Competition rules
AI-generated images are not eligible
ShutterChallenge celebrates real wildlife photography — moments captured by photographers in the field. Images created or generated by AI are not eligible for our competitions.
How we check
We may use AI image detection tools as part of our review. These tools give each image an AI likelihood score. A high score does not prove an image is AI-generated on its own, so we use the score to decide how closely to look, and a person makes the final call.
- 0–30%Low concernNormal judging continues. A low score is not a guarantee of authenticity.
- 31–70%Flagged for reviewAn admin looks at the image more closely.
- 71–100%High concernReview is prioritised and we may ask for the original RAW file or other evidence that the photo is genuine.
These bands are our own working guide, not an industry standard. Detection tools differ, and a real photograph can sometimes score high after heavy editing, resizing, compression or noise reduction. That is exactly why no image is disqualified on a score alone.
What a detection result looks like
An illustration of the kind of report a detection tool produces. The photo on the right is a real entry from our gallery; the left panel shows how an AI-generated image is typically reported.
“Love time” by Ravishankar Paranthaman, from the ShutterChallenge gallery.
What happens if an image is marked as AI content
- It is removed from the competition, voting and rankings.
- It stays on the photographer's profile with an “AI content” label, so nothing is silently deleted.
- Repeated AI submissions may lead to the account being blocked from future competitions.
- If you believe a flag is wrong, contact us with the original file (RAW or the camera's original JPEG). We will review it and restore the entry if it is genuine.
The rule, in short
AI-Generated Image Policy: AI-generated images are not eligible for ShutterChallenge photography competitions. Automated detection tools may be used to flag submissions for review, but their scores alone will not determine eligibility. ShutterChallenge may request original image files or other evidence of authenticity before making a final decision.
Normal editing — exposure, contrast, colour, cropping, noise reduction — is fine. Adding, removing or replacing parts of a scene with AI tools is not.