Professional Photographers of Idaho

2026 Image Competition

Saturday, March 7, 2026

Online via Printcompetition.com

Entry Fees:

Member: $20 per image entered by February 27, 2026 - $25 per image after

Non-member: $25 per image entered by February 27, 2026 - $30 per image after (for Score Only)

Student: $20 per image

 

$25 for Print Chair Challenge (Optional)

 $5 Fun Photoshoots (Optional)

$10 per Image for Image Critique (Optional)

Entry Deadline:

All Images must be uploaded to printcompetition.com by Noon on Friday, March 6, 2026

Eligibility

1. Any PPI member with current dues paid; resident or non-resident of Idaho will be eligible for awards. Once a person who lives out of state has been a member in good standing for 3 consecutive years, paying all membership dues, said person will be an in-state member of the organization.  At which point they are considered a member of PPI and receive eligibility to win any award offered by the organization. There is no limit to number of images that can be entered, however, only the top 4 highest scoring images will be considered for some awards.  See the Awards section for clarification. The entry fee for members is $20 per image. If a member is unable to attend the awards banquet on Monday, March 31, 2025 to collect your award, a shipping fee will need to be paid in order to receive the physical award.   

2. Out of state entrant: Entries are accepted from those who are not members of PPI for the purpose of scoring only.  The entry fee for non-members is $25 per image.  The entries will be judged for score only and are not eligible for awards (except the Print Chair Challenge and Best Out of State Image). Images must be entered via printcompetition.com. There is no limit to the number of images per entrant that are allowed.

3. Entrant must have captured and created the original exposure or exposures. However, a maker may use supporting photographic elements they did not create provided those elements are referenced as guide images on the face of the entry.  The original photographic capture by the entrant should be merit-worthy independent of the work that was not their own.  Elements created by the maker must not be part of the guide images except for images entered into the Artist category.

While some use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) editing may be used, significant use of AI to create an image is not allowed except in the AI category.  Non-text generated Artificial Intelligence used as an editing tool for the purpose of repairing an image is allowed. (For example- using the remove tool in Photoshop)  If there is a question on whether the use of AI was used too heavily in the creation of the image, we reserve the right to request the original RAW Image to resolve any discrepancies. Images created through ONLY text generated AI are prohibited.  Significant use of AI to create the image is not allowed except in the AI Category.

4. All processing, manipulation and rendering shall be done by the entrant or under their direct supervision.

5. The entrant must obtain and have access to all the necessary releases (model or property) and agrees to hold PPI harmless against all claims and liabilities arising out of PPI’s display, publication and promotion or other use of each image submitted to PPI.

6. Any entry which has been reproduced from an existing photograph, portrait, graphic or any other artwork produced by another person is a violation of the competition rules and will not be judged, accepted, or displayed.  If an entry, in the good-faith opinion of the Photographic Competition Committee, violates copyright, trademark or any other applicable law that entry shall be disqualified.

            
7. The entrant’s name shall not appear anywhere in or on the face of the entry.

8. No entry will be eligible if it has been made under the supervision of an instructor or as a class assignment.  All images submitted must be self-directed.  Images created in an education environment under direct supervision from an instructor are ineligible.

9. Images with the same model or subject are allowed only if they are significantly different in concept and location.

10. An image that has merited in PPA’s monthly MIR judging is allowed to be entered into this competition. Images that have been entered into IPC cannot be entered into this competition.  No image receiving a merit in a previous PPI Image competition may be entered more than one time, in any category. An image that was entered in a previous PPI Image competition but did not merit may be reworked or fixed and entered again if the maker would like to try for a higher score. As an exception, images from the 2025 mid-year Image competition WILL be allowed to be entered into this Image Competition.

11. Jurors may not enter their own images to be judged during the same competition.

12. You must create an account at www.printcompetition.com to enter the print competition.  Here you will upload your images and pay your fees. Uploaded files must be sized so the longest dimension is 4,000 pixels (20 inches at 200 ppi).  Each file must contain an embedded color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RBG1998 and be saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10.  Total file size should not exceed 7.5 MB.

Artist Entry

1. Guide images must be included to the presentation.

2. Entries may be reproduced from existing photographs, portraits, graphics or any other artwork so long as the entrant is prepared to provide appropriate written documentation indicating permission for usage.  This documentation may be requested by PPI before, during or after the competition.  If an entry, in the good-faith opinion of the print committee, violates copyright, trademark or any other applicable law and cannot be proven otherwise, that entry shall be disqualified and merits revoked, if issued.

-Judging is open to the public, and available for streaming at printcompetition.com

-Watch parties may be formed throughout the state, make it a party!

-Judging will be based on the PPA scoring system from 100 to 65, using a 5-judge panel with a Jury Chair.  When a judge associates an entry with an entrant, the judge is required to disqualify themselves from scoring an entry. When this scenario happens, the Jury Chair will enter a score for that entry.  In the case of two jurors needing to disqualify themselves, the Jury Chair will make a judgment call on how to handle the situation.

-Images scoring 80 points and above will be awarded two PPI merits, for a max of 8 merits annually.

-Images scoring 75 points and above will be awarded one PPI merit, for a max of 8 merits annually.

-Awards will be presented at the PPI Awards banquet on Monday, April 13, 2026.

Eligibility for the categories:

Master

PPA Master Photographers will enter this category. Any maker who has won PPI Photographer of the Year at least 3 times. PPI Members who have received a score of at least 80 on more than 30 images entered into a previous PPI print competition. 

General

All other entries not outlined in the Master category listed above.

Student

Any Maker who is currently attending school may enter this category. Proof of enrollment in school must be provided.

Only Images entered into PPI State Image competition will be used for qualification of these categories. We do not use PPA merits earned in PPA Image Competitions as qualifications for whether a maker will enter into General or Master categories.

Image Categories

Categories for Students:

Student Portrait:

Portrait of a person or people of any age. Portraits of pets and animals would also be included in this category.

Student Landscape:

Image of seascapes, cityscapes, landscapes, ariel, and sunsets with or without people or animals as long as the landscape is the main subject.

Student Illustrative:

Consists of pictorial, abstracts, digital paintings, and similar subject matter.

Categories for General Entrants:

General Artist

This category is to allow the entrant to demonstrate their art skills and expertise. Entries will be judged for their digital, artistic, and technical proficiency and follow the below criteria. Entries can include stock photography, photographs, or artwork by other artists with written consent to use those sources. All processing, manipulation, and artwork must be done by the entrant. All photographic elements that are not made by the entrant must be represented as a guide image on the face of the entry. Photographic Brushes and Textures do not require guide images.  AI is allowed in this category as long as it is represented in the Guide images.

General Landscape

Image of seascapes, cityscapes, landscapes, ariel, and sunsets with or without people or animals as long as the landscape is the main subject.

General Architectural

 Image including building exteriors, interiors, architecture and structures, including industrial environments and real estate

General Macro

Images of a subject that would be very small when viewed without the use of a macro lens.

General Reportage / Photojournalism

Image of any subject matter that could be used for publication, including story telling, action sports, street scenes or documentary. Only dodging, burning, color correction, exposure and cropping is allowed.

General Portrait Man 

Portrait of a man older than a High School Senior

General Portrait Woman 

Portrait of a woman older than a High School Senior

General Boudoir 

Intimate, sensual portraits

General Portrait Newborn (up to 6 months)

Portraits of infants up to 6 months of age individually or with a group.

General Portrait Children and Teens

Portrait of a child or children between the ages of 7 months and 16 years old

General High School Senior

A High School Senior Portrait of an individual 17-19 years of age 

General Portrait Group

Portrait of a family or group of at least 3 or more people

General Pet and Domestic Animals

Portrait of a domesticated animal

General Wildlife

Image of undomesticated animals including zoo, birds and wild animals

General Commercial

Image of any subject matter that could be used commercially for advertising including product photography.

General Still Life

 Image of an inanimate subject matter either natural or man-made, including florals

General Illustrative

Consists of pictorial, abstracts, digital paintings, and similar subject matter.

General Artificial Intelligence (AI)

This category is to allow the entrant to demonstrate their skills and expertise in the creation of an image made using Artificial Intelligence Image Creators and/or text based Generative AI then blending those with original photography. A guide image with the original photographic element must be included.

General RAW – SOOC (Straight out of camera)

This category will allow the entrant to demonstrate their skills in getting the image exactly how they want it in camera, with no editing of any kind.  RAW Images straight out of the camera. DNG is not allowed.  Native Camera RAW files only. No sensor dust removal allowed.

General Wedding

This Category is for any image taken as part of a wedding.

Categories for Master Entrants:

Master Artist

This category is to allow the entrant to demonstrate their art skills and expertise. Entries will be judged for their digital, artistic, and technical proficiency and follow the below criteria. Entries can include stock photography, photographs, or artwork by other artists with written consent to use those sources. All processing, manipulation, and artwork must be done by the entrant. All photographic elements that are not made by the entrant must be represented as a guide image on the face of the entry. Photographic Brushes and Textures do not require guide images.  AI is allowed in this category as long as it is represented in the Guide images.

Master Landscape

Image of seascapes, cityscapes, landscapes, ariel, and sunsets with or without people or animals as long as the landscape is the main subject.

Master Architectural

 Image including building exteriors, interiors, architecture and structures, including industrial environments and real estate

Master Macro

Images of a subject that would be very small when viewed without the use of a macro lens.

Master Reportage / Photojournalism

Image of any subject matter that could be used for publication, including story telling, action sports, street scenes or documentary. Only dodging, burning, color correction, exposure and cropping is allowed.

Master Portrait Man 

Portrait of a man older than a High School Senior

Master Portrait Woman 

Portrait of a woman older than a High School Senior

Master Boudoir 

Intimate, sensual portraits

Master Portrait Newborn (up to 6 months)

Portraits of infants up to 6 months old individually or with a group

Master Portrait Children and Teens

Portrait of a child or children between the ages of 7 months and 16 years old

Master High School Senior

Portrait of an individual 17-19 years of age. 

Master Portrait Group

Portrait of a family or group of at least 3 or more people

Master Pet and Domestic Animals

Portrait of a domesticated animal

Master Wildlife

Image of undomesticated animals including zoo, birds and wild animals

Master Commercial

Image of any subject matter that could be used commercially for advertising including product photography.

Master Still Life

 Image of an inanimate subject matter either natural or man-made, including florals

Master Illustrative

Consists of pictorial, abstracts, digital paintings, and similar subject matter.

Master Artificial Intelligence (AI)

This category is to allow the entrant to demonstrate their skills and expertise in the creation of an image made using Artificial Intelligence Image Creators and/or text based Generative AI then blending those with original photography. A guide image with the original photographic element must be included.

Master RAW – SOOC (Straight out of camera)

This category will allow the entrant to demonstrate their skills in getting the image exactly how they want it in camera, with no editing of any kind.  RAW Images straight out of the camera. DNG is not allowed.  Native Camera RAW files only. No sensor dust removal.

Master Wedding

This Category is for any image taken as part of a wedding.

Print Chair Challenge

Makers may enter one of their images into the Print Chair Challenge for an additional $25. This is available for ANY person entering, Member or Non-Member. The theme for 2025 is “Wings”

The winner of the Print Chair Challenge will receive 1/2 of the entry fees collected specifically for the Print Chair Challenge.Our panel of judges will choose the winner.

Fun Photoshoots

Makers may enter a single additional image to their case captured from a PPI sanctioned event for an additional $5.

This is available for ANY person entering, in state or out of state.

Images are exclusively from any of the PPI Sanctioned Photoshoots, Events, or Photo Walks.

Top prize is a ribbon and scores from this category DO NOT apply toward your final case scores or eligible for any other awards from the Image Competition.

 

Awards

Presented on Monday, April 13, 2026.  A shipping fee will be charged to those that are unable to receive their award in person.

Class Awards:

Awards will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each classification for the General and Master categories where judges deem entries are worthy of awards. In the General categories All entries will be considered.  However, in the Master’s category only entries that receive a score of 80 or higher will be considered. Student Categories will award 1^st place in each of the three categories provided. 

Judges Choice:

Judges Choice is awarded to an image by each judge that has chosen it as their personal favorite.

Rookie of the Year:

An award and a $250 scholarship will be presented by PPI to attend a PPA accredited program of 6 hours or more to the photographer who garners the highest number of accumulated points from the four highest scored images and is entering images for the first time in our professional competition in the General Category only.  Scholarship must be used within the year that it is awarded.

Photographers Choice:

The image which garners the most votes by ballot from Convention Attendees.

Best PPA Certified image:

The highest scoring image entered by a PPA certified photographer. 

Best out of state:

This award is presented to the highest scoring out of state image.  Once a person has been a member in good standing for 3 consecutive years, paying all membership dues, said person will be an in-state member of the organization.  At which point they are considered a member of PPI and receive eligibility to win any award offered by the organization

Photographer of the Year:

The photographer who garners the highest number of accumulative points from the four highest scored images entered into the General exhibition.

Idaho Master Photographer of the year:

(John Sinclair Award)

The photographer who garners the highest number of accumulative points from the four highest scored images entered into the Master’s Exhibition.

ASP State Elite Award:

The highest scoring image from a current member of ASP (American Society of Photographers)

Court of Honor:

The top 10 makers with the highest accumulated score will make up the PPI Court of Honor.

Exhibition

All images receiving a score of 70 or above will be accepted for exhibition online.  Images receiving a score of 80 or above will be considered a “Print of Distinction” while on display.  Online exhibition will be during Convention.  Makers may choose to print up to two of their merited images (scoring 80 or higher) to be displayed during convention.  Because our competition this year has digital entries, the images will also be displayed via a private online gallery.  This link will be sent to all paid attendees after judging has been completed.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!