The best advice is to read the contest rules carefully. Don't assume that an image will be acceptable without understanding how the contest is structured. These tips are intended to help you understand what images can be entered in the contest. These tips do not supersede the published rules and are intended only for your reference.

It's a nature photography contest

The most important thing to remember is that this is a NATURE photography contest. You may have some beautiful images but if they don't fit the "Nature" genre they won't do well in this contest.

What is shared world?

You'll notice that there is a set of categories called Shared World. These are the only categories in which there can be any evidence of man's influence on the world. For example a broad scenic in which you can see a fence in the distance must be included in a Shared World category. This also included cultivated plants such as those found in your home gardens.

In any case, the influence of man, or "hand-of-man", can not be the primary focus or subject of the image. A Vermont barn surrounded by autumn color is not an appropriate image for this contest.

What kind of editing can be done?

The instructions state that with the exception of Creative Interpretation, all submitted prints must maintain the integrity of the original captured image. What does this mean?

Essentially, you need to limit your retouching to color or white balance, tone, cropping and spotting. Also, multiple images may be stitched together to form a panoramic.

You should not make any substantive change in the image. Removing or adding subject elements must not be done. For example, it is perfectly fine to use the tools to remove dust spots. It would be inappropriate to remove an airplane, fence, telephone pole or some other substantive item.

Multiple images may be used to create a final image. The classic example of this is the stitched panoramic. But you can also use multiple images to expand the dynamic range of an image - commonly referred to as HDR processing. Then this processing is done, however, the same rules apply to adding or removing image elements.

For example, the image at the right has done well in two different contests. But, it is inappropriate for the Heard contest. It was created using several images stitched together - which is permissible - but it has a silhouette of a photographer which shows the "hand-of-man" making this image ineligible for the contest.

In Summary...

In summary, there is no substitute for reading the instructions carefully.

Regarding the editing of images, the permitted editing techniques generally are intended to correct for the limitations imposed by today's digital cameras. Correcting color, tone, contrast, vibrancy, etc. The fact that a telephone pole is in the image is not a limitation of digital photography.