Boston Camera Club (BCC)

Guidelines for utilization of Artificial Intelligence

and non-user-generated content in Competition Images

PURPOSE

This document is a supplement to the Competition Rules 3.7 and 3.7.1. Its purpose is to explain the acceptable use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in editing images for BCC competitions.

These guidelines do not represent new restrictions on photographic content for competitions. Rather, they represent the application of our existing to AI-assisted photo editing. The foundational principle is that the maker’s work submitted for competition must be photographic in origin, and that all content must be derived from one or more of the maker’s photographs.

Because of the continuing and rapid evolution of AI editing tools, it is impractical to include detailed guidelines about AI usage in the Rules. These guidelines will be updated from time to time to reflect changes in technology and changes in BCC’s vision for its competitions. These guidelines refer mostly to Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom but would apply equally to equivalent tools in other editing software.

IMPLEMENTATION

As with all other provisions of the BCC competition rules, members submitting images for competitions are expected to follow these AI guidelines in good faith.  If in doubt, please consult the competition chair in advance of image submission.  The judgement of the competition chair is final.

DEFINITIONS

Artificial Intelligence: For the purposes of the BCC and its competitions, we are referring to AI tools in editing software which may change the content of a digital image.

Non-generative AI: These AI tools analyze, enhance, or modify existing pixels.

Generative AI: These tools create new pixels based on massive databases of images. In general, these “pixels” are not created by the maker. Text prompts are often, but not always, used in a generative AI workflow.

GUIDELINES

The following are guidelines for the use of specific digital imaging tools that are found in commonly used photography editing software.

1.  Non-generative AI tools which are permitted:

a.  Noise reduction and sharpening (Topaz AI, LR denoise).

b.  Upscaling: increasing resolution for large scale printing (PS)

c.   Masking and selection tools: AI improves selections such as “select sky” and “select object.”

d.   Lens Blur (LR).

e.   Clarity, dehaze, grain adjustments (PS; LR has these features in a non-AI implementatiion).

f.    Perspective correction

g.   Automatic tone curve.

2.  Generative Remove: sometimes allowed.

a.   Allowed: use of AI object removal tools for minor distractions, for example:

 i.   Dust spots

 ii.   Power lines, a stray piece of debris in a scene.

 iii.  Small blemishes or spots on objects or skin.

iv.   Generative remove means removing a small distraction, and matching the displaced pixels to the background, not replacing the removed distraction with something new.

b.  Not Allowed: use of Generative AI object removal tools for larger distractions.

i.   Reflections

ii.  Objects, such as cars, people, structures, signs, etc., that are large or prominent components in a scene.

c.  Note: Generative remove represents a gray zone. Please use your best judgement to avoid significant non-user generated content.

3.  Generative AI: not allowed

a.  Any content generated with a text prompt.

b.  Generative expand: adding AI generated content to expand an image.

c.  Content insertion: Just as the original rules prohibit the insertion of “clip art,” using AI to add elements to a scene (birds, people, clouds) that were not present in the original photograph is not allowed.

4.  Sky Replacement: Regardless of whether AI is used, this is allowed only if the new sky (or part of it) is from photo(s) taken by the maker. Neither stock skies nor AI-generated skies are permitted.

Abbreviations:

LR: Adobe Lightroom

AI: Artificial Intelligence

PS: Adobe Photoshop

Adopted by Executive Committee March, 2026