Monday, February 16, 2026 at 9am EST till judging is complete, Digital Image Entries Only (no prints)

Registration/Digital File upload deadline: 11pm EST, Saturday, February 14, 2026

Co-Chairpersons:
Stephen Sedman
Cathy Broderick
competition@ppam.com 

JURORS

Kari Douma-M.Photog.M.Wed.Photog.Cr., CPP

Don Chick - M.Photog., Cr., CPP, D.C.Ph.

Ella Carlson-M.Photog.M.Artist.Cr., CPP, F-ASP, EA-ASP

Thea Martin-M.Photog.Cr.

Ed Pedi-M.Photog., Cr.

DEADLINES AND FEES

The Entry fee is $15 per image, with no cap on the number of entries per maker.

This competition will be held virtually.  PPAM will NOT be accepting prints.  Digital Image entries only will be accepted for the 2026 Competition.

Entry fee must be paid, and images uploaded by 11pm EST on Saturday, February 14, 2026. No changes to your entry are permitted once the entry deadline has passed. No refunds will be issued after the entry fee is paid.

To register for the PPAM Competition, go to https://printcompetition.com/, create an account (*There is a $15 fee to printcompetition.com to create an account with standard access, or you can pay more for premium features), log on with your account, then choose PPAM from the list of upcoming Photographic Competitions, and follow directions to register, upload your image files and pay the entry fee.

Registration/Digital File Upload deadline: 11pm EST on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION RULES

This competition is a photographic competition where digital entries are evaluated against a standard of excellence using the 12 Elements of a Merit Image. For more information, go to https://www.ppam.com/12-elements-and-scoring

These rules pertain to images originally created by traditional and electronic photographic processes.

ELIGIBILITY 

Entrant must have captured and created the original exposure.

Images created by any means of Artificial Intelligence, or AI, are not permitted in this competition, other than in this year’s “Creative Theme Category-AI Generated Images”, and the Artist Category (see Artist rules for restrictions). With any categories other than the above It is permissible to use AI technology to remove items (ie using content aware fill tool to remove a dust or sensor spot), but it is NOT permissible to use AI technology to add elements or replace backgrounds. (ie no text prompts).

As this is a Photographic Competition, the photographic component shall be dominant in all entries. All digitally painted images are to be entered in the Artist category. 

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

The entrant’s name must not be visible on the entry, or in the file title.

No entry will be eligible if it has been made under the supervision of an instructor or as a class assignment during a workshop or seminar.

For the Artist category only, entries may be created using 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 PPAM before, during or after the competition. If an entry, in the good-faith opinion of the PPAM Photographic Competition co-chairs, violates copyright, trademark or any other applicable law and cannot be proven otherwise, that entry shall be disqualified. 

An Entrant may use the same individual in multiple images as long as the images contain entirely different concepts (i.e. different lighting, wardrobe, background, session). 

Entries previously awarded or merited at any PPAM or PPA/IPC Competition are not eligible. Images merited during PPA’s Merit Image Review (MIR) 2025 are eligible.

PPAM reserves the right to request the original/raw file for any entry.

If an image has been awarded an 80 or above score in any category of PPAM competition, it may not be entered in a PPAM competition again in any other category, at any time by any entrant. No image that receives an 80 or above may be entered more than once under any condition. 

To qualify for PPAM Member awards, the entrant must claim PPAM as their Home Association and have a paid PPAM membership as of February 14, 2026. The entrant agrees to not claim any other PPA Community Network as their Home (in-state) Association. 

The Highest Scoring Image by a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) will receive the CPP Award from the Professional Photographic Certification Commission. To qualify you must be a current member of PPAM (and claim PPAM as your Home Association) and a PPA member, as well as a CPP in good standing as of February 14, 2026.

ASP Award - The ASP State Elite Award is presented to the ASP member with the highest scoring image that does not contain text-to-image-generated AI elements at his or her home Community Partner Image Competition. To be eligible for the State Elite Award, the recipient must be a member in good standing with ASP, and the member’s dues must be current prior to entering their home state competition.

PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE CATEGORIES 

Post-production techniques, such as painting, are not to be an essential part of the final photograph.

You must designate one of the below categories for each entry when uploading your entries:

Portraits: Images that depict the natural beauty of a subject.  Lighting and posing should portray and enhance the personality and character of the subject. Images that use extensive makeup or props to transform the natural appearance, must be entered in Artist or Stylized Portrait.

• Portrait of 1 or 2 Adults

• Family Portraits (3 or more people)

• Newborn Portraits

• Children’s Portraits

• High School Senior Portraits

• Boudoir, Glamour, Fashion

• Pet Portraits

Illustrative:

• Landscape/Cityscape

• Nature (flowers, insects, wild animals, zoo animals)

• Commercial (includes real estate, architecture, still life and product photography)

• Reportage: Images that illustrate an actual public or non-public event, life, an area of human interest, telling news that have meaning on the context or record of events, high impact and/or lasting emotional response, sporting events. ONLY basic color and brightness adjustments, cropping, dodging, and burning are allowed; no composites. The original captured image (in RAW or jpg) must be available if requested by the committee. No addition or removal or objects int the photo is permitted. 

Wedding/Events: Images in the Day of Wedding category must be done in connection with an actual wedding event.

• Wedding – Documentary

• Wedding – Posed

Albums: Portraits, storytelling, weddings, events.

Artist: 

Guide/Reference Images are required on presentation of entry Composite and non-composite images and highly manipulated images (Photoshop or similar) are allowed in this category. All processing, manipulation, artwork, or rendering must be done by the entrant. 

• Artist - This category is judged with emphasis on the creative use of manipulation through any means of imaging. This is the appropriate category for composites, and photo restorations should be placed in this category.  Entries in the Artist category may include any subject and may have additional elements not created by the maker. 

• Stylized Portrait (people or animals):

Images that include extensive styling, creative photo techniques such as painting, specialized makeup, or props are allowed. Post-production techniques are encouraged and may be an essential part of the final story in the photograph. 

Registration/Digital File Upload deadline: 11pm EST on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

DIGITAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Files must be sized so the longest dimension is 4,000 pixels. 

• Each file must contain an embedded color profile of sRGB and be saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10. 

• Name files: Image Title.jpg IE, “See Spot Run.jpg”. Do NOT put the maker’s name in the title, and do not put a name, watermark or logo on the image.

• Digital Files will be viewed with the following Monitor Settings: D65, 120 cd/m2, 2.20 gamma

Albums

• All page/spread files must have the longest file dimension at 4000 pixels, have the embedded color profile sRGB , and saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10.

• Each page/spread file may contain as many images as you desire.

• An entry shall contain a minimum of 5 pages/spread files up to 36 pages/spread files.

• Files are to be numbered in viewing order using two digits, i.e., 01 jpg, 02 jpg, 03 jpg, etc.

• All individual files must be compressed into a single ZIP file. ZIP file must be named: Album Title.zip (e.g., Summer Wedding.zip).

• Studio identification or entrant's name cannot appear on any file within the album entry.

• MULTI‐MAKER ALBUM: Images in the album must be the work of two entrants, with a minimum of 20 images per entrant. Each entrant must individually enter the competition and pay appropriate entry fees. Multi‐maker albums will be judged as one entry. Each entrant must use the same title when entering a multi‐maker album.

DEADLINES & FEES 

Registration/Digital File Upload deadline: 11PM EST, Saturday, February 14, 2026.

Entry fee is $15 per image. Each entry MUST be paid AND uploaded to PrintCompetition.com before the deadline of 11pm EST on Saturday, February 14, 2026.  Failure to comply with these rules may result in disqualification of entry. The decisions of the Photographic Competition Committee and the Competition Co-Chairs are final. By entering, you agree that Professional Photographers Association of Massachusetts can use your images for publication and for promotion of PPAM.

PPAM gives awards to qualifying members of our organization that declare PPAM as their Home Association, and are a member in good standing as of February 14, 2026.

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXCELLENCE AWARD: The Judges of the competition will select the recipient of this award from the Top 10 cases (based on scores) that had at least 6 images that scored 80 or above.  The Judges will look at the top 6 images that scored 80 or above in each case and reward the maker’s body of work based on the variety, impact, and technical expertise of the images. The recipient will receive a trophy. 

SILVER EVOLVE AWARD:  The Judges of the competition will select the recipient of this award from the Top 10 cases (based on scores) that had at least 6 images that scored 80 or above.  The Judges will look at the top 6 images that scored 80 or above in each case and reward the maker’s body of work based on the variety, impact, and technical expertise of the images. The recipient will receive a trophy. 

BRONZE EVOLVE AWARD:  The Judges of the competition will select the recipient of this award from the Top 10 cases (based on scores) that had at least 6 images that scored 80 or above.  The Judges will look at the top 6 images that scored 80 or above in each case and reward the maker’s body of work based on the variety, impact, and technical expertise of the images. The recipient will receive a trophy. 

COURT OF HONORS
The Court of Honors are selected by the judges from images that score 80 or above. There are a total of five awards, one in each category: 

Portraits: Image can include children, families, groups, couples, pets, models, and boudoir, fashion, and glamour portraits.

Wedding/Event: Image can portray a subject or subjects from all aspects of a wedding or event including traditional portraits, candids or detail work.

Illustrative: Capturing the beauty of nature, wildlife, industry, and architectural areas are considered illustrative, as well as the storytelling of Reportage.

Artist: A conceptual image altered or manipulated from its original condition. Creations can be a subtle application using post-processing techniques, or a dramatic combination of details to suggest a larger story. The artist is responsible for the idea behind the image and all work done to create the finished art piece.

Album: Wedding/Events and Portrait and Storytelling albums

Each recipient of a Court of Honor will receive a plaque.

OTHER AWARDS

The Highest Scoring Case
The Top 4 images that scored 80 or above in each eligible case will be averaged, and the individual with the highest average will receive this award.  The individual must be a qualifying PPAM Member**. Winner receives a plaque and a $200 lab credit with American Color Imaging. (ACILAB)

The Highest Scoring Image by a First Time Entrant will receive a $100 cash award given by PPAM, and a plaque. This award is given to a current qualifying PPAM member** who has never entered any other PPA or PPA-affiliate competition before until now.

The Highest Scoring Image by a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) will receive the CPP Award from the Professional Photographic Certification Commission. To be eligible for this award, you must be a qualifying PPAM member**, as well as a current PPA member and a CPP in good standing as of February 14, 2026.

American Society of Photographers - The ASP State Elite Award is presented to the ASP member with the highest scoring image that does not contain text-to-image-generated AI elements at his or her home Community Partner Image Competition. To be eligible for the State Elite Award, the recipient must be a member in good standing with ASP and PPAM, and the member’s dues must be current prior to entering their home state competition.

Highest Scoring Image by a Non-Member will receive a certificate.

PPAM SPECIALTY AWARDS

One image in each of the following categories is chosen by the judges to receive the Specialty Award:

• Portrait of 1 or 2 Adults  

• Family Portraits (3 or more subjects)

• Newborn Portraits

• Children’s Portraits

• Illustrative/Painted Portrait 

• High School Senior Portrait

• Boudoir, Glamour, Fashion

• Pet Portraits

• Landscape/Cityscape

• Nature (flowers, insects, wild animals, zoo animals)

• Commercial (real estate, architecture, still life and product photography)

• Reportage (Photojournalism, Documentary, Sports Action)

• Wedding – Documentary

• Wedding – Posed

• Artist

• Artist-Stylized Portrait

• “Creative Theme” AI Created Imagery (Artificial Intelligence)

Each recipient of a Specialty Award will receive a Pin and a Certificate.

The Creative Theme category, is one entry per person at no charge, if accompanied by at least one paid entry.

**Qualifying PPAM Member Guidelines:

Declare PPAM as your Home Association (check the box when registering on the printcompetition.com website)

DO NOT declare any other state as your Home Association

Current Paid membership as of February 14, 2026

Please contact the 2026 Image Competition Co-Chairpersons if you have any questions!

Stephen Sedman
Cathy Broderick
competition@ppam.com 

Are you interested in becoming more involved with PPAM Photographic Competition? Reach out to the Competition Co-Chairs for more information!