Photography requirements

It's a requirement that photographs be submitted as part of your Housing & Construction Awards entry. Each category segment has a specific set of requirements regarding the photographs. On receipt of the entry, if these requirements aren’t met, the entry will be considered incomplete and will not be processed.

If your entry is shortlisted, the judges use photographs in their final deliberation and, if your entry wins an award, we’ll use the photographs in the Awards audio-visual show, to promote the Awards to the media and across a range of official publications and materials and online mediums.

An example of how these images are used is in the winner videos, see the Queensland 2023 Housing & Construction Award winners video for reference.

Photography requirements

When entering photographs for the Housing & Construction Awards, you need to be mindful of the following submission requirements:

Photographs must be high-resolution (1,500KB - 4,000KB) and a minimum size of 210 x 140mm at 300dpi (2,480 x 1,654px).
A minimum number of 10 photographs is required for each entry.
You should submit a variety of shots highlighting main features of the project, including:
- External shots – front entry, landscaping and any outdoor areas like pools, patios and decks
- Internal shots – kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas, media rooms etc.
- Feature shots – any main features, such as balustrading, timber or steel work.
Landscape (horizontal) shots work best in the audio-visual presentations and promotional material, so we require a large portion of the images you supply to be in this format.
Master Builders will retain the copyright or licence to reproduce all photographs. Digital/AV presentations taken or produced by Master Builders are not available to entrants.

Signing a release form

Please ensure the photographer’s authorisation section of the Housing and Construction Awards Authorisation Form has been signed prior to submitting your entry.

Master Builders will not reproduce a copyrighted photograph without appropriate authorisation from the photographer or studio.

This section indicates that permission has been granted for Master Builders to use the professional photographs as part of the Master Builders Housing & Construction Awards program – including publishing photos in magazines, newspapers, social media and other media outlets, as well as in any audio visual presentation or promotional campaign.

Taking photos

Unfortunately, many of the photos we receive cannot be published because they’re poorly composed. Please check that the photos don’t contain people or obscure objects, such as building materials or towels and clothing in rooms. Ensure kitchen benches in the photographs are clear and that cars aren’t parked in driveways (especially showing number plates) as we want to portray the finished project. Please be mindful of the angle used when taking photos. Try to keep images as level as possible and avoid using a fish-eye lens.

Here are some tips from professional photographers to help transform your images:

Simplify the scene – Choose a clear focal point and keep other objects out of the photo. The simpler the shot, the bigger the impact. Also ensure the house is tidy, without objects on benches and desks.
Fill the frame or get physically closer to the subject – Filling the frame makes the subject appear larger and reduces clutter.
Don’t just concentrate on your subject – Look at what’s happening in the background too. Ensure that photos don’t contain any building materials. Changing your position is often all that’s needed to replace a cluttered background with one that complements your subject nicely.
Pay attention to the way the light falls – Outside shots should be taken with the sun behind you, not the subject – otherwise the subject will appear black. When inside, use as much natural light as possible by opening the blinds and not switching on the lights.
Time of day and weather play a large part in the successful lighting of the project. The best pictures are taken at dusk, with softer lighting.

Meeting minimum photography requirements

Here are a few tips on how you can ensure you’ve met the minimum photography requirements for your entry’s category.

Try using a variety of viewpoints in the room or space. This will ensure the whole project is captured accurately.
In the Housing categories, ensure you include at least five photos of the kitchen or bathroom, in the event of the judges awarding your project.
Ensure all photos are high resolution and meet the minimum size requirements. If there are less than the required number supplied in an incorrect format, you will be asked to provide more photos for the entry.

Construction	For all construction categories (inclusive of the Commercial Trade Contractor of the Year category), a minimum of 10 and maximum number of 20 photographs of the finished project are required. These photos should all be in landscape. Submitted photos should include: Hero shot - the first photo you upload should be your chosen hero image of the project in landscape (please name the image ‘HERO’) External shots (showing the full façade) Internal shots (variety of rooms and viewpoints inside the project) Feature shots (showcasing a particular point of interest in the project e.g. solar panels, intricate use of materials).
Housing	For all housing categories (inclusive of the Residential Trade Contractor of the Year category), a minimum of 10 and maximum number of 20 photographs of the finished project are required. These photos should all in be landscape. Submitted photos should include: Hero shot - the first photo you upload should be your chosen hero image of the project in landscape (please name the image ‘HERO’) External shots (including the full front façade and from the back of the house. These shots should include front entry, landscaping and any outdoor areas like pools, patios and decks) Internal shots (include photos of kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas and media rooms) Feature shots (showing a particular point of interest in the project – fixtures and fittings, use of materials etc.).
Specialty	For all Specialty Awards, there is a minimum of five photographs required, in landscape. Please ensure that there are enough shots provided to accurately depict the bathroom, kitchen, or swimming pool. Try and incorporate feature shots of fixtures and fittings of the entry to showcase the quality of the work. Submitted photos should include: Hero shot - the first photo you upload should be your chosen hero image of the project in landscape (please name the image ‘HERO’) There is a system requirement of a minimum of 10 photos for an entry to be submitted. For Individual categories, we only require five photos. If you have less than 10 photos, please upload duplicate photos to get through the system requirement. This will not impact judging. Tip: Use different viewpoints around the room or project to accurately show the entire room or project. This is particularly helpful for the State Judging deliberation.
Rising Star	Rising Star nominations require photos of various projects, and photos of the nominated individual. All of these photos should be supplied in landscape only. Photos of featured projects You should submit a minimum of 10 photographs of at least two different projects (five photos per project). These shots should highlight the main features of each project and should include: Hero shot - the first photo you upload should be your chosen hero image of the project in landscape (pplease name the image ‘HERO’) External shots – front entry, landscaping and any outdoor areas like pools, patios and decks Internal shots – kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas, media rooms, etc. Feature shots – any main features, such as balustrading, timber or steel work. Photos of the nominated individual For the photos of the individual, a minimum of two photographs are required in landscape only. We strongly recommend that the photos submitted should include at least one formal photograph and one action shot of the individual on the job. There is a system requirement of a minimum of 10 photos for an entry to be submitted. If you have less than 10 photos, please upload duplicate photos to get through the system requirement. This will not impact judging.
Women in Building	The Women in Building category only requires photos of the nominated individual. There is a minimum number of two photographs (in landscape only) required for this category. We recommend that one of the photos submitted be a formal headshot of the nominated person, and the other an action shot. There is a system requirement of a minimum of 10 photos for an entry to be submitted. If you have less than 10 photos, please upload duplicate photos to get through the system requirement. This will not impact judging.
Apprentice of the Year	The Apprentice of the Year category only requires photos of the nominated individual. There is a minimum number of two photographs (in landscape only) required for this category. We recommend that one of the photos submitted be a formal headshot of the nominated person, and the other an action shot. There is a system requirement of a minimum of 10 photos for an entry to be submitted. If you have less than 10 photos, please upload duplicate photos to get through the system requirement. This will not impact judging.

Examples

Publishable	Unpublishable
This photo shows the full facade and is well lit.	This photo has poor lighting, shadows, no focal point and the full façade is not shown.
This photo shows depth and has good lighting inside and out.	This photo shows too much clutter. Ensure the pantry door is closed and all appliances are tidy.
This photo shows off the design and is well composed.	This photo consists of shadows and poor lighting and shows no major focus of the house.