A Photo Travel image expresses the characteristic features or culture of a land as they are found naturally. There are no geographic limitations. Images from events or activities arranged specifically for photography, or of subjects directed or hired for photography are not appropriate. Close up pictures of people or objects must include features that provide information about the environment. Techniques that add, relocate, replace or remove any element of the original image, except by cropping, are not permitted. The only allowable adjustments are removal of dust or digital noise, restoration of the appearance of the original scene, and complete conversion to greyscale monochrome. Other derivations, including infrared, are not permitted. All images must appear natural.

An image is considered to be Monochrome only if it gives the impression of having no color (i.e. contains only shades of gray which can include pure black and pure white) OR it gives the impression of being a greyscale image that has been toned in one color across the entire image. (For example by Sepia, red, gold, etc.) A greyscale or multi-colored image modified or giving the impression of having been modified by partial toning, multi-toning or by the inclusion of spot coloring does not meet the definition of monochrome and shall be classified as a Color Work.

Monochrome images may be entered for Nature, Photojournalism and Photo Travel but only the first sentence of the Mono definition applies. Toned images are not permitted for these divisions.

Monochrome images may be entered in PID Color sections but if accepted will only be eligible towards PID Color Star Ratings.

Photojournalism entries shall consist of images with informative content and emotional impact, reflecting the human presence in our world. The journalistic (story-telling) value of the image shall receive priority over pictorial quality. In the interest of credibility, images that misrepresent the truth, such as those from events or activities specifically arranged for photography or of subjects directed or hired for photography, are not eligible. Techniques that add, relocate, replace or remove any element of the original image, except by cropping, are not permitted. The only allowable modifications are removal of dust, scratches or digital noise, restoration of the existing appearance of the original scene, sharpening that is not obvious, and conversion to greyscale monochrome. Derivations, including infrared, are not eligible.

Nature photography is restricted to the use of the photographic process to depict all branches of natural history, except anthropology and archaeology, in such a fashion that a well-informed person will be able to identify the subject material and certify its honest presentation.

• The story telling value of a photograph must be weighed more than the pictorial quality while maintaining high technical quality.

• Human elements shall not be present, except where those human elements are integral parts of the nature story such as nature subjects, like barn owls or storks, adapted to an environment modified by humans, or where those human elements are in situations depicting natural forces, like hurricanes or tidal waves.

• Scientific bands, scientific tags or radio collars on wild animals are permissible.

• Photographs of human created hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral animals, domestic animals, or mounted specimens are ineligible, as is any form of manipulation that alters the truth of the photographic statement.

• No techniques that add, relocate, replace, or remove pictorial elements except by

cropping are permitted.

• Techniques that enhance the presentation of the photograph without changing the nature story or the pictorial content, or without altering the content of the original scene, are permitted including HDR, focus stacking and dodging / burning.

• Techniques that remove elements added by the camera, such as dust spots, digital noise, and film scratches, are allowed.

• Stitched images are not permitted.

• All allowed adjustments must appear natural.

• Color images can be converted to greyscale monochrome.

• Infrared images, either direct-captures or derivations, are not allowed.

Images entered in Nature sections meeting the Nature Photography Definition above can have landscapes, geologic formations, weather phenomena, and extant organisms as the primary subject matter. This includes images taken with the subjects in controlled conditions, such as zoos, game farms, botanical gardens, aquariums and any enclosure where the subjects are totally dependent on man for food.

There is one hard and fast rule, whose spirit must be observed at all times.
The welfare of the subject is more important than the photograph.
This means that practices such as baiting of subjects with a living creature and removal of birds from nests, for
the purpose of obtaining a photograph, are highly unethical, and such photographs are not allowed in Nature
competitions. Judges are warned not to reward them.

The Board approved a new policy on the use of drones and it is available here https://psaphoto.org/index.php?psa-policies&a=view&faq_id=1632. 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