To keep the Online Photo Club creative, safe, and fair, all members must follow these submission standards.
The Online Photo Club celebrates originality, respect, and artistic integrity. Every image submitted must be your own work, captured and edited by you. We welcome both digital and film photographs, but heavily AI-generated or stock imagery will not be accepted. Each submission should align with the theme of the current showcase and fit within one of our three main categories. Please ensure that your files are in JPG or PNG format, do not exceed 8 MB, and measure at least 1600 pixels on the longest edge for clarity in the gallery.
To maintain a welcoming environment, submissions that contain explicit, violent, discriminatory, or otherwise offensive content will be rejected. We encourage creativity and freedom of expression, but all photographs must remain suitable for a public academic setting. Always respect the privacy and dignity of your subjects. Get permission when photographing individuals in private spaces. By submitting, you agree that your image may be displayed on our website and social media channels with full credit to you as the photographer.
This category includes landscapes, wildlife, plants, weather, and other elements of the natural world. The focus should be on capturing authentic moments in nature. Digital enhancements such as color correction, cropping, or exposure adjustments are allowed, but excessive manipulation that alters reality (such as replacing skies, compositing multiple animals, or digitally adding effects) is not. Avoid harming or disturbing wildlife or habitats for the sake of a photograph. Ethical photography is essential. Drone photography is welcome, as long as local regulations and safety standards are followed.
Street and documentary photography aim to tell human stories through candid observation. Submissions in this category must depict real people, environments, or events without staging or fabrication. You may edit for exposure, clarity, and black-and-white conversion, but you must not digitally add, remove, or distort people or objects. Always photograph ethically, never exploit or endanger your subjects. Any work depicting sensitive cultural or political subjects should do so with respect and accuracy. Images showing illegal activity, harassment, or identifiable minors without consent are strictly prohibited.
Still life and food photography focus on design, composition, and mood. You are encouraged to experiment with lighting, arrangement, and color to create visual stories out of ordinary objects. Basic retouching and color grading are allowed, but don’t use AI-generated textures, fake reflections, or backgrounds. Every object in your composition should exist physically and be photographed by you. Please avoid branding or logos that turn your photo into an advertisement. This is about artistry, not promotion. Submissions must remain tasteful and avoid explicit or suggestive imagery.
All submissions are reviewed before appearing in the public gallery. By submitting, you grant the Online Photo Club permission to display, feature, and archive your image while maintaining your copyright ownership. Each week’s winners are chosen based on composition, creativity, and emotional impact. Our goal is to build a community where feedback is constructive, inspiration flows, and every photograph tells a story worth sharing.