Lens Master is international circuit of art photography, organized by Lens Master Club from Qatif, Saudi Arabia.

The contest is divided into following sections:

A. General Colour (PSA PID colour)
B. General monochrome (PSA PID monochrome)
C. Nature (Colour or B/W) (PSA ND)
D. Travel (Colour or B/W) (PSA PTD)

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: 28 Feb 2021
Judging: 1 – 10 Mar 2021
Notification: 15 Mar 2021
Exhibition date: May 2021
Delivery of the catalogues and awards to the authors by June 2021.

Depending of the number of sections participant enters, the entry fee cost as follow:

- 36$ for any 2 section.
- 48$ for any 4 sections.

Payment of entry fee can be made in the following ways:
- through our web site: to the PayPal account: [email protected]

10 authors – 10% discount
Over 20 authors– 20% discount

Note: Group entries refer to photo clubs, associations and other photo organizations. In order to get the special group entry fee, offer, the group secretary should send member list to [email protected] before the registration of each member. Each group member should register individually, and upload images in his personal profile (entering identical postal address for catalogue shipping for all group members is mandatory!) The organizer would send a general invoice to the group secretary, which once paid, status would be automatically reflected as 'paid' in all member profiles.

Images from participants who did not pay entry fee will not be taken into consideration.

The circuit 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.
The Exhibition will be conducted in accordance with the rules of the PSA and 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. 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.
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.
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 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.
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. ii. May not be re-titled for entry in any other PSA Recognized exhibition, including translation into another language.
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.
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.
With 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 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 and 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.”

CIRCUIT
1. Lens Master Club
2. World of Photography Group
3. Qudaih Photographers

Photographs must be in JPEG format, with dimensions 1920x1080 pixels at 300, 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 exhibitions equipment before or during judging.
The photographs of authors with the application are submitted in these ways:
• uploading thought our web site: https://theiaap.com/lensmaster/
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.

To participate at this contest entrants will apply with black white or color works. Maximum number of photographs per section is 4. No title or identification of the maker shall be written anywhere on the face of an image.
Photographs must be sent in digital form, as a picture file with dimension 1920x1080 pixels at 300 dpi. The contest is not allowed to resize the pictures sent by the entrants. The works will be projected on Samsung HD display with 1920x1080 pix resolution. No file naming is needed. Maximum file size is 4 Mb.

PROTECTION
By entering this contest, you are explicitly consenting to the personal details you have supplied, including 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 and accept that entering this exhibition means that the status and results of your entry may be made public.

DISPUTES:

In any case of dispute regarding compliance with the Conditions of Entry, payment of fees or matters pertaining to an image (such as receipt, acceptance, compliance, score or award), the decision of the organizers and judges to accept your application (or not) will be final. Violations and perceived violations of the Conditions of Entry may be reported to the various accreditation bodies and may result in a declination of your application to have your images included in this and other exhibitions.

COMPLIANCE:

The salon 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 salon rules and conditions. Take special note: Nude photography is excluded in this salon.
BREACH
FIAP:
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

PSA:
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.
If another party is submitting images on the entrant’s behalf, the entrant will still be held responsible for adhering to these Conditions of Entry (Entry Rules) and will be subject to sanction for any violations to these Conditions of Entry and PSA’s Statement of Ethics that may result.

JURY (Lens Master) Open color, open mono, travel, and Nature.
1. Jury name: Isa Ebrahim - Titles: MFIAP, EFIAP/g, EPSA, GPU CR4, GPU VIP2, GPU Aphrodite- Country: Bahrain - Email ID: [email protected]
2. Jury name: Abbas Alkhamis- Titles: EFIAP/g, PPSA, BPSA, GPU CR3, GPU VIP2, Hon.FWPG, Hon.PESGSPC - Saudi Arabia- Country: Saudi Arabia- Email ID: [email protected]
3. Jury name: Fatimah Ibraheem Almarhoun- Titles: EFIAP- Country: Saudi Arabia- Email ID: [email protected]

JURY (World of Photography Group- WPG) Open color, open mono, travel and Nature.
1. Jury name: Ahmed Alibrahim – Titles: EFIAP/b, EPSA, Hon.MWPG, GPU.VIP3, GPU.CR4, Hon.PESGSPC – Country: Saudi Arabia. Email ID: [email protected]
2. Jury name: Najla Angawi – Titles: ESFIAP, EFIAP/s, PPSA, GPU.CR2, MICS, Hon Life Representative ICS Int + 60 Int.titles Country: Saudi Arabia. Email ID: [email protected]
3. Jury name: Najat Alfadhil – Titles:EFIAP, QPSA, Hon.WPG – Country: Saudi Arabia - [email protected]

JURY (Qudaih Photographers) Open color, open mono, travel and Natur
1. Jury name: Hussain Abulrohi - Country: Saudi Arabia - Email ID: [email protected]
2. Ali hassan abu Abdullah - Country: Saudi Arabia - Email ID: [email protected]
3. Mohammed Alkharari - Country: Saudi Arabia - Email ID: [email protected]

Back-up judge: Firas Abussaud CR2, Saudi Arabia - - Email ID: [email protected]

At Lens Master - Circuit International Salon there will be awarded:
AWARDS TYPE Total
Gold Medals PSA (12) - FIAP (12) - IAAP (12) – LMC (4) - WPG (4) - Qudiah (4) 48
Silver Medals – LMC (12) 12
Bronze Medals – LMC (12) 12
Honorable Mentions PSA (24), FIAP Ribbon (24), IAAP Ribbons (24), LMC HM (60) 132
E-Diploma 72
Judge choice 36
Best of Author 3
Best Circuit (Grand Prize) 1
Best Club 1

The organizer reserves the right to award the most successful authors of Lens Master - Circuit depend on the total number of the 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.
PSA Statement on Subject Matter
There is one hard and fast rule, whose spirit must be observed at all times and applies to all sections offered in PSA recognized exhibitions. The welfare of the subject is more important than the photograph. This means that practices such as baiting of subjects with a living creature and removal of birds from nests, for the purpose of obtaining a photograph, are highly unethical, and such photographs are not allowed in any PSA exhibitions.
There is also a PSA policy on the use of aerial photography - aircraft, helicopters and drones. This policy can be found at https://psa-photo.org/index.php?psa-policies#drone. The purpose of this policy is to prevent any interference with other individuals or animals which will or may cause a disturbance in their normal activity or disrupt the way any individuals or animals interact with their environment. Entry in this exhibition requires exhibitors to agree to this and other PSA policies. The content of images must comply with these General Conditions and with the Division and Section definitions listed in these conditions. Images that - in the sole opinion of the judges or the Exhibition Organizers - do not comply are likely to be disqualified so the entrant may be aware of the problem when considering entry into other PSA recognized exhibitions.

[MONOCRHOME]
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
PSA Monochrome Definition
An image is considered to be Monochrome only if it gives the impression of having no color (i.e. contains only shades of grey 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 Greyscale Monochrome images may be entered for Nature, Photojournalism and Photo Travel but toned images are not permitted for these divisions.
Monochrome images may be entered in PID Color sections but will only be eligible towards PID Color Star Ratings if accepted. Monochrome images may not be entered in Pictorial Prints Color Sections. Separate sections must be offered for Color Pictorial Prints and Monochrome Pictorial Prints.

[NATURE]
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 gray-scale 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.

[TRAVEL]
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 gray-scale monochrome. Other derivations, including infrared, are not permitted. All images must appear natural.
DRONE POLICY: The Board approved a new policy on the use of drones and it is available here https://psaphoto.org/index.php?psa-policies&a=view&faq_id=1632. The policy has a legal section which basically requires members to follow whatever laws exist in the country in which they are using a drone. There is also an ethical component to the policy and it states: One of the tenets of photography, is that the safety and well-being of the subject, photographer and surroundings is of paramount importance over the capturing of the photograph. The purpose of this section is to prevent any interference with other individuals or animals which will or may cause a disturbance in their normal activity or disrupt the way an individual or animal interacts with its environment.
1. May not fly a drone above people for the purpose of photographing their activity, unless permission is granted in writing
2. May not fly or photograph animals in their natural habitat, especially nesting areas and locations where the animal is already under stress (winter survival, migratory feeding, protecting young). Photographing scenery/landscapes is permissible.
3. May not fly or photograph in any designated wilderness area.

Notification cards will be sent by email.
All entrants of the contest (participants which submitted works and paid entry fee) will receive on-line PDF catalog of the photo contest.
The organizer will take all possible care while handling the emails, awards and catalogs, however will assume no liability for damages and loses during shipment.

Chairman of salon: Zakaria Al Hammad, AFIAP-QPSA
City: Saihat, Zip-code: 3177-32452
Country: Saudi Arabia
Phone no.: 966 53008550