The 4th “Gran Digital ” Circuit is a cultural event in the field of artistic photography consists of 4 Contest with 4 themes per contest and is sponsored by the FIAP, ISF, GPU, FIAF and PSA and is organized by the Circolo Fotografico Arno (Italy).
PATRONAGE:
Trofeo Andromeda: FIAF 2025M35 – FIAP 2025/xx – ISF 2025/40 – GPUL250089
Trofeo Cassiopea: FIAF 2025M36 – FIAP 2025/xx – ISF 2025/40 – GPUL250089
Trofeo Orione: FIAF 2025M37 – FIAP 2025/xx – ISF 2025/40 – GPUL250089
Trofeo Sirio: FIAF 2025M38 – FIAP 2025/xx – ISF 2025/40 – GPUL250089
CONTACTS
Chair: Fabio Pratellesi
Email: fabio.pratellesi@gmail.com
Address: Via Garibaldi 103, 50063 Figline e Incisa Valdarno (FI)
Entry Form: Available on the www.arnofoto.it website
Website address: www.arnofoto.it
Exhibition Software Provider: HPCM (Hiho Photo Contest Manager) program for the management of photographic competitions provided by HIHO srl.
RULES
1) The Circolo Fotografico Arno Association, with the Patronage of FIAP-Federation Internationale de l’Art Photographique, GPU– Global Photographic Union, ISF-Image Sans Frontiere e FIAF-Federazione Italiana Associazioni Fotografiche, PSA is organizing the International Circuit of Digital Photography Contests: “4th Gran Digital”, which includes the following events: Trofeo Andromeda, Trofeo Cassiopea, Trofeo Orione and Trofeo Sirio. The Gran Digital is a cultural event in the field of artistic photography. The contest is open to all amateur and professional photographers worldwide. Entrants must own the copyright to all submitted photographs. The images must have been photographed in every part (even the smallest) by the entrant himself/herself.
2) The contest has four themes for digital images, referred to as:
A) Open Monochrome (Monochrome Digital)
B) Open Color (Color Digital)
C) Landscape Photo (Color Digital – Monochrome photos are also accepted)
D) Enviroment Photo (Color Digital – Monochrome photos are also accepted)
You can submit up to 4 works for theme. For a maximum total of 16 Photos.
The images, of all themes, must be sent in JPG format with a size, pixel dimensions,
minimum 1920 and maximum 2500 on the longest side; Resolution 300 dpi; maximum 4MB; RGB color space. The length of the photo titles must not exceed 25 characters.
Submit up to 4 works per theme. Maximum total 16 Photos.
The same photo can’t be entered in different themes.
The color images can’t be presented as monochromatic photos.
Photos that have participated in previous editions will not be accepted.
Each juror will use, for the initial vote, the HPCM (Hiho Photo Contest Manager) program for the management of photographic competitions provided by HIHO srl.
Each juror will express a vote, for each single photograph, from 3 to 9 according to their liking. Assigning a grade of 3 to off-topic works, 4 and 5 to the works, for him, not to be accepted, 6 and 7 to the works to be accepted, while 8 and 9 will be assigned to the works that the juror intends to nominate for a prize.
Considering that each jury is composed of 3 elements, we will have a minimum vote of 9 and a maximum vote of 27.
A contestant’s images will not be presented to the judges consecutively. The distribution of the images will take place in the same order sent by the participant.
3) All entries must be submitted through the specific form available on the www.arnofoto.it website.
Regarding the participation of Italian photographers who belong to the FIAF, Italian Federation of Photographic Associations, in light of the FIAF Competition Regulations in force from 1 January 2025, images that have had admissions in years prior to 2022 can also participate in this initiative.
However, please note that any admissions obtained with these images, while not incurring penalties, will not be counted in the FIAF Statistics.
For the sake of completeness, please note that only images that may have had previous admissions in the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 will be counted in the FIAF Statistics, as well as, obviously, unpublished.
4) The subscription fee amounts to € 40 (For members of the Italian Federation of Photographic Associations the fee is reduced to € 34) or 45 US$ per entrant, regardless of the category and is valid for all 4 contests.
The amount can be forwarded through PayPal to the following e-mail: info@arnofoto.it or by bank transfer to IBAN: IT95B0881105463000000703425 (with payment by bank transfer it is mandatory to send the payment receipt to the address: concorsi@arnofoto.it)
The works not accompanied by the participation fee will not be accepted and will not have the right to participate.
The subscription fees for groups are as follows :
From 10 to 20 Participants: 36,00 Euro – US$ 41,00
From 21 to 30 Participants: 34,00 Euro – US$ 39,00
From 31 to 50 Participants: 30,00 Euro – US$ 35,00
From 51 to 100 Participants: 28,00 Euro – US$ 33,00
Group Registration method: Each person in the group must complete the registration form. Upload the images using the appropriate form on the website. Do not make the payment from the website. The entire sum, i.e. the sum of the fees, must be paid via PayPal to the following e-mail: info@arnofoto.it or by bank transfer to IBAN: IT95B0881105463000000703425. When done, send the list of participants and the payment receipt to concorsi@arnofoto.it. Each person in the group will be authorized to participate in the circuit.
5) The jury will be carried out remotely from 4 to 13 October 2025
The jury’s final decision is unquestionable and incontestable. The organizers shall send the unclaimed prizes at their own expenses but at the recipient risk.
6) Awards
Awards for the Circuit:
The Best Author award will be awarded to the author who has obtained the highest number of accepted works. In the event of a tie, the total score obtained by the accepted works is valid. In case of further equality, the number of prizes obtained by the accepted works will be valid.
Absolute Best Author of the Circuit: Trophy and reimbursement of US$ 400,00 in Amazon vouchers.
Prizes for each Contest:
Best Author of the Contest: FIAP PIN and reimbursement of US $ 200,00 in Amazon vouchers.
Best Photo of the Contest: Trophy and reimbursement of US $ 200,00 in Amazon vouchers.
Best Photo of each Theme: FIAP Gold Medal.
Prizes for each Theme of each Contest:
Free Monochrome Theme
1 Gold Medals (GPU)
1 Silver Medal (GPU)
1 Bronze Medal (GPU)
3 Special Jury Prizes (FIAF Diploma)
6 Honorable Mentions (HM Ribbon) ) (GPU )
Free Color Theme
1 Gold Medals (Gran Digital)
1 Silver Medal (Gran Digital)
1 Bronze Medal (Gran Digital)
3 Special Jury Prizes (FIAF Diploma)
6 Honorable Mentions (HM Ribbon) (FIAP)
Landscape Theme (Color / Black and White)
1 Gold Medals (Gran Digital)
1 Silver Medal (Gran Digital)
1 Bronze Medal (Gran Digital)
3 Special Jury Prizes (FIAF Digital Diploma)
6 Honorable Mentions (HM Ribbon) (FIAP)
Environment Theme(Color / Black and White)
1 Gold Medals (ISF)
1 Silver Medal (ISF)
1 Bronze Medal (ISF)
3 Special Jury Prizes (ISF Diploma)
6 Honorable Mentions (HM Ribbon) (FIAP)
For a total of 217 Rewards and $ 2,000.00 in Amazon Coupons
7) PLEASE NOTE: The prizes cannot be cumulated in the same section of each contest but can be cumulated, in different sections of the same contest, up to a maximum of 2 of which 1 is Official.
Prizes transversal to sections/themes such as Best Author and Best Work of the contest are excluded from the account.
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8) Calendar
Expiry date: Octoberr 2, 2025
Juries deadline: October 13, 2025
Submission of Results: October 22, 2025
Award ceremony: November 29, 2025
Catalog and Awards Submission: December 20, 2025
9) Juries
Trofeo Andromeda
Pierangelo Cavalleri (Italia) QPSA-PPSA-M.NPS-HonCPE-E.IAAP
Rania Balachouti (Grecia) EFIAP GPU Cr2 E.HPS/g
Barbara Schmidt (Germany) EFIAP/p, GMPSA/b, BPSA, GPU VIP5
Trofeo Cassiopea
Maurizio Trifilidis (Italia) AFIAP – EFIAF/s – E.APS/g – E.NPS – Hon.CPE – Hon.APMP – BFA**
Pertti Ylinen (Finlandia), EFIAP/p, GMPSA, GPU CR3
Monica Wennblom (Svezia), EFIAP/p
Trofeo Orione
Fabio Tulli (Italia), AFIAP e EFIAF
Eva Lambropoulou (Grecia), EFIAP/d1, GMPSA, GPU VIP5 CR4
Jan Hammerstad (Danimarca), EFIAP, NSMiF/s
Trofeo Sirio
Renzo Mazzola (Italia), EFIAP/b – AFI** -BFI – BFA****- QPSA- VIP3-CR3
Catherine Juillerat(Francia) EFIAP/b
Romos Kotsonis(Cipro) EFIAP/d3-MPSA-MDIPA
General Chairman: Fabio Pratellesi
E-mail: fabio.pratellesi@gmail.com Telefono: 3387317551
Indirizzo: Via Garibaldi 103, 50063 Figline e Incisa Valdarno (FI)
10) The catalog will be produced in pdf, with all the winning works, the jury’s report and the list of admissible works and participants. And sent to all participants by email or by WeTransfer. For Italian authors, by FIAF regulation, all accepted photos will be inserted.
The catalog is not available for download from the website.
A download link will be provided. The file will be put in a cloud space of Circolo Fotografico Arno. For Italian authors, by FIAF regulation, and for non-Italian authors all accepted photos will be inserted.
11) Statistics, minutes of the juries and both winning and admitted photographs will be published in the www.arnofoto.it website and left there until the next edition. All entrants shall receive the results via email
12) The entrant shall be held responsible in handling any image rights or liberties of the subject matter of the photograph and shall irrevocably consent to the Promoters publishing the photographs.
By participating in the Circuit, the author authorizes the non-profit publication of his images (full or partial) on catalogs, screenings, websites, magazines and whatever else the organizers deem necessary for the promotion of the Circuit itself.
13) Though the organizers will attempt to treat all submitted work with the utmost care, they are not responsible for any damage or loss that may occur during the sending of entries, whatever the cause.
14) We inform you, according to the article. 13 and 14 of the EU Regulation 2016/679 of 04/27/2016, hereinafter referred to as GDPR (General Regulation for the Protection of Personal Data), that the personal data provided as part of the international Gran Digital, photography contest will be collected and recorded by the Circolo Fotografico Arno – on paper, electronic and / or computerized and / or telematics media- protected and treated in ways that ensure security and confidentiality in accordance with GDPR regulations. We inform you that the data provided to us will only be used for strictly related and instrumental purposes to the event. To this end, as part of the Initiative, your data may be published online on the competition website ((www.arnofoto.it) or/and in the competition catalog. The data is required in order to be able to participate in the contest. We inform you that you may exercise in your capacity as an interested person, you have the rights referred to in art. 15 RGPD (including, by way of example, the rights to obtain confirmation of the existence of data concerning it and their intelligibly communication, the indication of the methods of processing, updating, rectification or integration of data, cancellation) by request without formalities to the Data Controller.
The owner of the data processing is the Circolo Fotografico Arno with legal headquarters in Via Roma 2 in Figline e Incisa Valdarno, Florence, through its own president, temporary, Eros Ceccherini.
15) Provisions
I hereby expressly agree to FIAP document 018/2017 « Conditions and regulations for FIAP Patronage » and FIAP document 033/2021« Sanctions for breaching FIAP regulations and the red list ». I am particularly aware of chapter II « Regulations for International photographic events under FIAP patronage » of FIAP document 018/2017, dealing under Section II.2 and II.3 with the FIAP participation rules, the sanctions for breaching FIAP regulations and the red list.
16)Participants are emphasized that participation in Nature, Reportage, Photojournalism, Travel, World in focus, Travel Images and / or “Traditional” (TRAD) sections, presupposes the availability of the RAW files (or original photographs in the case of works deriving from scans) of the photographs presented and compliance with the rules governing their possible supply to the Competition Control Commission, in the event that the submitted photos are subject to verification of compliance with the FIAF Competition Regulations.
For this reason, participants in the Nature, Reportage, Photojournalism, Travel, World in focus, Travel Images and TRAD defined themes sections must be in possession of the RAW file (or the original photographs in the case of works resulting from scans) of the photographs presented.
17)For the DIG and Portfolio sections for digital images, the works presented must retain the technical EXIF data (i.e. the technical Camera and Shooting data); for Nature Photos / Reportage / Travel Photos also conservation of geostationary data if available for the camera used; for aerial photographs from a drone, conservation of geostationary data in whatever section the photos are presented. It is mandatory to respect this EXIF data retention requirement for all new works that will be proposed by 2025 onwards, while the presence of such data is only desirable for those who have already had admissions in 2023 and 2024.
The complete text of the FIAF Competition Regulations, which is the responsibility of the participating author to know, is available on the FIAF website and can also be requested via email from the FIAF itself at the address: “. Participants in the Competition, both FIAF Members and non-Members, grant FIAF the possibility of managing their participation data and the images presented, both for the purposes of managing FIAF Statistics and the FIAF Sites responsible for collecting and disseminating the results of the Competitions Sponsored and recommended by it and the related images awarded and admitted.
18) DATA PROTECTION
By entering this exhibition, you are explicitly consenting to the personal details you have supplied, including email addresses, being held, processed and used by the exhibition organizers for purposes associated with this exhibition. You also explicitly consent to such information being sent to organizations which have accorded official recognition, patronage or accreditation to this exhibition.
You acknowledge and accept that entering this exhibition means that the status and results of your entry may be made public.
Your email address and contact information will not be made public.
19) Definition
Monochrome: A black and white work fitting from the very dark grey (black) to the very clear grey (white) is a monochrome work with the various shades of grey.
A black and white work toned entirely in a single colour will remain a monochrome work able to stand in the black and white category; such a work can be reproduced in black and white in the catalogue of a salon under FIAP Patronage.
On the other hand a black and white work modified by a partial toning or by the addition of one colour becomes a colour work (polychrome) to stand in the colour category; such a work requires colour reproduction in the catalogue of a salon under FIAP Patronage.
Landscape
Landscape photography portrays world spaces that may be in turn either huge and borderless or extremely confined, and may include rural or urban areas, both natural or industrial.
Environment
Environment photography means all those images taken anywhere in the world. In any situation, with the presence of human beings.
Both in small and large spaces, both in the open countryside and in urban centres. An environment is any place where people, things and places specifically designated to the context interact. It could be a workplace, a nursing home or a school. It is important that the subjects are an integral and non-random part, the fortuitous passage of a person from a place or the artificial and non-real reconstruction of a place is not an environment, a studio photo of a farmer simulating sowing is off topic, or the student who carries out a task not in the place designated for study (school, home, library) is off topic..
Drone Policy: The policy has a legal section which basically requires members to follow whatever laws exist in the country in which they are using a drone. There is also an ethical component to the policy and it states:
One of the tenets of photography, is that the safety and well-being of the subject, photographer and surroundings is of paramount importance over the capturing of the photograph.
The purpose of this section is to prevent any interference with other individuals or animals which will or may cause a disturbance in their normal activity or disrupt the way an individual or animal interacts with its environment.
1. May not fly a drone above people for the purpose of photographing their activity, unless
permission is granted in writing
2. May not fly or photograph animals in their natural habitat, especially nesting areas and
locations where the animal is already under stress (winter survival, migratory feeding,
protecting young). Photographing scenery/landscapes is permissible.
3. May not fly or photograph in any designated wilderness area.
Aerial Photography (International): Many countries have their own rules and regulations governing aerial photography, especially drone, usage. It is the responsibility of the Photographer (pilot) to be informed of the polices of the country or region in which they are flying (photographing).
When submitting aerial images that depict a foreign country the photographer must include
a statement that all applicable rules and regulations of that country have been observed.
20) Participation in the Contest implies the entrants’ total, unconditional acceptance and the acknowledgment of their entire understanding of these Regulations.
21) Image creation and ownership
In all sections of the exhibition the images must be created as photographs taken by the competitor. They cannot embed identifiable images produced by others (for example: clip art, substitute skies or stock images). Images created in whole or in part by image creation software (often called “AI” images) are not permitted. Modification or alteration of images is permitted within the limits specified in the section definitions.