The International exhibition of art photography Astibo Spring is exhibition of art photography organised by Astibo Salon & Foundation “Maja Bikova” – Shtip, Macedonia.

The International exhibition of art photography Astibo Spring has six digital section:

OPEN (monochrome) ⊫ PSA PID MONOCHROME
OPEN (color) ⊫ PSA PID COLOR
Travel (monochrome and color) ⊫ PSA PTD
Photojournalism (monochrome and color) ⊫ PSA PJD
Nature (monochrome and color) ⊫ PSA ND
Spring (monochrome and color) ⊫ PSA PID COLOR

Each photo can be presented in only one section.

I. Acceptances in PID recognized Color sections shall be credited towards PID Color Star Ratings and Who’s Who Color listings. Monochrome images accepted in PID recognized Color sections shall only be credited towards PID Color Star Ratings.
II. Acceptances in PID recognized Monochrome sections shall be credited towards PID Monochrome Star Ratings and Who’s Who Monochrome listings.
III. All acceptance eligibility shall be in accordance with the PID Star Ratings or the Galaxy/Diamond Ratings requirements as appropriate.

Closing date: 03-May-2020
Judging date: 10-May-2020
Notification date: 17-May-2020
Delivery of the catalogues and awards to the authors by 30-Jun-2020.

PUBLIC SHOWINGS
15 June 2020 at NUCK Trajko Prokopiev, Kumanovo, Macedonia.
1 July 2020 at Kumanovo Public Gallery, Kumanovo, Macedonia.

Depending of the number of sections participant applies, the fee cost as follow:
12€ for any 3 section;
17€ for any 6 sections;
The fee can be paid via PayPal through our web site:
http://spring.astibosalon.mk/

Early bird payment is available until 01-Apr-2020 at a price of 10€ for all sections.

The works of the authors who did not pay the fee would not be taken into consideration.

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.
The exhibition assumes no liability of any misuse of copyright. Images may be altered, either electronically or otherwise, by the maker. Artwork or computer graphics created by the entrant may be incorporated provided the photographic content predominates, subject to Nature, Photo Travel and Photojournalism divisional restrictions. All final work 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 entered in a PSA Recognized exhibition.
Each image must have a unique title. Once an image has been accepted in a PSA Recognized exhibition, that same image, or a like “in camera” or a “reproduction” duplicate of that image:
i. May not be entered or re-entered in any section of the same Division Star Ratings class in that exhibition regardless of media, format, or title.
ii. May not be re-titled for entry in any other PSA Recognized exhibition, including translation into another language.
iii. Images meeting the Monochrome Definition and non-manipulated color images from the same capture shall be considered the same image and must be given the same title.
iv. PSA members working on Galaxy and Diamond Star Ratings shall be allowed to continue using different titles of monochrome versions and color versions of the same capture that have already been accepted until the required number of acceptances for those titles have been completed.
Words such as “Untitled” and “No Title” are not acceptable as part or all of an image’s title, nor are camera capture filenames.
An image may be entered in only one section where acceptances of that image in multiple sections would be eligible for the same star path.
All entries shall conform to the stricter of these definitions for acceptances to be validated by all the International Organizations granting recognition or patronage.
BREACH OF CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
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.
In order to ensure that images comply with the Conditions of Entry and definitions, the exhibition organizers may carry out reasonable measures to verify that:
a) the images are the original work of the entrant and
b) the images comply with the rules and definitions as set out in these Conditions of Entry.
These steps include, but are not limited to, questioning any entrant, requiring the submission of RAW files or other digital files representing the original capture of the submitted image(s), confronting the entrant with evidence that one or more submitted images fails to comply with the Conditions of Entry (also known as Entry Rules), and offering the entrant a reasonable opportunity to provide counter evidence to refute the exhibition organizer’s evidence by a set deadline. Such entries that are not cleared or are still questionable after the entrant has presented evidence may be considered in breach of these Conditions of Entry, and declined. Such entries may be referred to PSA for further investigation of possible ethics violations.
PSA retains the right to investigate in any way all complaints/suspicions of breaches of entry conditions, impose sanctions if deemed necessary, void the acceptances of any image found to violate the PSA rules, include the entrant’s name on the list of sanctions provided to Exhibitions, and share such investigations with FIAP. Entrants automatically agree to these terms by the act of entering the Exhibition and agree to cooperate with any investigation.
NOTICE: When an entrant fills in the Entry Form to submit an entry the entrant will see a feature to affirm he or she has read these Conditions of Entry when he or she fills out the entry form. If the entrant does not so affirm the entry will not be submitted.
DATA PROTECTION:
By entering this exhibition, you are explicitly consenting to the personal details you have supplied, including 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 and accept that entering this exhibition means that the status and results of your entry may be made public.

Photographs must be sent in digital form, as a picture file with dimension 1920x1080pixels at 300 dpi. The exhibition is not allowed to resize the pictures sent by the entrants. The works will be projected on projector Acer H6510BD FHD 1920x1080. No file naming is needed. Maximum file size is 4 Mb. Photos must be in JPEG format, dimensions 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels max at 300 dpi, JPEG compression value (if Photoshop used for export): 7-12, file size maximum 4 Mb. No file naming is needed. Minimum acceptance rate between 25% to 30% is guaranteed. 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 throw our web site: http://spring.astibosalon.mk/

To participate at Astibo Spring authors will apply with black & white or color works. Maximum number of photographs per theme is 4. No title or identification of the maker shall be written anywhere on the face of an image. An entrant’s four images will be distributed throughout four rounds of judging for that section.

Ana Joveva (QPSA, Macedonia)
Goran Kojadinović (Serbia)
Dimitar Chungovski (Macedonia)

At INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION Astibo Spring there will be awarded these medals:
6x PSA Gold and 18 ribbons;
6x IAAP Gold and 18 ribbons;
6x AS Gold, 6x AS Silver, 6xAS Bronze and 18 ribbons

An image is considered to be Monochrome only if it gives the impression of having no color (i.e. contains only shades of gray which can include pure black and pure white) OR it gives the impression of being a greyscale image that has been toned in one color across the entire image. (For example by Sepia, red, gold, etc.) A greyscale or multi-colored image modified or giving the impression of having been modified by partial toning, multi-toning or by the inclusion of spot coloring does not meet the definition of monochrome and shall be classified as a Color Work. Monochrome images may not be entered in PID Color sections.
Nature photography is restricted to the use of the photographic process to depict all branches of natural history, except anthropology and archeology, in such a fashion that a well-informed person will be able to identify the subject material and certify its honest presentation.
• The story telling value of a photograph must be weighed more than the pictorial quality while maintaining high technical quality.
• Human elements shall not be present, except where those human elements are integral parts of the nature story such as nature subjects, like barn owls or storks, adapted to an environment modified by humans, or where those human elements are in situations depicting natural forces, like hurricanes or tidal waves.
• Scientific bands, scientific tags or radio collars on wild animals are permissible.
• Photographs of human created hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral animals, domestic animals, or mounted specimens are ineligible, as is any form of manipulation that alters the truth of the photographic statement.
• No techniques that add, relocate, replace, or remove pictorial elements except by cropping are permitted.
• Techniques that enhance the presentation of the photograph without changing the nature story or the pictorial content, or without altering the content of the original scene, are permitted including HDR, focus stacking and dodging/burning.
• Techniques that remove elements added by the camera, such as dust spots, digital noise, and film scratches, are allowed.
• Stitched images are not permitted.
• All images must appear natural.
• Color images can be converted to greyscale monochrome.
• Infrared images, either direct-captures or derivations, are not allowed.
• Images entered in Nature sections meeting the Nature Photography Definition above can have landscapes, geologic formations, weather phenomena, and extant organisms as the primary subject matter. This includes images taken with subjects in controlled conditions, such as zoos, game farms, botanical gardens, aquariums and any enclosure where the subjects are totally dependent on man for food.

Photojournalism entries shall consist of images with informative content and emotional impact, reflecting the human presence in our world. The journalistic (story-telling) value of the image shall receive priority over pictorial quality. In the interest of credibility, images that misrepresent the truth, such as those from events or activities specifically arranged for photography or of subjects directed or hired for photography, are not eligible.

Techniques that add, relocate, replace or remove any element of the original image, except by cropping, are not permitted. The only allowable modifications are removal of dust, scratches or digital noise, restoration of the existing appearance of the original scene, sharpening that is not obvious, and conversion to greyscale monochrome. Derivations, including infrared, are not eligible. All images must appear natural.

A Photo Travel image expresses the characteristic features or culture of a land as they are found naturally. There are no geographic limitations. Images from events or activities arranged specifically for photography, or of subjects directed or hired for photography are not appropriate. Close up pictures of people or objects must include features that provide information about the environment.
Techniques that add, relocate, replace or remove any element of the original image, except by cropping, are not permitted. The only allowable adjustments are removal of dust or digital noise, restoration of the appearance of the original scene, and complete conversion to greyscale monochrome. Other derivations, including infrared, are not permitted. All images must appear natural.

The organizer reserves the right to award the most successful authors of Astibo Spring depend on the total number of the entrants. All participants will receive report card notifications via e-mail. The results of the exhibition will also be published on the website http://spring.astibosalon.mk/
All participants of the competition (the authors which submitted works and paid the participation fee) will receive pdf catalogue of the photo salon. The organizer will take all possible care while handling the email, awards and catalogues, however we assume no liability for damages and loses during shipment.
License agreement:
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 for any misuse of copyright.

Stefan Ilievski,
[email protected],
photo club Shirok Agol - Stip - President of the board