Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday photography. Lightroom, Photoshop, Nik, Topaz, and other applications now use AI for everything from noise reduction and sharpening to masking, object removal, Generative Fill, and even creating entirely new image content.

So where should we draw the line for Arundel Camera Club contests?

Our proposed guiding principle is simple: AI may help you process what you photographed. AI should not create what you did not photograph.

Like many aspects of camera club competition, our AI guidelines ultimately depend on the honor system. We are not looking to police members’ editing workflows or examine every image to determine which tools may have been used.

When you enter an ACC contest, you are representing that your image complies with the contest rules. Each photographer is responsible for understanding the tools they use and determining whether their processing is consistent with those rules.

Technology is changing quickly, and we want our contest guidelines to reflect the views of our members while preserving photographic authorship and the integrity of our competitions.

Here is the link to the slide deck AI & Contests: Where Do We Draw the Line?