Lights of Oman is international contest of art photography, organized by Mr Haitham Al Farsi from Muscat, Oman.

The Lights of Oman is divided in 4 sections, all digital:
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp <b>OPEN (monochrome)</b>
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp <b>OPEN (color)</b>
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp <b>NATURE</b>
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp <b>TRAVEL</b>

<b>Closing date:</b> 15 January 2016
<b>Judging date:</b> 13th February 2016
<b>Notification date and Exhibition date:</b> 01 Mars 2016 at Photographic Society of Oman
<b>Delivery of awards to the participants:</b> 30th March 2016

Entry fee is mandatory for every participant. Depending of the number of sections participant applies, the fee cost as follow:
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Section 1: 15 EUR
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Section 2: 20 EUR
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Section 3: 30 EUR
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Section 4: 40 EUR
Entry fee can be paid with PayPal through our web site:
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp [email protected]
The works of the participants who did not pay the fee would not be taken into consideration.

The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers from around the world.
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 “may not be eligible” for awards or inclusion in audiovisuals of the exhibition and could be subject to disqualification by the exhibition sponsors.
The contest assumes no liability for 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 if the photographic content predominates, subject to divisional restrictions. All final work must be on photographic film, in an electronic file, or on photographic or electronic print material, mounting excepted.
The contest 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. Images that do not meet the definition shall be disqualified. If time permits, the entrant shall be notified the image does not meet the definition and requested to resubmit an image that does meet the definition.

<i>"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.”</i>

Photographs are submitted in digital form, sent as picture files sized 1980x1080 at 300dpi, or in any dimension derived thereof. No file naming is needed. Contests using digital projection will judge the images as received from the participant at 100% of the maximum permitted pixel size. Digital images cannot be altered, including resizing, by the Contest before judging.
Participants may submit their works and application form in one of the following ways:
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp - uploaded through the web site: www.lightsofoman.com

To participate at Lights of Oman participants will apply with either black & white or color works. Maximum allowed number of works in section, category, or class is four (4). No title or identification of the maker shall be written anywhere on the face of an image.
Entry form and contact information must be written in one of the official IAAP, FIAP or PSA languages. Each image must have a unique title. Words such as “Untitled” and “No Title” are not acceptable as part or all of an image's title, nor are camera capture file names or titles consisting of only numbers. No file naming is needed.
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 may not be re-entered in any section of the same Division Star Ratings class in that exhibition regardless of media, format, or title.
An entrant's images will be presented to the judges consecutively. Minimum 25% acceptance rate is guaranteed.

REHA BILIR; (Turkey) AFIAP, ESFIAP, Hon. SSS, Hon. FBPS
Hamad Suad Hamad AL Busaidi; (Oman) EFIAP/b
Majed Sultan; (Kuwait)

>> FIAP Best Author - Trip to Oman

>> <b>4</b> x FIAP Gold, Silver, Bronze medals and 24 Ribbons
>> <b>4</b> x PSO Gold, Silver, Bronze medals and 24 Ribbons,PSO Best Author
>> <b>4</b> x UPI Gold, Silver, Bronze medals and 8 Ribbons
>> <b>4</b> x IAAP Gold, Silver, Bronze medals and 8 Ribbons

>> 100 euro & Certificate for the best entry in each section
>> Lights of Oman award for the best Photo club

>> Best Omani author (300 euro)
>> Best female author (200 euro)

TOTAL: 121 Awards

<b>FIAP - Monochrome Photography</b>
A black and white image containing various shades of grey from black to white is considered to be monochrome w. A black & white work toned entirely in a single colour will remain a monochrome work able to stand in the black & white category; such a work may be reproduced in black & white in the catalogue. On the other hand a black and white work modified by partial toning or by the addition of one colour becomes a colour work (polychrome) to stand in the colour category.
<b>FIAP/ PSA - Nature Photography</b>
Nature photography is restricted to the use of the photographic process to depict all branches of natural history, except anthropology and archaeology, 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 allowed adjustments 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 the 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.
<b>Submissions must NOT contain NUDE materials, any entry having NUDE content will NOT be accepted.</b>

Notification cards will be sent by email.
All participants of the competition (the authors which submitted works and paid the participation fee) will receive high quality printed catalog. The organizer will take all possible care while handling the emails and awards, however, assume no liability for damages and lose during shipment.

Mr. Haitham Al Farsi;
PO Box 1507; 112 Muscat; Oman
E-mail: [email protected]