FAQ / Guidelines

[NPN_Editor (Nature Photographers Network)]

Copyright Notice

All content on this site, including photography and text, is the copyright of the respective photographers/authors. Any use or reproduction of the content without the written permission of the photographer and/or author is strictly forbidden. Please read our Terms and Conditions before using this site.

You may not post images that belong to someone else without permission. The only exception is noted below.

By posting in a critique forum, you grant limited rights to other members to download your photo for the explicit purpose of demonstrating post-processing techniques such as color adjustments, contrast, cropping, etc. Any other use is prohibited! The re-worked photo remains the copyright of the original photographer.

If you are concerned about posting your images online, please read this article: Advice on protecting your work.

Rules of Conduct

NPN is strictly dedicated to the art and technique of nature photography, and all conversations should pertain directly to this. While on-topic spirited debate is welcome, please keep all conversations respectful, professional, and nonjudgmental. Discussion of controversial subjects unrelated to nature photography is subject to deletion without notice. If you have any concerns with forum activity, please contact the forum moderator(s) by sending them a message from their profile or emailing editor@naturephotographers.network.

We strongly recommend that all nature photographers review the Nature Photographers Code of Conduct and follow the suggested guidelines when in the field.

Photo Critique

The NPN site includes photo critique categories where members can post their photos for constructive feedback. The primary purpose is to help members improve their photography through constructive feedback and by offering constructive critique to others.

Here are some recommended practices for constructive photo critique:

1. Start off friendly with a greeting.
2. Find something positive to say about the image.
3. Offer suggestions for improvement using “I-statements” rather than “you-statements.”
4. End the critique on a positive note if possible.

Remember that you offer opinions and suggestions. Everyone has a unique perspective, and you should not put yourself in a superior position regardless of your experience.

We invite you to post comments on photos! Even if you don’t feel “qualified” to critique an image, sharing what you like or dislike about an image in your own words is helpful. Learn more about The Art of Image Critique.

Important Rule: When you post an image for critique, you must give at least two critiques of other members’ images.

Critiquing other images is the best way to improve your eye in photography. You only get so much from having your own images critiqued. When you critique others, you must think deeply about what makes that image work.

Remember that you don’t need to be an experienced photographer to give a critique. It’s important that everyone shares what they like or dislike about an image, how it makes them feel, what emotional response it gives, what aesthetics they like, etc.

Reworking a Photo

By posting in a critique forum, you grant limited rights to other members to download your photo for the explicit purpose of demonstrating post-processing techniques. Any other use is prohibited! The re-worked photo remains the copyright of the original photographer.

1. Open the lightboxed version of the image and save it to your hard drive using the download button in the lower right corner.
2. After reworking the photo, reply in the same thread with the photo and detailed notes on your adjustments.
3. Delete the photo from your hard drive.

Note: The download button is only visible to other paying members in the critique forum.

Posting a Revised Version of Your Image

When receiving critique, it’s good practice to implement the changes and post a revised version in the original topic.

• Edit your original topic instead of replying. This allows you to flip between the original and revised versions in the lightbox.
• Click the pencil icon at the bottom of your topic to edit and upload your revised version. Add “(+repost)” to the title to indicate a revision. Click ‘Save Edit’ when finished.
• Add the revised version at the top of the post to update the thumbnail.

Tips on Posting Photos for Critique

To get the most out of the photo critique process, provide the following information for every photo you post:

• What is the image about? What does it mean to you? What is your motivation for making it?
• Equipment information (camera, lens, speedlight, tripod, filters).
• Camera settings (shutter speed, aperture, ISO).
• If it’s a photo of a captive animal, include that information.
• Any specific feedback you wish to receive on your photo.

Additional reading - The Art of Image Critique.

The NPN Critique Categories

There are eight main photo critique categories. Please review the following category theme descriptions and place your photo in the single most appropriate category:

• Abstract Nature - Images of nature where the subject is not easily identifiable. This category includes intentional camera movement (ICM), multiple exposures, etc., whether done in-camera or post-processing. Some overlap with other categories may occur; use your best judgment.
• Avian - All images with birds as the main subject. Disclose if birds were baited with seed, other non-live bait, or recordings. Photos of captive birds taken at commercial game farms or using live bait are prohibited. Photos of captive birds at zoos and wildlife rehabilitation centers may be posted in Everything Else with the facility name and any conservation/education information.
• Flora - Plants and flowers. State if staged, set-up, or studio shots.
• Landscape - Landscapes, seascapes, and celestial images. Human elements are acceptable if not the main subject.
• Macro/Close-up - Macro and close-up images of nature, generally depicting an area of about 4 inches across or less. State if the image is staged, set-up, or created in the studio. Photos of frozen insects are not allowed. Chilling insects for photography is acceptable but discouraged.
• Nightscapes & Astro - Images of the night sky, including the Milky Way, stars, moon, or deep sky subjects.
• Wildlife - Wildlife other than birds. Photos of captive wildlife taken at commercial game farms or using bait (including recorded sound) are prohibited. Images with domesticated animals in a rural scene should be posted in Everything Else. Photos of captive wildlife at zoos and wildlife rehabilitation centers may be posted in Everything Else with the facility name and any conservation/education information.
• Everything Else - Open category for anything that doesn’t fit into the primary categories, including non-nature subjects. G-rated only!
• Weekly Challenge - Weekly, theme-based photos conforming to the category guidelines the photo would normally be posted in. Non-nature images are not permitted unless specifically stated in the challenge description.
• Projects - Receive feedback on a cohesive set of images based on a theme. The primary subject should be nature. Upload individual images, a PDF, a link to your website with a project, or a link to a video.
• New Members - A place for new members to share images and get feedback in a comfortable atmosphere with others new to the site. Experienced NPN members will provide guidance.

Note - You may not concurrently post the same photo in multiple categories.

Posting Photos

How to Post Photos

Click the New Post button, select ‘Post Image for Critique,’ and fill out the form.

File Requirements

1. Image size - The recommended minimum is 1500px on the long edge. You may upload smaller files if image theft is a concern. There is no limit on maximum pixel dimensions. We recommend 2000px for a high-quality display.

2. Image Quality - Use a quality setting of 6 (Photoshop) or 60 (Lightroom) to reduce file size while retaining visual quality.

3. Maximum file size - 100 MB, JPEG files. Large files will be slow to load for other users. Setting image quality as mentioned above will keep file size well below this, usually around 1 MB.

4. Color Space - Convert all images to sRGB, the web standard, to ensure colors display correctly in all browsers.

Photo Posting Guidelines

1. The person posting the image must hold the copyright. Posting stolen material is strictly prohibited!
2. For every image you post for critique, you must give at least two critiques of other members’ images.
3. Identify the subject using either the common name or scientific name whenever possible.
4. Select the single most appropriate category for your image. Do not post the same image in multiple categories.
5. Use a descriptive title, including the common name of the species if possible.
6. If the image is from a game park, zoo, or any controlled (non-wild) situation, post it in the Everything Else category.
7. If the image has been modified beyond simple adjustments, state so in your post.
8. The posting limit is one image per day per category.
9. You may post photos in replies per the following strictly enforced guidelines:
   • Posting any other photo as part of a critique or comment is prohibited.
   • A member may re-post their original photo, with adjustments per viewer comments, in a reply in their own thread.
   • A member giving a critique may post a rework of the original photo.
   • Any member may post a non-photo illustration or photo editing software screenshot as part of their critique.
   • All photos must comply with the sizing guidelines listed above. - NPN administration and moderators reserve the right to delete any reply that includes a photo.

Editors’ Picks

The Weekly Editors’ Picks are selected using the following criteria:

• Members who actively participate by implementing critique suggestions and working to grow their creative vision.
• Members who participate in critiquing other member’s images. If you only post your images for critique and do not participate in critiquing others, you may not be eligible for the EP.
• Technical execution (sharp focus, proper exposure, clean processing, etc.).
• Aesthetic quality (composition, use of light, visual impact, etc.).
• Originality.
• Favor may be given to members who have not been picked before to avoid one person dominating the choices week to week.
• Recently taken or processed images will be favored over those taken/processed many years ago to encourage members to create new work and continue their growth.
• The amount of likes, views, and replies is not considered.
• Iconic locations will be given less favor unless it is a unique, creative take on the scene (this does not mean unique weather conditions or special processing).

Editors’ Pick Rules

• All weekly picks and annual EP winners must be from current NPN members, moderators and contributors are eligible as well.
• No multiple selections for the yearly picks – a different photographer will be selected for each of the 3 places in each of the 10 categories.
• Winners grant the Nature Photographers Network the right to use the image (with accompanying photo credit) for promotional purposes only.
• All rights remain entirely with the photographer.

Note: The Editors’ Picks are not a competition against other members in any way. The EP should be treated as a competition against yourself to grow and become a better photographer. When posting an image in the critique section, your first priority should be to receive feedback and improve your photography, not to be selected for the EP.

If you have any questions regarding the weekly picks or the yearly Editors’ Pick Awards, please contact us at editor@naturephotographers.network.

General Guidelines

If You See a Problem, Flag It

Moderators have special authority and are responsible for this forum. But so are you. With your help, moderators can be community facilitators, not just janitors or police.

When you see bad behavior, don’t reply. It encourages bad behavior by acknowledging it, consumes your energy, and wastes everyone’s time. Just flag it. If enough flags accrue, action will be taken automatically or by moderator intervention.

Moderators reserve the right to remove any content and any user account for any reason at any time to maintain our community. Moderators do not preview new posts; the moderators and site operators take no responsibility for any content posted by the community.

Though they often post comments on member photos, moderators are not required to provide expert critique on every photo posted.

This is a Civilized Place for Public Discussion

Please treat this discussion forum with the same respect you would a public park. We, too, are a shared community resource – a place to share skills, knowledge, and interests through ongoing conversation.

These are guidelines to aid the human judgment of our community and keep this a clean, well-lighted place for civilized public discourse.

Improve the Discussion

Help us make this a great place for discussion by always working to improve the discussion in some way, however small. If you are not sure your post adds to the conversation, think it over and try again later.

The topics discussed here matter to us, and we want you to act as if they matter to you, too. Be respectful of the topics and the people discussing them, even if you disagree with some of what is being said.

One way to improve the discussion is by discovering the ones that are already happening. Spend time browsing the topics here before replying or starting your own, and you’ll have a better chance of meeting others who share your interests.

Be Agreeable, Even When You Disagree

You may wish to respond to something by disagreeing with it. That’s fine. But remember to criticize ideas, not people. Please avoid:

• Name-calling
• Ad hominem attacks
• Responding to a post’s tone instead of its actual content
• Knee-jerk contradiction

Instead, provide reasoned counter-arguments that improve the conversation.

Your Participation Counts

The conversations we have here set the tone for every new arrival. Help us influence the future of this community by choosing to engage in discussions that make this forum an interesting place to be – and avoiding those that do not.

The forum software provides tools that enable the community to collectively identify the best (and worst) contributions: bookmarks, likes, flags, replies, edits, and so forth. Use these tools to improve your experience and everyone else’s.

Let’s leave our community better than we found it.

Always Be Civil

Nothing sabotages a healthy conversation like rudeness:

• Be civil. Don’t post anything that a reasonable person would consider offensive, abusive, or hate speech.
• Keep it clean. Don’t post anything obscene or sexually explicit.
• Respect each other. Don’t harass or grief anyone, impersonate people, or expose their private information.
• Respect our forum. Don’t post spam or otherwise vandalize the forum.

These are not concrete terms with precise definitions – avoid even the appearance of any of these things. If you’re unsure, ask yourself how you would feel if your post was featured on the front page of the New York Times.

This is a public forum, and search engines index these discussions. Keep the language, links, and images safe for family and friends.

Keep It Tidy

Make an effort to put things in the right place so that we can spend more time discussing things and cleaning up less.

• Don’t start a topic in the wrong category.
• Don’t cross-post the same thing in multiple topics.
• Don’t post no-content replies.
• Don’t divert a topic by changing it midstream.
• Don’t sign your posts – every post has your profile information attached to it.
• Rather than posting “nice photo,” “I love this,” etc., use the Like button.
• Rather than taking an existing topic in a radically different direction, use Reply as a Linked Topic.
  - Rather than replying with ‘follow’ or ‘F’ to follow a topic, turn on notifications by selecting ‘Watching’ in the drop-down found in the lower-right corner of a post.

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This site is operated by your friendly local staff and you, the community. If you have any further questions about how things should work here, open a new topic in the site support category and let’s discuss! If there’s a critical or urgent issue that can’t be handled by a topic or flag, please message @NPN_Editor.

Commercial Advertisement

To keep the NPN website free of excess commercialism, please use the following guidelines:

1. You may include links in your profile to a page on your website that offers your products and/or services.
2. All other unauthorized commercial advertisements are subject to deletion.

Important Notice

These forums are intended solely to promote the art and technique of nature photography. The use of these forums for any other purpose is strictly forbidden. The NPN administration reserves the right to edit, delete, or close any thread, post, or commercial listing deemed inappropriate and/or outside the intended scope of this site. All images appearing in these forums are the property of the respective photographers. All images are protected by U.S. copyright laws and are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the photographer’s written permission.

Terms of Service

Legalese is boring, but we must protect ourselves – and, by extension, you and your data – against unfriendly folks. We have a Terms of Service describing your (and our) behavior and rights related to content, privacy, and laws. To use this service, you must agree to abide by our TOS.

More Tips

For more information on how to use the forum, please see the Site Tips category.