography, traditions, portrait, people at work, social events, human relations and etc. The main subject in the photo must be one or more human. PIDC only colour images are allowed in this seciton.

For the purpose of this exhibition any border added to a digital file must be a single border of white or grey, no greater than 3-5 pixels in width.

Notification cards will be sent by email.
The results and PDF Exhibition catalog will be publishing on website baku.gilavar.net and it will be possible to download. All entrants of the contest (participants which submitted works and paid entry fee) will receive on-line PDF catalog of the photo contest.

Salon Chairman Mr. Rashad Mehdiyev, EFIAP
e-mail: [email protected]
Salon web site: www.baku.gilavar.net