Art Zrok Cup is a Belarusian international art photography competition held with the full support of the International Association of Photographers (IAAP) and the assistance of the Belarusian Association of Photographers (BAP), the Frame24 Club (Serbia). Photo Balcan Association (Montenegro)

The contest is divided into the following sections:
• COLOR PORTRAIT
• MONOCHROME PORTRAIT
• THE WORLD IN FOCUS
• ALTERED REALITY

Closing date: May 29 2026
Judging date: June 3 2026
Notification date: June 14 2026
Delivery date: July 14 2026
Delivery date: July 30 2026
Gallery publish date: July 30 2026

The entry fee for any number of sections and any number of images is 20 EUR
[email protected]
Images from participants who have not paid the entry fee will not be considered.

The contest is open to anyone (amateur and professional photographers from all over the world); 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 contest rules and conditions.
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 image 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.
By submitting an entry, the entrant certifies legal Age, and own all rights to these images, including copyright or parents or guardians gives permission on his/her behalf if he/she is not of Legal Age. The exhibition assumes no liability of any misuse of copyright. Images may be altered, either electronically or otherwise, by the maker. All final image must be on photographic film, or on electronic file, or on photographic or electronic print material, mounting excepted.
No title or identification of the maker shall be visible anywhere on the face of an image, print mat or mount.

Photographs must be in JPEG format, with dimensions ue title. Titles must not include file extensions such as .jpg or .jpeg (or any other camera capture filenames). No title or identification of the maker shall be written anywhere on the face of an image.
1920x1080 pixels at 300, JPEG compression (if Photoshop used for export): 7-12, file size maximum 4 Mb. Each image must have a uniqThe photographs of participants with the application are submitted in these ways:
- uploading thought our website: //ru.theiaap.com/e/ArtZrokCup

The judging will be done by remote online judging. All judges will be using equipment capable of displaying images at 100% of the image resolution. Judges will be using color calibrated equipment. Target Range will be max 30%.

By entering this contest, you are explicitly consenting to the personal details you have supplied, including physical addresses, email addresses, being held, processed and used by the contest organizers for purposes associated with this contest. You also explicitly consent to such information being sent to organizations that have accorded official recognition, patronage or accreditation to this contest. You acknowledge, agree and accept that by entering this contest, your participation status which includes your first and last name, name of the country used during registration at the contest, 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.

The contest is open to anyone (amateur and professional photographers from all over the world); 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 contest rules and conditions.
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 image 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.
By submitting an entry, the entrant certifies legal Age, and own all rights to these images, including copyright or parents or guardians gives permission on his/her behalf if he/she is not of Legal Age. The exhibition assumes no liability of any misuse of copyright. Images may be altered, either electronically or otherwise, by the maker. All final image must be on photographic film, or on electronic file, or on photographic or electronic print material, mounting excepted.
No title or identification of the maker shall be visible anywhere on the face of an image, print mat or mount.

• Anna Alimpieva; (Finland)
• Pavel Reband; (Estonia)
• Oxana Vedmedenko; (Russia)
• Neda Arsenievska; E IAAP, MP NPU (North Macedonia)

The judges of the event will present the following awards:
4 x IAAP Gold Medal, 4 x IAAP Silver Medal, 4 x IAAP Bronze Medal, 6 x IAAP Diploma,
4 x Medal of the Art Zrok,
8 x Honarable mention of the salon Art Zrok,
8 x E-diploma Frame 24, 8 x E-diploma ART ZROK Club, 8 x E-diploma Belarusian Association of Photographers (BAP),
8 x PBA HM Digital,
ART ZROK CUP,
THE BEST SALON AUTHOR,
THE BEST AUTHOR FROM BELARUS,
Total 65 awards. The organizer reserves the right to adjust the number of awards based on the total number of entrants.

All entries shall conform to the stricter of these definitions for acceptances to be validated by all the international organizations granting recognition or patronage.

[COLOR PORTRAIT]
A color portrait is a photographic image of one or more people, taken in any color model other than monochrome. In this category, the use of natural or artificial lighting, as well as digital retouching that does not distort the natural features of the face, is allowed, unless otherwise specified in the rules of the specific stage,which evaluates the skill of capturing a human image using the full spectrum of visible colors. The main focus is on the harmony of color combinations, the accuracy of skin tone, and the emotional connection between the model and the viewer.
The following are not allowed for the nomination: monochrome photos (black and white, sepia), photos of animals without human participation, and photos where the human face is hidden by more than 70% or is an insignificant element of the images.

[MONOCHROME PORTRAIT]
IAAP Definition of Monochrome.
Black and white photography is an image that displays a range of shades from black to white, encompassing various tones of gray. Such an image focuses on the nuances of light, shadow, and contrast without incorporating any colors. If the entire image is toned in a single hue, it remains within the black and white category. However, if it is modified by partial toning or the addition of any color, it becomes a color work and no longer qualifies as a black and white photograph.

[THE WORLD IN FOCUS]
IAAP "WORLD IN FOCUS" DEFINITION
This section covers the full range of photographic genres: architecture, culture, events, food, landscapes, portraits, etc. A "WORLD IN FOCUS" image expresses the spirit of an era, the essence of a place or culture, regardless of whether it is shown in an authentic scene or a staged one. Digital processing to optimize the image in terms of fine-tuning levels and colors is allowed as long as the image looks natural. The same applies to the removal of dust or digital noise. Methods that add, move, replace, or delete any elements of the original image, except for cropping, are prohibited.

[ALTERED REALITY]
Altered Reality is a category for works that demonstrate a departure from the objective perception of the world. This category evaluates the author's ability to create fictional, fantastical, or surreal images using photography as a tool. Creating visual illusions that cannot be found in real life, but which look convincing within the framework of artistic design.
In the "Altered Reality" category, the following is allowed and encouraged:
Photo montage and collage creation: combining fragments of different author's frames into a single work.
Drastic changes in shapes: distorting the perspective, scale, and proportions of objects.
Complex color correction: using unnatural colors and aggressive effects to create an atmosphere.
Adding special effects: overlaying smoke, light rays, or digitally created particles (if permitted by the specific salon's rules).
Participants' photos that are eligible for acceptance and awards will be checked for the presence and correctness of EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) metadata. The purpose of the check is to confirm that the photo was taken by a contest participant (and not taken from open sources) and to ensure that the work is original (without any signs of AI generation).

The use of generative neural networks (AI) to create any image fragments is prohibited. The work must be completely created from the photographic data obtained by the author.

All submitted works must be original and man-made. The images obtained with the help of AI will be removed from the contest, and participation in the contest in this case will not be considered valid, and the funds paid for participation will not be refunded.

Notification cards will be sent by email.

Vladimir Ashkinazi-Isachenko, CIAAP. Certified Judge
Belarus, Mogilev
email: [email protected]