Awards guide · Vancouver Island
VIBI Awards (formerly VIBE) Photo Guide: Vancouver Island Image Rules
For CHBA Vancouver Island members entering the Vancouver Island Building Industry Awards. Checked against the 2026 Call for Entries on November 1, 2026.
The VIBE Awards are now the VIBI Awards (Vancouver Island Building Industry), run by CHBA Vancouver Island with the Vancouver Island Construction Association; the old vibeawards.ca address still works. Only CHBA Vancouver Island members can enter. Images are high-quality JPEGs at 300 dpi, 10 MB maximum, horizontal or vertical. A new home takes 10 images (2 exterior, 4 interior, 4 of your choice), a renovation 10 including 4 before. Do not submit HDR (“high-definition”) or digitally enhanced images, black-and-white before photos, renderings, people, logos or addresses. Dusk exteriors are fine if the features are visible. The 2026 deadline was 11:59 pm on April 10, 2026, at $225 + GST per entry; the 2027 call has not been published.
The 2026 cycle at a glance
| Item | 2026 VIBI Awards |
|---|---|
| Who can enter | “Only Members of CHBA VI are eligible to enter.” |
| Eligible projects | Built, renovated, developed or marketed February 1, 2024 – April 1, 2026; new homes substantially completed |
| Deadline | 11:59 pm, April 10, 2026, online at chbavi.awardify.io. No extensions. |
| Fee | $225 + GST per entry |
| Judging | Anonymous, online, by judges external to Vancouver Island, from the entry materials only |
| Permission forms | Homeowner permission for custom homes and renovations; the CHBA-style form also covers the Georgie and CHBA National Awards |
| 2027 cycle | Not published as of November 1, 2026 |
Source: VIBI entry procedures, VIBI eligibility.
The image rules
- High-quality JPEG only, 300 dpi, 10 MB maximum. No PDF, TIFF, GIF or PSD.
- No HDR or digitally enhanced images. VIBI’s wording is “digitally enhanced or high-definition images”. A natural, single-look edit is the safe reading; heavy tone-mapped HDR is out.
- Colour only, including before photos: black-and-white before images “will not be judged”.
- No borders or frames, and no re-formatted, layered images.
- Anonymous: no company names, logos or addresses, and no people except in renovation before photos and marketing categories. Entries with names or logos in the images “will not be judged”.
- Dusk is allowed if the exterior features are visible; night-time images are not recommended.
- You cannot upload more images than a category allows.
How many images each category takes
| Category (2026) | Images |
|---|---|
| New homes and townhouses | 10: 2 exterior + 4 interior + 4 of your choice |
| Whole-home renovations | 10: 6 after + 4 before |
| Kitchens and bathrooms | 8 of your choice (+2 before for renovation kitchens and bathrooms) |
| Interior design, custom new home | 10 interior |
| Environmental Initiative | 12 |
Shoot once for all three programmes: a project entered in VIBI is often also a Georgie and CHBA National candidate, and the homeowner form covers all three. Export one set at VIBI’s 300 dpi JPEG spec and another at each provincial and national spec.
How I photograph awards entries
I’m an architectural and interior photographer based in Richmond, working across Metro Vancouver and, with published travel fees, the rest of BC. For an awards entry the brief comes from the rules:
- A shot list built from the categories you are entering, with an image for each thing the judges score.
- Real spaces, no virtual staging, and edits limited to normal correction of exposure, colour and verticals.
- Files delivered to the programme’s spec: high-quality 300 dpi JPEG under 10 MB, natural single-look edits rather than HDR, colour before photos.
- A ready credit line (“Photography: Travis Zhang”) and a licence that covers the organiser’s promotional use of winning images.
- Published prices: CA$1,100 for a half day with 12 finished images, or CA$2,000 for a full day with 20 images including twilight, plus 5% GST. Details are in the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are the VIBE Awards and the VIBI Awards the same?
Yes. The Vancouver Island Building Excellence (VIBE) Awards are now the Vancouver Island Building Industry (VIBI) Awards, produced by CHBA Vancouver Island with the Vancouver Island Construction Association. vibeawards.ca still works.
What photo format do the VIBI Awards accept?
High-quality JPEG only, saved at 300 dpi, no larger than 10 MB, horizontal or vertical. HDR or digitally enhanced images, black-and-white or greyscale images and renderings are not accepted.
How many photos does a VIBI new-home entry need?
Ten in 2026: two exterior, four interior and four of your choice. Renovations take ten, six after and four before.
This guide summarises CHBA Vancouver Island’s 2026 Call for Entries and is not affiliated with CHBA-VI. The official VIBI Awards site takes precedence.