Club Rules

Photo Submission Requirements

All photographs submitted to Aperture Photo Club must be original works captured by the member submitting them. We do not accept AI-generated images, heavily composited works that replace the photographic subject entirely, or photographs taken by someone other than the submitting member. The spirit of the club is honest photography — the kind that comes from being in the right place at the right time with a camera in hand. Stock photos, images pulled from the internet, and screenshots do not qualify as original submissions and will be disqualified without notice.

Accepted file formats for submission are JPG, JPEG, PNG, and GIF. Files must not exceed 1 megabyte (1MB) in size. Images that exceed the file size limit will be automatically removed from the submission queue. We recommend exporting your image at a resolution of 1200 pixels on the longest edge and using standard compression settings in your editing software to stay within the file size limit. Each member may submit a maximum of one photograph per category per monthly contest cycle. Submissions that do not meet these format and size requirements will not be considered for voting and will be removed from the system.

File names should not contain spaces or special characters. Use underscores or hyphens instead (e.g., mountain_sunrise_2025.jpg). Submissions must be made through the official Submit page using the provided form before the monthly deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances, as the voting period begins immediately after the submission window closes.

Community Conduct and Content Standards

Aperture Photo Club is a community built on mutual respect and a shared love of photography. All members are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects those values, both in the photos they submit and in how they interact with other members on the live chat and voting pages. Photographs containing graphic violence, nudity, hate symbols, or content that demeans or targets individuals or groups based on race, gender, religion, national origin, or any other protected characteristic will be removed immediately and the submitting account will be banned from future participation without appeal.

Voting manipulation is strictly prohibited. Members may not create multiple accounts for the purpose of casting additional votes, coordinate with others to inflate vote counts artificially, or engage in any form of vote gaming. Any member found to be manipulating the voting process will be permanently removed from the club. All submitted photographs must have been taken within the last 12 months of the submission date. Archival or historical photographs, regardless of their quality, are not eligible for the monthly contest. The goal is to keep the competition fresh and to encourage members to keep shooting new material rather than relying on old favorites.