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DISQUALIFICATION (DQ) POLICY

The Coachella Exhibition disqualifies (DQs) images that violate the exhibition Conditions of Entry (COE). To the extent possible, entrants are notified in advance of the Closing Date of the most obvious of such images, allowing replacement of such images by the entrant in time for the judging. However, many images that violate the COE are missed in this pre-screening and may then be DQed by the judges. As described below, entrants are given the opportunity to inform the Coachella Exhibition as to why their image should not be DQed and such reasons are presented to the judges for reconsideration.

Coachella DQs such images for two main reasons:

1. Rather than give a low score with no information, the Exhibition provides a reason for the DQ that informs the entrant, allowing the entrant to make decisions about future entries of that image into other exhibitions.

2. The staff of the Coachella Exhibition believe it is important to uphold standards set by PSA and by the Exhibition so that an entrant does not gain an unfair advantage over other entrants.

Judges, of course, may be wrong in their evaluation. So, within a period of time specified in the scorecard, the entrant of a DQed image is given the opportunity to provide an original capture (preferably a RAW image) of that image along with other information as to why the entrant believes the image has been wrongly DQed. That information is presented to the judges so they may reconsider their decision if appropriate. FAILURE TO PROVIDE AN ORIGINAL CAPTURE (PREFERABLY A RAW IMAGE) UPON REQUEST IS TAKEN AS PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE THAT THE JUDGES' DECISION WAS CORRECT.

However, if the entrant does not respond within the specified timeframe with convincing information and if manipulation or other potential ethical violations are involved - particularly in any of the reality-based divisions - the Coachella Exhibition, at its discretion when considering the circumstances, may forward the image and the alleged violation to PSA authorities for consideration of malpractice by the entrant.

(updated May 23, 2022 to include provision for Original Capture).

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