HGCC follows the rules set by CAPA for Nature photographs.

In 2008, CAPA adopted the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) nature definition. CAPA's Nature Category rules are as follows:

Nature photography depicts living, untamed animals and uncultivated plants in a natural habitat, geology and the wide diversity of natural phenomena, from insects to icebergs. Photographs of animals that are domesticated, caged or under any form of restraint, as well as photographs of cultivated plants are ineligible. Minimal evidence of humans is acceptable for nature subjects, such as barn owls or storks adapting to an environment modified by humans, or natural forces, like hurricanes or tidal waves, reclaiming it.

The original image must have been taken by the photographer, whatever photographic medium is used.

Any manipulation or modification to the original image is limited to minor retouching of blemishes and must not alter the content of the original scene.

After satisfying the above requirements, every effort should be made to use the highest level of artistic skill in all nature photographs. No composites. HDR (High Dynamic Range) techniques are acceptable as long as the result is what the eye naturally sees.

CAPA Suggestions for Nature Photographers

The story telling value of a photograph must be weighed more than the pictorial quality, but there must be an emphasis on the aesthetic value of the photograph, ie the creation of art and appreciation of beauty - all this within the confines of an accurate record of the subject and the natural environment.

Nature images with an interpretative or pictorial treatment should be submitted in the Other category, and heavily manipulated digital images are not eligible. Scenic vistas, land and seascapes, although natural, belong in the Landscape category. However, the Nature category also includes astrophotographic images where the primary subject is one or more celestial body. Images of pets and other domesticated animals do not belong in the Nature category, and should instead be submitted to the Other category.

Images in the Nature category will be judged not only on composition and technique, but on the specimen(s).