The Apricot Photo is international contest of art photography, organized by Lens NGO from Yerevan, Armenia

The Apricot Photo is divided in 4 sections, all digital:
<b>&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp OPEN (monochome) / PSA PID mono
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp OPEN (color) / PSA PID color
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp NATURE / PSA ND
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp TRAVEL / PSA PTD</b>

<b>Closing date: 31st January 2016
Judging date: 6th February 2016
Notification date: 20th February 2016
Exhibition date: 11th March 2016 at House-Museum of Aram Khachaturian
Delivery of the catalogs and awards to the participants: 20th March 2016</b>

Participation fee is mandatory for all participants and it is EUR 20 for first section and additional EUR 5 for next section. The fee can be paid:

• via PayPal through our web site: http://apricotphoto.com/ or to [email protected]

• by postal mail along with the CD with photographs sent to the address:
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Apricot Photo, Shiraz str 24- 41, Yerevan, 0088 Armenia

• by bank tranfer:
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp For Armenian entrance, PROMETEY bank Account No.: 1660003258440145 to Vigen Mnoyan
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp For Ukrainian entrance: ПРИВАТ БАНК 4149 4978 5440 4763 Харват О. М. - еквівалент в гривнях
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp For Czech entrance, c.u.: 51-37 033 30 237 / 0100
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp For Slovakian entrance, c.u.: 2947 0024 70 / Tatrabanka, a.s.
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp For the payment from Singapore please use the PayPal account [email protected].
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp For EUR payments around the world:
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Tatrabanka, IBAN code: SK67 1100 0000 0029 4700 2470, SWIFT code: TATR SK BX

• online via VISA / Master Card on the website http://photoart.cz/eshop.en.php.
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Please write „Apricot Photo 2016“ in description field.

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

The photo salon is open to amateur and professional photographers from all over 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 certifi es the work as his own and 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. The exhibition assumes no liability for any misuse of copyright. An entry may be rejected when the sponsoring organization or its agent, in its reasonable discretion, believes the entry does not conform to exhibition rules and conditions.
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.
There are no restrictions as to subject matter except as outlined in the rules and defi nitions of specifi c sections, or specifi ed by law in the country where the exhibition is held. 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 certifi es 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 disqualifi cation” 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 if the photographic content predominates subject to divisional restrictions. All fi nal work must be on photographic fi lm, or on electronic fi le, or on photographic or electronic print material, mounting excepted. Images may be altered, either digitally or otherwise, by the maker and artwork or computer graphics created by the entrant may be incorporated if the photographic content predominates subject to Nature, Photo Travel and Photojournalism divisional restrictions.
With the sole act of submitting his/her images or fi les 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 defi nitions 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 fi les as captured by the camera, or failure to provide suffi cient 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 fi les intact in order to ease eventual investigations.”

The photographs of authors with the application are submitted in these ways:
• uploading through our web site: http://apricotphoto.com/ (Entry form filled online)
• by e-mail: [email protected] (along with filled and signed scan copy of entry form)
• on CD, along with the participation fee and filled and signed entry form, use this postal address:
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp <b>APRICOT PHOTO</b>
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Artur Sargsyan
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Shiraz str 24- 41
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp 0088 Yerevan,Armenia

To participate at Apricot Photo International Salon 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 in that section. Entry form and contact info must be written in one of the official FIAP languages. Photographs are sent in digital form, as a picture file with maximum dimensions of 2500x1400pixels at 300 dpi. Judges will use data projector Sony SRX-R515P with 4096 x 2160 pix resolution.
No file naming is needed. Each photo needs to have its own title. The titles cannot be repeated.

Garik AVANESIAN; MFIAP (Czech Republic)
Andrey Yurlov; EFIAP (Slovakia)
Vigen MNOYAN; (Armenia)

Notifi cation cards will be sent by email.
All participants of the competition (the authors which submitted works and paid the participation fee) will receive printed catalogue of the photo salon. Extra catalogues are also available at an extra fee of 10 euro. 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.

PSA Definition of a Monochrome image for any monochrome sections recognized by the PSA Projected Image Division or the PSA Pictorial Print Division.
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 grayscale 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.
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.
Conditions of Entry Checklist
• 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 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>A Photo Travel</b> 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 allowed adjustments must appear natural.

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

Contact person: Mr. Artur Sargsyan, e-mail: [email protected]